Nomination Announced For 43rd Annual Elliot Norton Awards; Sam Tutty and SUFFS Among Awardees

Today, the Boston Theater Critics Association have announced the nominees and five awards for visiting productions in the New England Area. The awards will take place Monday, June 1, 2026 at 7pm at the Huntington Theatre. 

In addition to the nominees, the 2026 Elliot Norton Price for Sustain Excellence goes to producer Bill Hanney for his work with the North Shore Music Theatre and Theatre By The Sea. Special Citations will be awarded to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in honor of its 30th Anniversary Season, Blue Man Group for its 30-year residency in Boston, and to arts administrators Temple Gill and Jim Torres for their decades of service to the arts community. 

The full list of nominees are below. 

Visiting Awardees

 Outstanding Visiting Play

“Our Class,” Arlekin

Outstanding Visiting Musical

“Suffs,” Broadway In Boston

Outstanding Performance in a Visiting Musical

Sam Tutty, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” American Repertory Theater

Outstanding Performance in a Visiting Play

Chulpan Khamatova, “Our Class,” Arlekin

Outstanding Visiting Solo Performance

Eddie Izzard, “The Tragedy of Hamlet,” Boch Center

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 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