Tony awards 2026: Death of a Salesman triumphs, as Lesley Manville and John Lithgow also win
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- Death of a Salesman wins six Tony Awards, including best revival of a play, making it the most awarded play revival in Tonys history.
- Lesley Manville wins best leading actress in a play for Oedipus, marking her first Broadway performance and earning her a Tony after an Olivier win.
- John Lithgow wins best leading actor in a play for Giant at age 80, becoming the oldest man to win a competitive acting Tony and securing his third award.
- Bess Wohl becomes the fourth woman to win best play for Liberation, the first female playwright to do so since 2009, following its Pulitzer win.
- Qween Jean makes history as the first openly transgender person to win a Tony, taking home best costume design for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Why it matters: The Tonys spotlight a shift toward diverse, intergenerational storytelling—Wohl’s win breaks a 17-year gap for female playwrights, while Lithgow and Jean set new benchmarks in representation and longevity.
