
The 2025–2026 New York City Center season is sure to be “the life of the party.” The season’s annual gala presentation will feature a production of Bat Boy: The Musical directed by two-time Tony Award winner Alex Timbers. It will run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 9, 2025. The 2026 Encores! Series will include High Spirits, The Wild Party, and La Cage Aux Folles starring Billy Porter.
This season is the first planned by Jenny Gersten, the newly appointed Vice President & Artistic Director of Musical Theatre at City Center.
“What I love about all four of this season’s productions is the diversity of eras and styles they bring to our stage — from the pop-rock sound of Bat Boy: The Musical to the glorious original orchestrations for La Cage Aux Folles,” Gersten said in a statement. “These shows are all fun in very different ways, but they also all have narratives about understanding and respecting our differences. It feels like the right moment to offer stories about acceptance during these times.”
Tickets for Bat Boy will go on sale June 24, with an exclusive member presale beginning June 10.
Directed by Jessica Stone, High Spirits will run Feb. 4 to 15, 2026. It tells the story of the eccentric, bike-riding Madame Arcati who unknowingly summons the ghost of a man named Charles’ ex-wife, who proves quite the formidable match to his current wife.
Following High Spirits will be The Wild Party, which will run March 18 to 29, 2026 and will be directed by Lili-Anne Brown. The musical brings Joseph Moncure March’s notorious poem to life, telling the story one wild evening in a Manhattan apartment shared by a vaudeville dancer and a vaudeville clown. The dark and sensual tale explores what happens when a night of debauchery leads to a morning of sobering truths.
The 2026 Encores! season will close with La Cage Aux Folles, directed by Robert O’Hara, from June 17 to 28. The iconic Tony Award-winning musical with book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman was the first to center its story around a gay couple. It will star Billy Porter as Albin and, for the first time, feature an all-Black cast.
Current Encores! subscribers can renew their subscriptions now through June 30, with new subscriptions becoming available to members on Aug. 5, 2025 and to the general public starting Aug. 25. Individual tickets to Encores! productions go on sale to members on Oct. 14 and to the general public on Oct. 21.

A collective gasp fell over the Press Room across the street from Radio City Music Hall when Purpose won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Play. Now two-time Tony Award Winner Kara Young leaned over the press table to borrow another journalist’s headset so she could hear her team make their acceptance speech with tears in her eyes. The camaraderie of the Broadway community was unfolding right in front of us.
The 78th Annual Tony Awards were filled with plenty of memorable moments. We think it’s safe to say that the ceremony was one of the best we’ve seen in years — Cynthia Erivo, are you free next year? Erivo’s vocals brought down the house in the opening number and set the tone off strong for the night ahead.
Before the broadcast began, we took to the Red Carpet to hear from the stars and creatives ahead of Broadway’s Biggest Night. The most surprising thing we saw wasn’t anyone up for an award; it was The Phantom of the Opera himself barreling down the carpet. We aren’t sure what this might mean for the return of the Phantom to New York, but it’s got to mean something!
During the pre-show, hosted by Darren Criss and Renée Elise Goldsberry, we got choked up alongside Sara Bareilles when she introduced Celia Keenan-Bolger, who was honored with the Isabelle Stevenson award for her advocacy work. Hearing both stars discuss their relationship to the late Gavin Creel reminded us what it’s all for — and grounded us for the night ahead.
After hearing from the talented creatives and designers behind the costumes, lighting, sound, and choreography of this season, we geared up for the main broadcast. The press room was thrilled when Francis Jue took home his Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for Yellow Face. Jue is a true theatre veteran, and seeing him finally get his flowers was one of the night’s biggest wins.
“It is interesting that it is still unusual, historic, groundbreaking, to tell an Asian American story on Broadway,” Jue said after winning his award. “And to tell it at a time when this country is wrestling with its identity, with who gets to be American, who gets to say who gets to be American?”
Another popular winner? Cole Escola, the writer and star of this year’s hit play Oh, Mary! Escola gave a particularly memorable speech where they thanked not only their team, but someone they met on Grindr. Quite a shoutout! Escola made their way to the press room alongside their collaborator Sam Pinkleton, who won the Tony for Best Direction of a Play for Oh, Mary!
“This is the most pure creative process that I've ever had, and it was a real collaboration,” Pinkleton said. “It was what you dream of making theater to feel like, that is, not me trying to win an award? But I won an award.”
In arguably the most memorable moment of the night, Escola was asked to put the rumor to bed that they’re a demon. They did no such thing.
“The voters have decided I am a demon twink, and that's why they gave me this, that's really what the award is for. Thank you,” Escola said.
Escola and Pinkleton were on the press room stage as everyone sat in bated breath awaiting the announcement for who would win the competitive Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category. We heard quite a few “woahs” when Nicole Scherzinger’s name was called for her turn as Norma Demond in Jamie Lloyd’s inventive Sunset Blvd., which had already won Best Revival of a Musical. Escola joked they’d just kill time until Scherzinger made her way over.
While we loved hearing from the winners, we were just as captivated by the performances on the broadcast! Megan Hilty started the show strong with “For The Gaze” from Death Becomes Her — a Pride Month gift to us all! Jonathan Groff dancing on Keanu Reeves’ seat was, simply put, everything to us, and the 10th anniversary reunion of Hamilton was as impressive as expected. No comment on whether the company of Maybe Happy Ending — which took home six awards, including the coveted Best Musical — made one of us tear up with their performance of “Fireflies.”
To see the full list of winners from Sunday night’s show, visit here.
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The votes are in and it’s time to pop the champagne. After a fantastic year of theatre here in New York, it's time to award the best and celebrate all those who work tirelessly here in the Broadway community. The winners will be announced tonight at the 78th Annual Tony Awards tonight at Radio City in a ceremony hosted by Tony winner Cynthia Erivo.
*Winners will be bolded in real time.
Best Book of a Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw
Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her
Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending
Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Dead Outlaw
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her
Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending
Music: Will Aronson
Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
Harry Lennix, Purpose
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
Mia Farrow, The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
Sadie Sink, John Proctor Is the Villain
Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald, Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Glenn Davis, Purpose
Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor Is the Villain
Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Tala Ashe, English
Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat, English
Fina Strazza, John Proctor Is the Villain
Kara Young, Purpose
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH
Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein, Gypsy
Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time
Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods, Gypsy
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg, English
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane, Just in Time
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber, Just in Time
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, John Proctor Is the Villain
Nick Schlieper, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Palmer Hefferan, John Proctor Is the Villain
Daniel Kluger, Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell, The Hills of California
Clemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher, Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski, Just in Time
Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins
Best Direction of a Play
Knud Adams, English
Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor, John Proctor Is the Villain
Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Direction of a Musical
Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd.
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, SMASH
Camille A. Brown, Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club
Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time
Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin, Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Blvd.
Best Play
English
Author: Sanaz Toossi
The Hills of California
Author: Jez Butterworth
John Proctor Is the Villain
Author: Kimberly Belflower
Oh, Mary!
Author: Cole Escola
Purpose
Author: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Revival of a Play
Eureka Day
Author: Jonathan Spector
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
Yellow Face
Author: David Henry Hwang
Best Revival of a Musical
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd.