Some Shocking Tony Nominations Snubs For This Year

Every time an awards cycle comes around, there are surprise nominations and snubs. The Tony Awards are no different, albeit maybe a bit more theatrical than other awards might be. And the 2026 nomination list left off some very shocking names, all from one musical revival.

Chess.

For nearly 30 years, producers have tried to bring this musical back to Broadway. With music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame, this was surprising. It should have been a smash hit right off the bat.

But Broadway is a fickle mistress, and the show was not popular, even if its soundtrack sold millions of copies. For years after the original run closed in 1988, producers tried to bring it back. As a concert, as a full production. It just never took.

Then this production stumbled upon a trio of stars that promised to make it a huge success, critically and commercially. Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher formed the triangle at the center of the story.

The actors had crackling chemistry. Tveit and Michele were Tony voters favorites.

But on the morning of May 5, 2026, Christopher's name was called for leading actor in a musical. The only other acting nomination was for Hannah Cruz for featured actress in a musical.

Even more shocking, Chess was not among the nominees for best musical revival. The show received mostly positive reviews and seemed to be a show in for at least a nomination, if not a win.

What went wrong?

Most Broadway experts and creators will point out that there were only five musical revivals this year. Which meant that in one of the biggest categories, there would only be three nominations allowed. Four, if the margins of votes were close.

Cats: The Jellical Ball, Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show were the shows that snagged a nomination. Why not Chess?

The nominated shows all received rave reviews from fans and critics. While Chess received some good reviews, those were focused on the acting and vocal talents of the cast. Along with the songs themselves.

But the actual production left a lot to be desired.

Ironically, the other musical revival to not receive a nomination is Mama Mia!. That show features ABBA's music. And like Chess, it is extremely popular with fans.

Like Chess, Mama Mia! received good reviews. It's a beloved show that will always get fans excited when it comes back to the Great White Way. But critics are not as keen to lavish praise on it for various reasons.

Was there some sort of backlash against ABBA? Likely not. The band appears to be just as popular as ever, particularly on Broadway. And these are beloved shows by fans, casts, and producers.

In other words, the ones who vote for the Tony Awards. Minus the fans, of course.

One of the issues was likely that there were only three spots open. Mama Mia! was designed to be a tour stop rather than a full-blown Broadway production.

Chess, on the other hand, just did not have the reviews or support of the community needed to snatch a nomination.

However, one major site does theorize that there is a form of backlash happening.

In 2025, there were a lot of big Hollywood stars on Broadway. Stars like Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, and Denzel Washington. They fueled huge ticket sales. The megastars also took numerous nominations away from Broadway people.

That's part of the theory that Deadline Hollywood has put forward about the snubs this year. The writer, Greg Evans, suggested that the theater community was not thrilled with the invasion of A-list movie stars and was trying to send a message.

He cites Taraji P. Henson, Jean Smart, and Cedric the Entertainer as examples of those who normally would have received nominations that were snubbed this year. Each of them was in critically acclaimed plays and seemed to be sure bets to get a nomination at the very least.

This would help explain Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit not garnering nominations for Chess. Michele is best known for her television work, including Glee. Tveit is known for his work on Graceland and Gossip Girl.

Part of the issue with this argument is that Michele and Tveit may be known for TV shows to a broader audience, but they both have deep roots in musical theater. She was part of the original cast of Spring Awakening and joined the revival of Funny Girl.

Tveit made Broadway history at the 2021 Tony Awards. He was the sole nominee for Lead Actor in a musical. The first time that had happened in a performance category.

What happened? Why was a major revival of a musical snubbed by the Tony Awards?

The answer is likely very simple. It was a matter of fierce competition and fewer nominations available than normal. Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.

What do you think happened?