Sean Hayes, Dulé Hill, John Krasinski, Amber Ruffin and Sia are among the first-time nominees for Lucille Lortel Awards, announced today. They join such stage stalwarts as Kara Young, J. Harrison Ghee and Deirdre O’Connell in contention for Off Broadway‘s big honor.
Both Hayes and Krasinski appeared in solo shows (The Unknown and Angry Alan, respectively).
Among the most-nominated productions are Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson’s Mexodus (with nine nominations), Jordan Tannahill’s Prince Faggot (six), Ro Reddick’s Cold War Choir Practice and the Sia musical Saturday Church (both with five).
To date, none of the nominated productions have announced Broadway transfers.
Nominations for the 41st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – the only New York theater award to exclusively honor Outstanding Achievement Off Broadway – were announced today by Amber Gray and Harvey Guillén, both currently appearing in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show. The 2026 Awards will be presented at the annual ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 3, at NYU Skirball.
The Lortel Awards are produced by the Off Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by TDF. In total, the nominating committee saw 98 Off Broadway shows this season, with 41 receiving nominations. (See the complete list of nominations here.)
As previously announced, special honorees this year include Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mia Katigbak, performer and founder of the National Asian American Theatre Company; and composer and lyricist William Finn, who will be posthumously inducted onto the famed Playwrights’ Sidewalk in front of the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
Here are some highlights from this year’s nominations:
OUTSTANDING PLAY
Cold War Choir Practice
Produced by MCC Theater, Clubbed Thumb, and Page 73
Written by Ro Reddick
Kyoto
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater, by arrangement with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Good Chance, Rachel Styne and Jessica Foung
Written by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson
The Monsters
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club
Written by Ngozi Anyanwu
Mother Russia
Produced by Signature Theatre Company
Written by Lauren Yee
Prince Faggot
Produced by Playwrights Horizons and Soho Rep
Written by Jordan Tannahill
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
BIGFOOT!
Produced by Benson Drive Productions, David Carter, Frankly Spoken Productions, The Shubert Organization, Robin Thede, Carson Gleberman, Sean Nyberg, Adam Riemer, Stark Sands, in association with Manhattan Theatre Club
Book by Amber Ruffin and Kevin Sciretta, Lyrics by Amber Ruffin, Music by David Schmoll and Amber Ruffin
Mexodus
Produced by Audible Theater and P3 Productions in association with Gabrielle Palitz, Gina Maria Leonetti, Todd B. Rubin, Willette and Manny Klausner, and QM Productions / The Movement Theatre Company, MTTM Theatrics / Barzach Productions
Written by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson
My Joy Is Heavy
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Created by The Bengsons
Night Side Songs
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3
Words and Music by The Lazours
Saturday Church
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Book and Additional Lyrics by Damon Cardasis and James Ijames, Music by Sia, Additional Music by Honey Dijon
Book and Additional Lyrics
OUTSTANDING SOLO SHOW
Hold Me in the Water
Produced by Playwrights Horizons
Written and Performed by Ryan J. Haddad
I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan
Produced by Atlantic Theater Company
Written by Mona Pirnot
Performed by David Greenspan
Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God
Produced by Playwrights Horizons
Written by Jen Tullock and Frank Winters
Performed by Jen Tullock
Other
Produced by LaChanze, Marc Platt, Debra Messing/Rudetsky-Jackson, Marvin Krislov/Adam Cohen, Anna Jenefsky, Bob Stachel/Aaron Yeshayahu
Written and Performed by Ari’el Stachel
The Unknown
Produced by Seaview, ATG Productions, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Mickey Liddell & Pete Shilaimon, Tom Tuft, Craig Balsam/Ken Levitan, Julie Boardman, Creative Partners Productions, Front Row Productions, Lloyd Tichio Productions, MarketStall, New Ventures Entertainment, in association with Hayes Entertainment, Inc.
Written by David Cale
Performed by Sean Hayes
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMER IN A PLAY
Noah Galvin – The Reservoir
Marin Ireland – Queens
John Krasinski – Angry Alan
Aigner Mizzelle – The Monsters
Okieriete Onaodowan – The Monsters
Susannah Perkins – Antigone (This Play I Read In High School)
Kara Young – Gruesome Playground Injuries
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL
Abigail Bengson – My Joy Is Heavy
J. Harrison Ghee – Saturday Church
Dulé Hill – Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Ruthie Ann Miles – The Seat of Our Pants
Brian Quijada – Mexodus
Nygel D. Robinson – Mexodus
Daniel J. Watts – Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
