2026 Sound on Stage Theatre Awards
Congratulations to all of the nominees and award recipients at the 2026 Sound on Stage Theatre Awards. We had an amazing time celebrating the wonderful year in theatre, rekindled connections, made new ones, and experienced some amazing musical performances. For those who attended, thank you for helping to make the evening special, and for those who tuned into the livestream, we appreciate you engaging with us even if you weren’t able to in person. As the photos from our photographer become available, we’ll share them here, as well as a link to the recording of the live stream.
Livestream (Recording) of the 2026 Sound on Stage Theatre Awards
Categories:
Play Categories
Achievement in Sound Design of a Play
Achievement in Lighting Design of a Play
Achievement in Costume Design of a Play
Achievement in Scenic Design of a Play
Achievement in Stage Management of a Play
Achievement by an Ensemble in a Play
Achievement by a Supporting Actor in a Play
Achievement by a Featured Actor in a Play
Achievement by a Leading Actor in a Play
Achievement in Direction of a Play
Outstanding Production of a Play
Achievement in Sound Design of a Musical
Achievement in Lighting Design of a Musical
Achievement in Costume Design of a Musical
Achievement in Scenic Design of a Musical
Achievement in Stage Management of a Musical
Achievement in Music Direction
Achievement in Choreography
Achievement by an Ensemble in a Musical
Achievement by a Supporting Actor in a Musical
Achievement by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Achievement by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Achievement in Direction of a Musical
Outstanding Production of a Musical
General Categories
Achievement in Accents and Dialects
Achievement in Props and Properties Design
Outstanding New Work
Achievement in Music Composition
Outstanding Pop-Up Theatre Experience
Outstanding Theatre Experience
Outstanding Theatre Troupe
Musical Categories
How it Works
Eligibility
In order for a show to be eligible for a Sound on Stage award, it has to be reviewed by one of our contributors or attended by one of our evaluators. The eligibility period for shows runs from July 1 through June 30.
Scoring
Each show, performance, or technical aspect that is eligible is scored against a rubric that has been distributed to each reviewer and evaluator. Each category is comprised of five individual criteria. The criteria are scored from 0-10, and when added together the show, actor, or member of the crew or creative team is judged on a scale of 0-50. When multiple scores are entered (more than one person scores a show) the totals are averaged together.
Nominations
At the end of the season, each category is tallied and the top 5 scores receive nominations. In the case of a tie, the reviews for the show are considered, and a deliberation between evaluators for the shows in question takes place to determine the final 5.
Determination of Award Recipients
Once the nominees are determined, each show is considered through a combination of a look back at the review, comments provided by the evaluators, and deliberation, after which a determination is made for the recipient of a particular award.
The Sound on Stage is a 100% volunteer organization
The Sound on Stage is a 100% volunteer organization, and as such everything we do is wholly out of our love for the performing arts and with a desire to help promote the work that you are all doing on the stages in the area. If you’d like to help support the work we’re doing, please consider donating on the Support page of our website, or by clicking the link or scanning the QR code below. With our recent fiscal sponsorship with Shunpike, every dollar you contribute is now completely tax deductible.
Archives
2025 Sound on Stage Award Winners
2024-25 Nominees (Professional)
2024-25 Nominees (Non-Professional)
2024 Sound on Stage Award Winners, Ceremony Video, Photos, etc.