The Boston Theater Critics Association has announced nominations for the 43rd Annual Elliot Norton Awards, a wide-ranging snapshot of the current theater season in Greater Boston. The ceremony, set for June 1 at the Huntington Theatre, includes more than 130 nominations across acting, directing, design, and production categories, along with several honors for visiting work.

Among the top recognitions, producer Bill Hanney will receive the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence, while special citations mark major Boston milestones for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and Blue Man Group. The Arts Education Award goes to Open Door Theater, an organization long committed to making performance accessible to Deaf, Disabled, and Neurodiverse artists and audiences.

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43rd Annual Elliot Norton Awards
The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston
Monday, June 1, 2026 at 7 PM
for tickets, call 617.933.8600 or visit Boston Theatre Scene
for more info, visit Elliot Norton Awards

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2026 ELLIOT NORTON AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Outstanding Play, Large
“Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
“The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
“Misery,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
“We Had a World,” The Huntington
“What You Are Now,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Play, Midsize
“The Garbologists,” Gloucester Stage
“The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” SpeakEasy Stage
“The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater
“Our Town,” Lyric Stage Boston

Outstanding Play, Small
“the beautiful land I seek (la linda tierra que busco yo),” Teatro Chelsea
“Is This a Room,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
“The Meeting Tree,” Company One Theatre in collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
“Mother Mary,” Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
“The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre

Outstanding Musical
“Crowns,” Moonbox Productions
“Fun Home,” The Huntington
“The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
“Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
“tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Large
Will Conard, “We Had a World,” The Huntington
Nora Eschenheimer, “As You Like It,” Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Karen MacDonald, “Misery,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Jessica Pimentel, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
Allison Jean White, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Midsize
Thomika Marie Bridwell, “The Garbologists,” Gloucester Stage
Josephine Moshiri Elwood, “Job,” SpeakEasy Stage
Paul Melendy, “Featherbaby,” Greater Boston Stage Company
Paul Melendy, “The Garbologists,” Gloucester Stage
Nael Nacer, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, Small
Adriana Alvarez, “Mother Mary,” Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
Dominic Carter, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Tara Forseth, “Mother Mary,” Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
Parker Jennings, “Is This a Room,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Nathaniel Justiniano, “the beautiful land I seek (la linda tierra que busco yo),” Teatro Chelsea

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Large
Sonnie Brown, “What You Are Now,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Kate Fitzgerald, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Evelyn Howe, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
Eva Kaminsky, “We Had a World,” The Huntington
Amy Resnick, “We Had a World,” The Huntington

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Midsize
Liza Giangrande, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
De’Lon Grant, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Josephine Moshiri Elwood, “Our Town,” Lyric Stage Boston
Patrick O’Konis, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Jules Talbot, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Small
Sehnaz Dirik, “A View from the Bridge,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Nicholas Papayoanou, “You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!,” Company One Theatre
Jacqui Parker, “The Meeting Tree,” Company One Theatre in collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
Kiera Prusmack, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Adrian Roberts, “The Ceremony,” CHUANG Stage in partnership with Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and Boston University College of Fine Arts, School of Theatre

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
Sehnaz Dirik, “Blood Brothers,” Theater UnCorked
Liza Giangrande, “The Spitfire Grill,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Didi Romero, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
Johnny Shea, “tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Emily Skinner, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
Aaron Arnell Harrington, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
Vanessa Calantropo, “tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Joshua Grosso, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Sarah-Anne Martinez, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Lyla Randall, “Fun Home,” The Huntington

Outstanding Choreography
Rachel Bertone, “Evita,” Reagle Music Theatre
Briana Fallon, “The Wizard of Oz,” North Shore Music Theatre
Hallie Nowicki, “Sweeney Claus: The Demon Father of Sleet Street,” Gold Dust Orphans
Ilyse Robbins, “tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Marcos Santana, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction
David Coleman, “Crowns,” Moonbox Productions
Andrea Grody, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Jordan Oczkowski, “tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Jessie Rosso, “Fun Home,” The Huntington
Robert L. Rucinski, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre

