
Mexodus Leads 2026 Lucille Lortel Award Nominations With 9 Nods
The nominations for the 41st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards were announced this week, recognizing the best of Off-Broadway from the past season. The Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson collaboration Mexodus dominated the field with 9 nominations, including Outstanding Musical, Director, Choreographer, and lead performances for both of its creators.
Close behind, Jordan Tannahill's Prince Faggot, which transferred from Soho Rep to Playwrights Horizons, picked up 6 nominations including Outstanding Play and Director (Shayok Misha Chowdhury). Two shows tied with 5 nominations apiece: Ro Reddick's Cold War Choir Practice (a co-production from MCC Theater, Clubbed Thumb, and Page 73) and Saturday Church, the New York Theatre Workshop musical with songs by Sia.
The Lincoln Center Theater production of Kyoto, by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, and Manhattan Theatre Club's THE MONSTERS by Ngozi Anyanwu (a co-production with Two River Theater) each landed 4 nominations.
The 41st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards Ceremony
Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 7:00 PM
NYU Skirball | 566 LaGuardia Place, NYC
Directed by Michael Heitzman
Tickets available through NYU Skirball
Produced by the Off-Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, with support from TDF
Standout Categories
The Outstanding Play race is one of the strongest in years, with all five nominees coming from major nonprofit institutions. Lauren Yee's Mother Russia at Signature Theatre Company rounds out the category alongside Cold War Choir Practice, Kyoto, THE MONSTERS, and Prince Faggot.
Outstanding Musical features a remarkably diverse slate: BIGFOOT! with a book and score by Amber Ruffin (alongside Kevin Sciretta and David Schmoll); Mexodus; The Bengsons' My Joy Is Heavy at NYTW; Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3's Night Side Songs by The Lazours; and Saturday Church.
The Outstanding Solo Show category includes some of the season's most personal work, headlined by Sean Hayes performing David Cale's The Unknown and Ari'el Stachel's Other.
Honorary Awards
Mia Katigbak, the founding artistic producing director of National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO), will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The late William Finn, whose work includes Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (itself a 2026 Outstanding Revival nominee), will be inducted into the Playwrights' Sidewalk.
Still Playing
Many of this year's nominated productions are still running at the time of nominations. If you want to see the contenders before May 3, the following nominated shows are currently playing on Off-Broadway:
Antigone (This Play I Read in High School) at The Public Theater
BIGFOOT! at New York City Center
Goddess at The Public Theater
Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages
Mexodus at the Daryl Roth Theatre
My Joy is Heavy at New York Theatre Workshop
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at New World Stages
The Unknown at Studio Seaview
Titus Andronicus at The Pershing Square Signature Center
Complete List of 2026 Lucille Lortel Award Nominees
Outstanding Play
Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick (MCC Theater, Clubbed Thumb, Page 73)
Kyoto by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson (Lincoln Center Theater)
THE MONSTERS by Ngozi Anyanwu (Manhattan Theatre Club, Two River Theater)
Mother Russia by Lauren Yee (Signature Theatre Company)
Prince Faggot by Jordan Tannahill (Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep)
Outstanding Musical
BIGFOOT!
Mexodus
My Joy Is Heavy (New York Theatre Workshop)
Night Side Songs (Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3)
Saturday Church (New York Theatre Workshop)
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 by Ryan J. Haddad
I'm Assuming You Know David Greenspan (written by Mona Pirnot)
Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God (Jen Tullock and Frank Winters)
Other by Ari'el Stachel
The Unknown (David Cale, performed by Sean Hayes)
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 and 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 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
Outstanding Ensemble
Initiative
Night Side Songs
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Lifetime Achievement Award
Mia Katigbak
Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee
William Finn
Aaron is a NYC playwright, lyricist, designer, producer, director & improv teacher who teaches adults with mental health conditions and writes about the theater he loves most. He has directed & produced in New York City and Long Island.
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