The 2026 JKTS Awards: Editors' Choice, Part One

Editors' Choice, Part One

Recently, you had your say with The 2026 JKTS Readers' Choice Awards (HERE). Now it is our turn! Today, we offer up our more serious awards (a few fun ones will post on Friday), honoring those theater people - new faces and familiar faces - that made the 2025-2026 Broadway season the special one that it was.

Show Folk Awards

Movers and Shapers

• Playwright: Bess Wohl (Liberation) 
• Musical Writers: The Rescues (The Lost Boys) and Jim Barne & Kit Buchan (Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York))
• Designers: Qween Jean (Liberation & Cats: The Jellicle Ball) and Dean Laffrey, Michael Arden & Jen Schriever (The Lost Boys)

These greats represent the present AND the future of Broadway. They have their fingers on the pulse of relevancy, and continue to stretch the boundaries for their respective crafts.

Mavericks of the Season 

• Queen Jean, Tony-winner for Cats: The Jellicle Ball (Best Costume Design of a Musical)
• Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue writers, stars and directors of Titanique

Much has been written about Qween Jean's historic Tony win already, but I'll just add that she inspires me to be a better member of the queer community.

And who doesn't love a from-the-ground-up success story? The three collaborators of Titanique represent the very ideal of creating theater. What started out as a kind of joke between friends blossomed into a tiny show that refused to die, and grew and grew until it became an international hit show. Though it may seem that Broadway is the final jewel of the ocean in its theatrical crown, I somehow suspect it is far from over. 

Welcome to Broadway 

• Anna Grace Barlow, Ragtime
• LJ Benet, The Lost Boys
• Melissa Berrera, Titanique
• Ayaan Diop, Schmigadoon!
• Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
• Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
• "Tempress" Chastity Moore, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
• Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Every season brings a wonderful new crop of Broadway debuts, but these folks really stood out to us. Some came from other areas of the arts, others from across the pond. All of them generously shared their talents and unique personalities. We really hope they will all come back often.

Welcome Back to Broadway

Stephen Schwartz, The Queen of Versailles

It feels like he's always around. There have been revivals of Godspell and Pippin on Broadway, and The Baker's Wife off-Broadway. There's been a steady stream of film scores. And of course, there's the constant presence of Wicked both on Broadway and in movie theaters. It is notable that The Queen of Versailles is his first original Broadway score in 22 years, the last being Wicked. Though its demise was swift, it's always a great thing to have Schwartz's work on the boards!

Stars on the Rise

• Rodd Cyrus, Ragtime
• Sydney James Harcourt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
• Layton Williams, Titanique
• Maria Wirries, The Lost Boys 

These four performers are all going to be big. Really big. Mark my words!

Two of them made their Broadway debuts this season to much acclaim - and a Tony nod for one of them, the third narrowly escaped eternal life as a vampire and slayed as a heroine before it was all over, and the fourth's already good career was reborn into a new Jellicle life! And all four stole the show with their dazzling performances!

Outstanding Standby Performance

Sherie Rene Scott on as Jackie Siegel in The Queen of Versailles

We specifically chose a performance with Ms. Scott on in the lead role. We didn't think too much of the show, but she did not disappoint! She really made a diamond out of a lump of coal with her genuine star turn here. What a presence! And her chemistry with her co-stars and, importantly,  the audience was palpable. Here's to a new vehicle for her to shine in all on her own.

The Egregiously Overlooked

• Sydney James Harcourt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
• Isabelle McCalla, Schmigadoon!
• "Tempress" Chastity Moore, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
• Constantine Rousouli, Titanique
• Shaina Taub, Ragtime

No, I can't/won't say who I'd have taken off the nominee lists to make room for these overlooked geniuses, but damn, I wish there was more room then! (And yes, I know Rousouli was nominated for Best Book...). Harcourt's take on Rum Tum Tugger was both sexier and more meaningful than ever before, just as Moore's Grizabella felt deeper and stirring. Taub was better here than in Suffs, and her Union Square scene was so stirring. Rousouli's charming goof ball take on Jack was both riotous and dare I say touching? And McCalla's school marm was next level, especially in her stop-the-show-cold tap number!