2026 Tony Awards: ‘Death of a Salesman’ Leads With Six Wins
NEW YORK — The 79th Annual Tony Awards delivered a night of historic milestones, emotional speeches, and a surprising spread of trophies as “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman” led all productions with six wins at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday. Hosted by pop star Pink in her Broadway ceremony debut, the evening celebrated a Broadway season defined by paradox: a record $1.9 billion in gross revenue alongside just six new musicals.
According to Variety, the revival of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece won Best Revival of a Play, Best Direction for Joe Mantello, Best Featured Actress for Laurie Metcalf, and three design awards. The production, starring Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf, also marked the first Tony since 2021 for controversial producer Scott Rudin, who went unmentioned throughout the ceremony.
Historic Firsts and Record-Breaking Wins
The night was punctuated by several landmark achievements. John Lithgow won Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in “Giant,” becoming at age 80 the oldest male acting winner in Tony history. As Variety reported, his win also set a record for the longest gap between competitive acting Tony wins at 53 years — his first came in 1973 for “The Changing Room.”
“I’ve had dozens and dozens of ecstatic moments on the stage, but I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best,” Lithgow said in his acceptance speech.
In another history-making moment, costume designer Qween Jean became the first openly transgender person to win a Tony Award, taking the prize for Costume Design of a Musical for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” “We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people,” she said. “We have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm.”
The Winners’ Circle
“Schmigadoon!,” the fizzy musical adaptation of the Apple TV+ series, won Best Musical along with three other awards including Best Original Score and Best Book for Cinco Paul. According to The Washington Post via Yahoo Entertainment, producer Lorne Michaels summed up the win simply: “Sometimes singing, dancing, a lot of jokes and a happy ending is really all you need.”
“Ragtime” finally earned top honors, winning Best Revival of a Musical along with Best Actor in a Musical for Joshua Henry and Best Actress in a Musical for Caissie Levy. The Lincoln Center revival’s victory was especially meaningful — the original 1998 production won two Tonys but never took the top prize.
“The Lost Boys,” a punk-rock vampire adaptation of the 1987 cult film, tied with four wins including Best Featured Actor for Ali Louis Bourzgui and Best Featured Actress for Shoshana Bean. Bourzgui, 26, delivered one of the night’s most politically charged speeches, dedicating his award to immigrant families and the queer community.
Bess Wohl’s “Liberation” won Best Play, making her the first American woman to win that category in 37 years — since Wendy Wasserstein took the prize for “The Heidi Chronicles” in 1989. “I want to honor women everywhere who have the courage to use their voice,” Wohl said.
A Season of Contradictions
The ceremony highlighted a fundamental tension in Broadway economics. As The Hollywood Reporter noted, the 2025-2026 season was the highest-grossing in Broadway history at $1.9 billion, yet only six new musicals opened — a dramatic drop from 21 the previous season. Cinco Paul used his acceptance speech to implore the industry: “There were only six new musicals this season — that is not enough. We need more new musicals on Broadway.”
Pink’s Energetic Hosting
Pink, despite having no Broadway experience, was widely praised for her high-energy hosting. Her opening number, set to “Lady Marmalade” and featuring cameos from Broadway stars including 96-year-old first-time nominee June Squibb, set the tone for the evening. She also delivered a pointed monologue linking the season’s productions to current events, noting that “this year, our trans siblings started to lose even more rights, and we were given ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball.’”
What’s Next for Broadway
The evening’s biggest question remains whether the industry can address what some are calling a “new musicals crisis.” With revivals and established properties dominating the season, the development pipeline for original work appears to be constricting. The success of innovative productions like “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” — a ballroom-culture reimagining that won three Tonys — may point toward a future where classic shows are reimagined for new audiences.
As the curtain fell on the 79th Tonys, the message from the stage was clear: Broadway is thriving financially, but its creative future depends on nurturing the next generation of original musicals.