'Death of a Salesman' and 'Schmigadoon!' Lead Historic 2026 Tony Awards

The 79th Tony Awards brought Broadway's biggest night back to Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, celebrating a season defined by powerhouse revivals, historic milestones, and an unusually balanced distribution of musical theater prizes. Hosted for the first time by Grammy-winning pop star Pink, the ceremony broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+, offering a vibrant showcase of the 2025-2026 Broadway season. While the play categories were dominated by a towering revival of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman', the musical awards were evenly split among a diverse slate of productions, reflecting what critics described as a season where voters wanted to spread the love around.[2][3][5]

The undisputed heavyweight of the evening was the Joe Mantello-directed revival of 'Death of a Salesman', which swept six categories to become the most awarded individual production of the night. The staging took home Best Revival of a Play, while Mantello won for Best Direction. The production's acting company was equally celebrated, with Laurie Metcalf earning the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play. The victory marks Metcalf's third career Tony Award, cementing her status as one of the most decorated stage actors of her generation.[1][2][5]

In the musical categories, the stage adaptation of the musical comedy 'Schmigadoon!' captured the coveted Best Musical prize. The production proved to be a favorite among voters, also securing Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical for Cinco Paul, and Best Orchestrations. The four-trophy haul tied it for the most musical wins of the night in a season that featured only six new musicals and five revivals. Producer Lorne Michaels accepted the top prize, capping off a successful transition for the property from the screen to the Broadway stage.[2][3][5]

History was made in the acting categories, most notably by stage and screen veteran John Lithgow. At 80 years old, Lithgow became the oldest man to ever win a competitive acting Tony Award, taking home Best Lead Actor in a Play for his portrayal of author Roald Dahl in the new play 'Giant'. The historic win marks Lithgow's third Tony Award, arriving more than 50 years after his first victory in 1973 for 'The Changing Room'. The Broadway triumph follows his Olivier Award win in the UK last year for the same role.[1][3][5]

The highly anticipated revival of 'Ragtime' also made a massive impact, securing the award for Best Revival of a Musical. The production's success was driven by its powerhouse leading performances, with Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy sweeping the Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress in a Musical categories, respectively. Alongside technical achievements, 'Ragtime' finished the evening with four Tonys, matching the musical tally of 'Schmigadoon!' and reaffirming the enduring resonance of the classic American musical.[1][2][5]

New dramatic works were celebrated alongside classic revivals, with Bess Wohl's newly minted Pulitzer Prize-winning drama 'Liberation' crowned Best Play. Wohl's victory represents a significant milestone for the industry, as she became the first American woman in nearly 40 years to take the top play prize. The last American female playwright to achieve the feat was Wendy Wasserstein, who won for 'The Heidi Chronicles' in 1989. The play, described as a playful imagining of her mother's feminist consciousness-raising, resonated deeply with both critics and Tony voters.[1][2][5]

The new musical adaptation of the 1987 vampire film 'The Lost Boys' matched the evening's top musical winners with four awards of its own, driven heavily by strong supporting performances and technical design. Broadway fan-favorite Shoshana Bean won her first-ever Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, delivering a heartfelt acceptance speech. Moments later, her co-star Ali Louis Bourzgui took Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as the vampire leader David, using his time at the podium to deliver a passionate speech dedicated to immigrants.[1][3][5]

Another groundbreaking moment came courtesy of 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball', a radical reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic through the lens of ballroom culture. The production won three of its nine nominations, including Best Direction of a Musical for Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, and Best Choreography for Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons. Notably, costume designer Qween Jean took home the award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, making history as the first openly transgender person to ever win a Tony Award.[1][3][4]

British talent also shone brightly on the Broadway stage this season. Acclaimed actress Lesley Manville won Best Lead Actress in a Play for her searing performance in a new adaptation of 'Oedipus'. Remarkably, the demanding leading role served as Manville's Broadway debut, though she had just closed a separate stage production in London the day prior. Meanwhile, the British-born musical 'Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)', which entered the night with eight nominations, was shut out, highlighting the fierce competition among this year's nominees.[1][3][4]

The broadcast itself was praised for its energetic pacing and its dedication to celebrating the broader history of American theater. Pink's debut as host featured several musical numbers that anchored the evening, while the ceremony took time to honor milestone anniversaries for iconic shows like 'Chicago', 'Rent', and 'A Chorus Line'. With a mix of historic firsts, veteran triumphs, and a wide distribution of awards that kept any single show from monopolizing the spotlight, the 79th Tony Awards painted a picture of a Broadway ecosystem that is both honoring its past and actively expanding its creative boundaries.[3][4][5]