Mexodus and Prince Faggot Top Lortel List

Nygel D. Robinson and Brian Quijada  in Mexodus. 

Credit: Curtis Brown

Theater award season has officially begun with the announcement of the 41st annual Lucille Lortel Awards for excellence in Off and Off-Off-Broadway theater on April 1. Amber Gray and Harvey Guillén currently starring in The Rocky Horror Show made the announcement from Sardi's. The awards will be presented on May 3 at NYU Skirball. The musical Mexodus, which opened at the Minetta Lane earlier this season and is now playing a second engagement at the Daryl Roth Theater, lead the nominations with nine including for Outstanding Musical. Prince Faggot by Jordan Tannahill, which opened at Playwrights Horizons and later played the Seaview Studio, received the most nominations for a play with six. The Lortel  nominating committee saw 98 Off-Broadway shows in the 2025–2026 season, with 41 receiving nominations. The Outer Critics, Drama League, Drama Desk and Tonys nominations will soon follow.

A complete list of Lortel nominees follows:

Outstanding Play

Cold War Choir Practice, by Ro Reddick
Kyoto, by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson
THE MONSTERS, by Ngozi Anyanwu
Mother Russia,by Lauren Yee
Prince Faggot, by Jordan Tannahill

Outstanding Musical
BIGFOOT!, book by Amber Ruffin and Kevin Sciretta, lyrics by Amber Ruffin, music by David Schmoll and Amber Ruffin
Mexodus, by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson
My Joy Is Heavy, by The Bengsons
Night Side Songs, words and music by The Lazours
Saturday Church, book and additional Lyrics by Damon Cardasis and James Ijames, music by Sia, additional music by Honey Dijon

Outstanding Revival

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin
Bus Stop, by William Inge
Gruesome Playground Injuries, by Rajiv Joseph
Titus Andronicus, by William Shakespeare
The Weir, by Conor McPherson

Outstanding Solo Show:

Hold Me in the Water, written and performed by Ryan J. Haddad
I'm Assuming You Know David Greenspan, by Mona Pirnot and performed by David Greenspan
Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God, written by Jen Tullock and Frank Winters, performed by Jen Tullock
Other, written and performed by Ari'el Stachel
The Unknown, by David Cale and 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
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

HONORARY AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement: Mia Katigbak
Playwrights’ Sidewalk Inductee: William Finn