The annual awards celebrate the best of Off-Broadway theatre, and the currently running musical Mexodus leads with nine nominations this year.
Nominees have been announced for the 2026 Lucille Lortel Awards, which honor the best of Off-Broadway theatre each year.
The currently running musical Mexodus, created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson at the Daryl Roth Theatre through June 14, leads the pack with nine nominations each, including Outstanding Musical. Jordan Tannahill’s play Prince Faggot, which ran at Playwrights Horizons and then at Studio Seaview in 2025, followed with six nods.
Other currently running shows nominated for Lortels include Cold War Choir Practice, The Unknown, Bigfoot!, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Titus Andronicus, Antigone (This Play I Read In High School), About Time, Heathers, and My Joy Is Heavy.
Additionally, the Lortels named recipients of two honorary prizes: the Lifetime Achievement Award for actor Mia Katigbak and a Playwrights’ Sidewalk induction for the late composer/lyricist William Finn.
Discover the full list of nominees below.
Outstanding Play
Cold War Choir Practice
Kyoto
The Monsters
Mother Russia
Prince Faggot
Outstanding Musical
Bigfoot!
Mexodus
My Joy Is Heavy
Night Side Songs
Saturday Church
Outstanding Revival
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Bus Stop
Gruesome Playground Injuries
Titus Andronicus
The Weir
Outstanding Solo Show
Hold Me in the Water
I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan
Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God
Other
The Unknown
Outstanding Director
Knud Adams: Cold War Choir Practice
Shayok Misha Chowdhury: Prince Faggot
Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin: Kyoto
David Mendizábal: Mexodus
Keenan Tyler Oliphant: Practice
Outstanding Choreographer
Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes: Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Darrell Grand Moultrie: Goddess
Darrell Grand Moultrie: Saturday Church
Tony Thomas: Mexodus
Rickey Tripp: The Monsters
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 Featured Performer in a Play
Jorge Bosch: Kyoto
Felicia Curry: Bowl EP
Crystal Finn: Cold War Choir Practice
David Greenspan: Prince Faggot
Lizan Mitchell: Cold War Choir Practice
Deirdre O’Connell: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
David Turner: Mother Russia
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
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical
Nick Rashad Burroughs: Goddess
Judy Kuhn: The Baker’s Wife
Erin Morton: Heathers The Musical
Stephanie Jae Park: Monte Cristo
Caleb Quezon: Saturday Church
Natalie Walker: The Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse
Lynne Wintersteller: About Time
Outstanding Ensemble
Initiative: Olivia Rose Barresi, Brandon Burk, Greg Cuellar, Harrison Densmore, Carson Higgins, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Jamie Sanders, Christopher Dylan White
Night Side Songs: Robin de Jesús, Brooke Ishibashi, Jonathan Raviv, Kris Saint-Louis, Mary Testa
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: Philippe Arroyo, Autumn Best, Leana Rae Concepcion, Justin Cooley, Lilli Cooper, Jason Kravits, Matt Manuel, Kevin McHale, Jasmine Amy Rogers
Outstanding Scenic Design
Miriam Buether: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
Afsoon Pajoufar: Cold War Choir Practice
Riw Rakkulchon: Mexodus
Adam Rigg and Anton Volovsek: Bowl EP
David Zinn: Prince Faggot
Outstanding Costume Design
Montana Levi Blanco: Prince Faggot
Enver Chakartash: Tartuffe
Qween Jean: Saturday Church
Celeste Jennings: minor.ity
Kaye Voyce: The Seat of Our Pants
Outstanding Lighting Design
Isabella Byrd: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
Isabella Byrd: Prince Faggot
Mextly Couzin: Mexodus
Cha See: The Unknown
Studio Luna: Marcel on the Train
Outstanding Sound Design
Caroline Eng: The Unknown
Mikhail Fiksel: Mexodus
Ryan Gamblin: Bowl EP
Drew Levy: The Weir
Bray Poor: Eurydice
Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali: My Joy Is Heavy
Stefania Bulbarella: Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God
Akhila Krishnan: Kyoto
Johnny Moreno: Mexodus
John Narun: Bughouse
Photo credit: Mexodus off Broadway. (Photo by Thomas Mundell)