The winners of the 69th Annual Obie Awards were announced on January 31, 2026, honoring the highest calibre of off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theatre to recognize brave work, champion new material, and advance careers in theatre.
In lieu of the annual awards ceremony, the American Theatre Wing will instead dedicate funds to the support and growth of the artists, by bestowing the winners of the 35 awards with grants, totaling over $250,000.
Congratulations to the nine NYU Tisch alumni and faculty who received awards across eight categories this year. See the full list of awards here, and the Tisch winners below!
PLAYWRITING
Sarah Gancher '10 (MFA, Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing), Adjunct Faculty, The Wind and the Rain: A story about Sunny’s Bar (En Garde Arts | Vineyard Theatre)
DIRECTING
Sam Pinkleton '09 (BFA, Drama), ta-da! (Mike LaVoie | Carlee Briglia) and Can I Be Frank? (Mike LaVoie | Carlee Briglia)
PERFORMANCE
Crystal Lucas-Perry '13 (MFA, Graduate Acting), Pericles: A Public Works Concert Experience (The Public Theater) and The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar) (SoHo Repertory)
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE
Paul Sparks '95 (BFA, Drama), Grangeville (Signature Theatre Company)
DESIGN
Frank J. Oliva '15 (BFA, Drama) (Sets), Well, I’ll Let You Go (Regular People | Patrick Catullo | The Cohn Sisters | Shira Friedman | Danny Kopel), Danger and Opportunity (Jacob Stuckelman | Andrew Patino | Matt Krauss | Kyle Rogers), and A Knock on the Roof (New York Theatre Workshop | piece by piece productions | Under the Radar)
SUSTAINED ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN
Cha See '17 (MFA, Design for Stage & Film) (Lighting), Five Models in Ruins, 1981 (Lincoln Center Theater), ta-da! (Mike LaVoie | Carlee Briglia), Liberation (Roundabout); Trophy Boys (MCC Theater), Hold Me in the Water (Playwrights Horizon), Show/Boat: A River (Target Margin Theater | NYU Skirball | Under the Radar Festival), Babe (The New Group), and In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot (Playwrights Horizons)
David Bengali '12 (MFA, Design for Stage & Film) (Video), We Live in Cairo (New York Theatre Workshop), Joy (Ken Davenport | Sandi Moran), and Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole (New York Theatre Workshop)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Kate Valk '79 (BFA, Drama)
MORGAN JENNESS AWARD
Nicky Paraiso '77 (MFA, Grad Acting)
*We apologize for any omissions. Please send edits or additions to tsoa.alumni@nyu.edu.