Outstanding Director, Large
Logan Ellis, “Fun Home,” The Huntington
Loretta Greco, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Loretta Greco, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
David Mendizábal, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
Marcos Santana, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre

Outstanding Director, Midsize
Doug Lockwood, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Jared Mezzocchi, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater
Ilyse Robbins, “tick, tick…BOOM!,” The Umbrella Stage Company
Regine Vital, “Crowns,” Moonbox Productions
Summer L. Williams, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” SpeakEasy Stage

Outstanding Director, Small
Danielle Fauteux Jacques, “Is This a Room,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
David R. Gammons, “A View from the Bridge,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Maurice Emmanuel Parent, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Armando Rivera, “the beautiful land I seek (la linda tierra que busco yo),” Teatro Chelsea
Elaine Vaan Hogue, “Mother Mary,” Boston Playwrights’ Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design, Large
Andrew Boyce, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Andrew Boyce and Se Hyun Oh, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Ryan M. Howell, “The Wizard of Oz,” North Shore Music Theatre
Tanya Orellana, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
Tanya Orellana, “Fun Home,” The Huntington

Outstanding Scenic Design, Midsize or Small
Janie E. Howland, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” SpeakEasy Stage
Ben Lieberson and Pamela Hersch, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Jenna McFarland Lord, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Cristina Todesco, “The Meeting Tree,” Company One Theatre in collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
Sibyl Wickersheimer and Jared Mezzocchi, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater

Outstanding Lighting Design, Large
Christopher Akerlind, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Bradley King, “Wonder,” American Repertory Theater
Jack Mehler, “The Wizard of Oz,” North Shore Music Theatre
Philip Rosenberg, “Fun Home,” The Huntington
Cha See, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington

Outstanding Lighting Design, Midsize or Small
Amanda Fallon, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Kevin Fulton, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater
Brian Lilienthal, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Elmer Martinez, “Macbeth,” Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Eduardo M. Ramirez, “Silent Sky,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater

Outstanding Costume Design, Large
Miranda Giurleo, “As You Like It,” Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Rebecca Glick, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
Alex Jaeger, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
Celeste Jennings, “Fun Home,” The Huntington
Jennifer von Mayrhauser, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design, Midsize or Small
Seth Bodie, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Danielle Domingue Sumi, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” SpeakEasy Stage
Chloe Moore, “The Ceremony,” CHUANG Stage in partnership with Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and Boston University College of Fine Arts, School of Theatre
E. Rosser, “Crowns,” Moonbox Productions
Nia Safarr Banks, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage

Outstanding Sound Design, Large
Alex Berg, “Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
Megumi Katayama, “The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
David Remedios, “Misery,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Jake Rodriguez with Alexandra Buschman-Román and Jason Stamberger, “Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
David Van Tieghem, “The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design, Midsize or Small
Julian Crocamo, “The Garbologists,” Gloucester Stage
Aubrey Dube, “The Glass Menagerie,” Gloucester Stage
Christian Frederickson, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater
Joshua Jackson, “The Mountaintop,” Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Joseph Lark-Riley, “Is This a Room,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Outstanding Solo Performance
Kevin Kling, “Kevin Kling: Unraveled,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Valyn Lyric Turner, “No Child…,” Gloucester Stage

Outstanding New Script
Sam Chanse, “What You Are Now,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
B. Elle Borders, “The Meeting Tree,” Company One Theatre in collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
KJ Moran Velz, “Mother Mary,” Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
David Templeton, “Featherbaby,” Greater Boston Stage Company
Ken Urban, “The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater

Outstanding Ensemble
“Crowns,” Moonbox Productions
“Don’t Eat the Mangos,” The Huntington
“The Hills of California,” The Huntington in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” SpeakEasy Stage
“The Light in the Piazza,” The Huntington
“The Meeting Tree,” Company One Theatre in collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
“The Moderate,” a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production, presented by Central Square Theater
“Our Town,” Lyric Stage Boston
“Rent,” North Shore Music Theatre
“Sweeney Claus: The Demon Father of Sleet Street,” Gold Dust Orphans