THE 2026 OBIE AWARDS
On January 31, 2026, the American Theatre Wing announced the winners of the 69th Annual Obie Awards, continuing its mission to honor the boldest and most innovative work in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theater.
In a stunning and important departure from traditional gala ceremonies, this year’s awards prioritized direct financial support for artists.
Thanks to a generous anonymous donation, the winners were awarded grants totaling over $250,000, with individual prizes ranging from $3,000 to $15,000.
These grants are intended to provide a "new path forward" by funding the future work of the creators who make New York theater so vibrant.
2026 OBIE AWARD WINNERS: THE PLAYS
Play | Creative Team | Producers / Theater | Plot & Notable Facts |
Bowl EP Outstanding New Play | Writer: Nazareth Hassan Director: Nazareth Hassan Cast: Felicia Curry, Oghenero Gbaje, Essence Lotus | Producers: Vineyard Theatre, National Black Theatre, The New Group Theater: Vineyard Theatre | The Plot: Two aspiring rappers bond in a literal skatepark at the "edge of the galaxy." Fact: The production featured live skateboarding on a stage-built half-pipe. |
Can I Be Frank? | Writer: Morgan Bassichis Director: Sam Pinkleton | Producers: Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia Theater: SoHo Playhouse | The Plot: A comedian investigates the life of Frank Maya, one of the first openly gay comics on TV. Fact: Director Sam Pinkleton won for both this and ta-da! this year. |
The Wind and the Rain | Writer: Sarah Gancher Director: Jared Mezzocchi | Producers: En Garde Arts, Vineyard Theatre Theater: Waterfront Museum Barge / Sunny’s Bar | The Plot: A site-specific history of Red Hook’s "Sunny’s Bar" through the lens of a hundred years. Fact: The show began on a barge and ended in the actual Sunny’s Bar. |
ta-da! | Writer: Josh Sharp Director: Sam Pinkleton | Producers: Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia Theater: Greenwich House Theater | The Plot: A frantic solo comedy about childhood magic, identity, and survival. Fact: The performance is synchronized with a manic 2,000-slide PowerPoint presentation. |
Rheology | Writer/Director: Shayok Misha Chowdhury Cast: Bulbul Chakraborty | Producers: The Bushwick Starr, HERE, Ma-Yi Theater Co. Theater: The Bushwick Starr | The Plot: A physicist mother and her artist son explore the science of sand and their relationship. Fact: Bulbul Chakraborty is a real-life theoretical physicist. |
The Great Privation | Writer: Nia Akilah Robinson Director: Kellie Williams Cast: Crystal Lucas-Perry | Theater: SoHo Rep / Playwrights Horizons | The Plot: A drama exploring the historical theft of Black bodies for medical science. ** Fact: Crystal Lucas-Perry won for her work in two different shows this season. |
Grangeville | Writer: Samuel D. Hunter Director: Jack Serio Cast: Paul Sparks | Theater: Signature Theatre | The Plot: Two estranged half-brothers reconnect while caring for their dying mother in Idaho. Fact: Paul Sparks received the Sustained Achievement award for his performance. |
Chiaroscuro | Writer: Aishah Rahman Director: abigail jean-baptiste | Theater: National Black Theatre | The Plot: Six Black singles on a cruise ship navigate love, isolation, and colorism. Fact: This was a major revival of a "jazz aesthetic" play originally written in 2002. |
** Crystal Lucas-Perry was also honored for her performance in Pericles: A Public Works Concert Experience (The Public Theater)
SPECIAL CITATIONS & DESIGN AWARDS
- Design Awards: Afsoon Pajoufar (Sets), Kate McGee (Lighting), and Frank J. Oliva (Sets).
- Sustained Achievement in Design: Cha See (Lighting) and David Bengali (Video).
- Special Citations: On The Rocks Theatre Co. (for The Beastiary); the Ensemble of Bowl EP; Troy Anthony (Music/Lyrics for Pericles); the Ensemble of Prince Faggot; and the collaborative team of I’m Assuming You Know David Greenspan.
- Lifetime Achievement: Performance artist Carmelita Tropicana and Kate Valk of The Wooster Group.
- Ross Wetzsteon Award ($15,000): Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.
ELIGIBILITY & JUDGING
The 2026 Process:
The judges evaluated over 300 in-person productions that opened between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Unlike other awards, the Obies have no nominees—they simply announce the winners of excellence.
The 2026 Judging Panel:
Co-chaired by Wilson Chin (Scenic Designer) and Ryan J. Haddad (Playwright/Actor), the panel included: Stephanie Berry, Modesto “Flako” Jimenez, Jonathan McCrory, Santiago Orjuela-Laverde, Aya Ogawa, Barbara Samuels, and Whitney White.
Eligibility Rules for 2027:
- Eligibility Window: September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026.
- New Co-Chairs: Taylor Reynolds and Heather Alicia Simms will lead the 70th Annual Obies.
- How to Enter: Producers must invite the judges to see their shows by emailing obieinvites@americantheatrewing.org.
VIEWING
If you missed the live announcement on Spectrum News NY1’s "On Stage," you can still catch the celebration:
2026 THEATER AWARDS CALENDAR
The Obie Awards demonstrate that the heart of New York theater isn't just in the big theaters and big prices and big stars of midtown, but also in the basements, barges, and community centers of the village and all the boroughs of NYC.
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By trading a red carpet for direct grants, the American Theatre Wing powers the independent spirit of Off-Broadway to remain financially sustainable for
creative rule-breakers.
Labels: American Theater Wing, BOBOOBLOG, broadway, creative rule breakers!, independent theater, Obies, Off Broadway, Off-off Broadway, theater grants
