Frontmezzjunkies reports: Mexodus and Prince Faggot lead a field that reflects the bold, restless spirit of Off-Broadway
By Ross
It always starts with a list. And this morning, it all circles back home.
After weeks spent looking across the Atlantic at a London season that felt rich with scale and spectacle, something shifts when the focus returns. The announcement of the Lucille Lortel Awards nominations brings that shift into focus, marking the moment when New York’s theatre community begins to take stock of its own year off-Broadway and even more off-Broadway. And because so many of these shows are not just names on a page, but rooms and spaces I’ve sat in, stories I’ve followed, and performances I have carried with me long after the lights came up, this list hits in a whole different kind of way.
Leading the nominations this year is the most excellent Mexodus, with nine recognitions, alongside Prince Faggot, the most-nominated and most-delicious play with six. Both productions represent the kind of work that has defined this Off-Broadway season: ambitious, personal, and unafraid to push form and expectation. Seeing them at the top of the list feels celebratory and reflective of a year shaped by artists willing to take risks and audiences willing to follow them.
What makes this particular slate of nominations feel especially immediate is how many of these productions have already found their way into our conversations. THE MONSTERS appears among the nominees for Outstanding Play, alongside titles like Cold War Choir Practice and Mother Russia, each representing a different facet of what Off-Broadway can hold. In the musical category, Mexodus is joined by Saturday Church, Night Side Songs, and others that continue to expand the definition of what a musical can be.
The acting categories are equally compelling. Performers like Aigner Mizzelle and Okieriete Onaodowan are recognized for their work in THE MONSTERS, while Noah Galvin (The Reservoir) and Kara Young (Gruesome Playground Injuries) appear among a field that reflects the depth of talent across the season. These performances didn’t exist in isolation. They were part of a year where character, language, and presence felt particularly alive on stage.
And then there are the moments that reach beyond individual productions. The recognition of Ava Pickett as a promising playwright and Ruby Ashbourne Serkis as a newcomer signals a forward glance, a sense that the next chapter is already beginning to take shape. The Lifetime Achievement honour for Mia Katigbak and the posthumous recognition of William Finn bring that sense of continuity full circle, connecting the work being done now to the artists who helped build the foundation it stands on.
Looking at the full list, it becomes clear that the Off-Broadway season has not been defined by a single aesthetic or direction. Instead, it has been driven by range, by curiosity, and by a willingness to let different kinds of stories exist alongside one another. It is a season that feels expansive without losing its intimacy, one that invites both discovery and reflection. That is where this moment begins to land with weight.
For me, it revolves back to those rooms. The moments of stillness, anticipation, the bursts of laughter, the tears, all because of stories and performances that linger long after you leave your seat. Seeing those experiences reflected here, in a list that marks the beginning of New York’s awards season, does not feel like a conclusion. It feels like the continuation of something that is still unfolding, ever so thrillingly. And this is just the first of many…
See the complete list of Lucille Lortel Award nominees below:
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
Productions with multiple nominations:
Mexodus: 9
Prince Faggot: 6
Cold War Choir Practice: 5
Saturday Church: 5
Kyoto: 4
THE MONSTERS: 4
Bowl EP: 3
Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.: 4
Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole: 3
My Joy Is Heavy: 3
The Unknown: 3
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: 2
Goddess: 2
Gruesome Playground Injuries: 2
Mother Russia: 2
Night Side Songs: 2
Nothing Can Take You From the Hand of God: 2
The Seat of Our Pants: 2
The Weir: 2
The Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by TDF. TodayTix Group is a Red Carpet sponsor, Studio Seaview is a producing sponsor, and AudienceView, Checks & Balances Payroll, Line-Up, and The Pekoe Group are presenting sponsors.
