The 15th Annual David Desk Awards

Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock
in Little Bear Ridge Road.
Credit: Julieta Cervantes

The 2025-26 theater season is now over and that means it's time for the 15th annual David Desk Awards with my choices for the best onstage in NYC theater out of everything I've seen in the past twelve months. Shows like Cats: The Jellicle Ball and Libertation are not included because I considered them last year for their Off-Broadway runs. I categorize Masquerade, the immersive version of Phantom of the Opera as both a revival and a Unique Theatrical Experience. 

Play:
The Balusters (David Lindsay-Abaire)
Cold War Choir Practice (Ro Reddick)
Giant (Mark Rosenblatt)
Kyoto (Joe Murphy, Joe Robertson)
Little Bear Ridge Road (Samuel D. Hunter)
Meet the Cartozians (Talene Monahon)
Prince Faggot (Jordan Tannahill)
Punch (James Graham)

Musical:

The Lost Boys

Mexodus

My Joy Is Heavy

Saturday Church

Schmigadoon!

Revival of a Play:

Becky Shaw

Bug

Death of a Salesman

Galas

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

You Got Older

Revival of a Musical:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The Baker’s Wife

The Gospel at Colonus

Masquerade

Ragtime

The Rocky Horror Show

Actor in a Play:

Jon Bernthal, Dog Day Afternoon

Will Harrison, Punch

John Krasinski, Angry Alan

Stephen Kunken, Kyoto

Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman

John Lithgow, Giant

Okieriete Onaodowan, The Monsters

Micah Stock, Little Bear Ridge Road

Mark Strong, Oedipus

Actress in a Play:

Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Well, I’ll Let You Go

Carrie Coon, Bug

Lesley Manville, Oedipus

Laurie Metcalf, Little Bear Ridge Road

Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters

Alia Shawkat, You Got Older

Actor in a Musical:

LJ Benet, The Lost Boys

Alex Brightman, Schmigadoon!

Nicholas Christopher, Chess

Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show

Joshua Henry, Ragtime

Actress in a Musical:

Abigail Bengson, My Joy Is Heavy

Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!

Caissie Levy, Ragtime

Marla Mindelle, Titanique

Featured Actor in a Play:

Will Brill, Meet the Cartozians

Esteban Andres Cruz, Dog Day Afternoon

Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting for Godot

Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw

Peter Friedman, You Got Older

David Greenspan, Prince Faggot

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Dog Day Afternoon

Featured Actress in a Play:

Aya Cash, Giant

Victoria Clark, Punch

Emily Davis, Well, I’ll Let You Go, Tartuffe (NYTW)

Maria Dizzia, What We Did Before Our Moth Days

Jessica Hecht, Dog Day Afternoon

Maggie Hoffman, Ulysses

Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman

Lizan Mitchell, Cold War Choir Practice

Tamara Sevunts, Meet the Cartozians

Featured Actor in a Musical:

Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys

Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!

Justin Cooley, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Kevin McHale, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Benjamin Pajak, The Lost Boys

Jim Parsons, Titanique

Layton Williams, Titanique

Featured Actress in a Musical:

Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon!

McKenzie Kurtz, Schmigadoon!, Heathers

Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime

Isabella McCalla, Schmigadoon!

Erin Morton, Heathers

Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Director of a Play:

Ngozi Anyawu, The Monsters

Stephen Daldry, Justin Martin, Kyoto

Rupert Goold, Dog Day Afternoon

Robert Icke, Oedipus

Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman

Adam Penford, Punch

Director of a Musical:

Michael Arden, The Lost Boys

Lear deBossenet, Ragtime

Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!

Danny Mefford, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Diane Paulus, Masquerade

Choreography:

Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!

Set Design:

dots, The Rocky Horror Show

Marsha Ginsberg, Queens

Takeshi Kata, Bug

David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon

Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys

Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!

Costume Design:

Montana Levi Blanco, Prince Faggot

Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!

Tilly Grimes, The Imaginary Invalid

Hahnji Jang, Jackson Wiederhoeft, Galas

Qween Jean, Saturday Church

David I. Reynoso, The Rocky Horror Show

Anita Yavich, Prosperous Fools

Lighting Design:

Robbie Butler, Punch

Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon

Mextly Couzin, Mexodus

Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13

Donald Holder, Schmigadoon!

Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman

Studio Luna, Marcel on the Train

Jen Schriever, Michael Arden, The Lost Boys

Sound Design:

Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys

Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus

Cody Spenser, Dog Day Afternoon

Giles Thomas, Kenrex

Ben Williams, Ulysses

Video/Projection Design:

David Bengali, My Joy Is Heavy

Puppet Design:

Julian Crouch, Goddess

Monkey Boy Productions, The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire

Unique Theatrical Experience:

Burnout Paradise (Pony Cam)

Masquerade

Viola’s Room (Punchdrunk)