The Tony Awards Administration Committee has put a bow on its final eligibility deliberations for the 2025-2026 Broadway season.
In its fourth and final meeting before nominations are announced on May 5, the committee ruled on 13 productions, locking in category placements for a marquee slate of performers in some of the most watched races.
Among the headline determinations: “Becky Shaw,” Gina Gionfriddo’s dark comedy starring Patrick Ball and Madeline Brewer, making its Broadway debut, will compete for best revival of a play, with Gionfriddo eligible as author. It places the production alongside other “new-to-Broadway” titles being classified as classics this season including “Oedipus” and “Proof.”
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” delivered two of the day’s biggest acting placements. Laurie Metcalf will be eligible in best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play, and Christopher Abbott will compete in best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play. Don Cheadle, making his Broadway debut in Thomas Kail’s “Proof,” was also ruled eligible in the featured actor in a play category.
“Schmigadoon!,” the stage adaptation of the Apple TV musical comedy series, drew a sweep of rulings. Co-creator Cinco Paul will be eligible in best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre. At the same time, Alex Brightman and Sara Chase landed in compete in the best performance by an actor and actress in a leading role in a musical categories respectively.
Richard O’Brien’s Studio 54 revival “The Rocky Horror Show” produced one of the season’s most distinctive eligibility logjams. Luke Evans and Andrew Durand will both compete in best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical, and Stephanie Hsu was ruled eligible in best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical.
“Beaches, A New Musical” likewise yielded multiple bids in the leading actress race, with Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett both confirmed for the category. James Noone (scenic design) and David Bengali (video design) will be jointly eligible in best scenic design of a musical for their work on the production.
Other notable rulings include Marla Mindelle officially going into the best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical category for “Titaníque,” and Anika Noni Rose was placed in best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play for “The Balusters.” LJ Benet will compete in best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for Michael Arden’s take on “The Lost Boys.”
The committee also confirmed below-the-line eligibility for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” with Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt jointly eligible in the best orchestrations category.
The remaining productions discussed — “The Fear of 13,” “Fallen Angels,” and August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” — will have eligibility consistent with their opening-night credits.
This year’s Tony Awards race is expected to feature major marquee names who stood out on Broadway over the past year, including Lea Michele (“Chess”), Joshua Henry (“Ragtime”), Lesley Manville (“Oedipus”) and John Lithgow (“Giant”), among others.
The Tony Awards are presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The 79th annual ceremony will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and hosted by Grammy‑winning artist Pink. The show will air live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 7. Nominations will be announced May 5.
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