Nathan Lane and Christopher Abbott in “Death of a Salesman”
Photo by Emilio Madrid
The 2026 Tony Awards had no major shockers. There was no sweeping upset, “Hamilton”-like cultural coronation or jaw-dropping “did that really happen?” twist among the winners.
What it did have was P!nk.
The pop superstar, making her debut as Tony host Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall, proved to be a terrific choice: loose, game, self-deprecating, vocally fearless and visibly delighted to be in the room. She did not pretend to be a Broadway insider. Her opening number, a Broadway mashup built around “Lady Marmalade,” was overstuffed, as Tony openings often are, but it had scale, humor and real excitement.
The results largely followed the season’s logic. “Schmigadoon!” won Best Musical, “Liberation” won Best Play, “Death of a Salesman” won Best Revival of a Play, and “Ragtime” won Best Revival of a Musical. “Death of a Salesman” finished as the night’s biggest winner with six Tonys, making it the most awarded play revival in Tony Awards history. “Ragtime,” “Schmigadoon!” and “The Lost Boys” each won four, and “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” took home three.
The most satisfying major win was probably “Ragtime.” That was not because “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” was undeserving. The ballroom reimagining of “Cats” is an extraordinary theatrical reinvention, joyous, dazzling, socially alive and more persuasive than “Cats” has any right to be. Its win for costume designer Qween Jean was also historic, underscoring how thoroughly the revival brought Black queer ballroom culture into Broadway’s mainstream.
Still, there was something gratifying about seeing “Ragtime” finally receive a top Tony Award, 28 years after the original production lost Best Musical to “The Lion King.” The Lincoln Center Theater revival restored the force of the Ahrens and Flaherty score and Terrence McNally’s book, with Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy, both Tony winners for their performances, giving the production its tragic weight.
The strongest theme of the telecast was not the celebration of new musicals, but old ones. “Ragtime,” “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show” all made stronger impressions than the new-musical nominees. The show also found room for tributes to “The Book of Mormon,” “Chicago” and “A Chorus Line,” plus an In Memoriam segment set to “Without You” from “Rent.”
By comparison, the four new musicals looked pale, paltry and, at moments, pathetic. “Schmigadoon!” has affection for the golden age musical, but its Tony win felt more like a vote of relative preference than a thunderous endorsement. “The Lost Boys” had size and technical muscle, but still seemed more like a franchise opportunity than an essential new musical. “Titaníque” looked like a scrappy Off-Broadway sketch inflated beyond its natural size, and viewers unfamiliar with the show may have needed a moment to process the sight of Jim Parsons in drag. “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” looked sweet but slight.
The plays fared better, especially Joe Mantello’s revival of “Death of a Salesman,” starring Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf. But here the evening became curious. “Salesman” kept winning, while Scott Rudin’s name seemed to disappear from the stage. Rudin, the lead producer whose return to Broadway has been controversial following prior allegations of abusive workplace behavior, did not appear onstage. Winner after winner avoided mentioning him. Lane accepted Best Revival of a Play, a task that in another era likely would have belonged to the lead producer.
Ali Louis Bourzgui, winning Best Featured Actor in a Musical for “The Lost Boys,” gave one of the evening’s more politically pointed speeches, moving from immigrants and queer and trans communities to Palestine and Arab artists. It was a reminder that Broadway awards shows are rarely insulated from the politics of the moment, even when the broadcast itself is trying to keep the mood celebratory.
The broadcast also carried its own awkward political shadow. The Tonys aired on CBS just as the network’s news division was in turmoil over “60 Minutes,” Scott Pelley’s firing and broader concerns about editorial independence. For Broadway fans who view theater as a liberal, outspoken and politically engaged community, watching its biggest night unfold on CBS may have felt less like a neutral viewing choice than an uncomfortable compromise.
The clearest glimpse of Broadway’s immediate future came when Neil Patrick Harris brought out a Paddington Bear plushie. “Paddington The Musical,” currently a major London hit, is expected to transfer to Broadway next season. When it arrives, it could become the show to watch, and perhaps the big, family-friendly, sold-out new musical that this season largely failed to provide.
