2026 Award Nominees

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Nancy Bell, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Lindsey Grojean, The Curious Savage, Stray Dog Theatre

Lize Lewy, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Alicia Revé Like, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

Essence Anisa Tyler, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Louis Reyes McWilliams, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Michael James Reed, Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Jacob Schmidt, Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Sean C. Seifert, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

John Wilson, Ken Ludwig’s Baserville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Michelle Hand, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Heather Matthews, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Albion Theatre Company

Andrea San Miguel, The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Adelin Phelps, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Jordan Coughtry, The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Nick Freed, The Minutes, Stray Dog Theatre

Gary Glasgow, Two Jews Walk into a War: A Comedy, New Jewish Theatre

Ron Himes, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Bryce A. Miller, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play 

Denisse Chavez, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Jayson M. Lawshee, Athena, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Jason Lynch, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Matthew McCarthy, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Christina Watanabe, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design 

Jimmy Bernatowicz, Athena, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Kareem Deanes, Two Jews Walk into a War: A Comedy, New Jewish Theatre

Tre’von Griffith, The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

John Gromada, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Ellie Schwetye, Professor House, Contraband Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play 

Oana Botez, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Dorothy Marshall Englis, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Renee Garcia, The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Tracey Newcomb, I Have Been Here Before, Albion Theatre Company

Michele Friedman Siler, The Heidi Chronicles, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Set Design in a Play 

Jean Kim, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Robert Mark Morgan, The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Scott C. Neale, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Scott C. Neale, Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Margery Spack & Peter Spack, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Jade Cash, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Sarah Chalfie, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Jennifer Ikeda, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Isa Venere, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Maggie Wininger, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Grayson DeJesus, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Ron Himes, Radio Golf, The Black Rep

Donald Jones Jr., The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Bryce A. Miller, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Reginald Pierre, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role

Mara Bollini, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Stray Dog Theatre

Wendy Ren é e Greenwood, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Michelle Hand, Meet Me at Dawn, Upstream Theater

Lizi Watt, Meet Me at Dawn, Upstream Theater

Donna Weinsting, With, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role

Nic Few, The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Michael Khalid Karadsheh, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Christian Kitchens, The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Joel Moses, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Whit Reichert, With, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding New Play

John Hughes Your Own Adventure, by Joseph Garner, Chris Mr. Jones, Rob McLemore, Suki Peters, and Ben Ritchie, Cherokee Street Theatre Company

The Pavement Kingdom: A Clinic Escort Play, by Courtney Bailey, Chorus of Fools

Professor House, by Jacob Juntunen, Contraband Theatre

Romeo & Zooliet, by Jennifer Joan Thompson, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Scream, Echo. Scream., written and produced by Summer Baer

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Christopher Alden, Don Pasquale, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 

Susanne Burgess, Don Pasquale, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 

John Gerdes, The Second Hurricane, Stray Dog Theatre 

Daniel Scofield, Salome, Union Avenue Opera 

Leonard Slatkin, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Outstanding Production of an Opera

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Don Pasquale, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

My Fair Lady, Union Avenue Opera

The Second Hurricane, Stray Dog Theatre

This House, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Outstanding Musical Director

Jeremiah Ginn, Murder for Two, STAGES St. Louis

Mallory Golden, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Carter Haney, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Jermaine Manor, Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

David Nehls, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Outstanding Choreographer

Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

Kirven Douthit-Boyd, The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Ellen Isom, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Lisa Shriver, Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Jennifer Werner, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Outstanding Projections or Special Effects

Justin Been, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Kareem Deanes, The Heidi Chronicles, New Jewish Theatre

Kareem Deanes, The Wash, The Black Rep

Michael Curry Design, Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Joe Taylor, Dollhouse by Three Manufacturers, Equally Represented Arts (ERA)

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role

Kailey Boyle, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Stages St. Louis

Marsiya Miller, Legally Blonde, The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company

Jane Paradise, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Dianica Phelan, Austen’s Pride, Stages St. Louis

Sarah Polizzi, Rock of Ages, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role

Dave Cooperstein, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Aaron Fischer, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Aaron Fischer, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Dustin Petrillo, Madam, Fly North Theatricals

David Socolar, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

Ethan Steimel, Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

Denisse Chavez, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Tyler Duenow, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Jason Lyons, Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Sean M. Savoie, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

Peter Barbieri, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Ann Beyersdorfer, Murder for Two, STAGES St. Louis

David Blake, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Bradley Rohlf and Colin Healy, Madam, Fly North Theatricals

Rob Lippert, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical

Sam Hayes, Madam, Fly North Theatricals

Colleen Michelson, Rock of Ages, Stray Dog Theatre

Johanna Pan, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Emily Rebholz, Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Michele Friedman Siler, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role

Brianna Kothari Barnes, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Sarah Gene Dowling, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Olivia Hernandez, Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Anita Michelle Jackson, Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

Hailey Medrano, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role

Jabari Boykin, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Rafael DaCosta, Bat Boy, New Line Theatre

Jeremiah Ginn, Murder for Two, STAGES St. Louis

Dan Hoy, Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Spencer Davis Milford, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy

Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama

Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

I Have Been Here Before, Albion Theatre Company

The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

The Wash, The Black Rep

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Austen’s Pride, STAGES St. Louis

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, STAGES St. Louis

Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

Risa Brainin, The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Tracy Brigden, Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Josiah Davis, Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Tom Ridgely, Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Nisi Sturgis, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Drama

Nancy Bell, Athena, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Annamaria Pileggi, With, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Robert Quinlan, The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

Michael Sexton, Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Jacqueline Thompson, The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Justin Been, Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Igor Goldin, Austen’s Pride, Stages St. Louis

Michael Kostroff, Murder for Two, Stages St. Louis

Rebekah Scallet, Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Jennifer Werner, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

Clyde’s, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Emma, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Romeo & Zooliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Albion Theatre Company

The Cottage, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Production of a Drama

Hamlet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Meet Me at Dawn, Upstream Theater

The Brothers Size, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Wanderers, New Jewish Theatre

With, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Austen’s Pride, Stages St. Louis

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Stages St. Louis

Cabaret, New Jewish Theatre

Raisin (The Musical), The Black Rep

Superhero, Stray Dog Theatre

Special Award for Lifetime Achievement

Wayne Salomon, early member and associate artistic director of Theatre Project Company, St. Louis theater community educator, director, actor

Milestone Anniversary

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, for its 50th anniversary as an opera of local, national and international acclaim

Special Award for Lifetime Achievement

Bob Trump, Head Draper at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, retired in 2025 after 40 years of work in The Rep’s costume shop