THIRTY-FIVE years in and the Actor Boy Awards (ABAS) are not slowing down. This milestone year arrives with a clear message: “35 Years Strong, The Next Act Has Begun”.

In a nominations list bursting with talent and range, legacy is meeting the future in spectacular fashion as echoed by host of the nominations show, internationally acclaimed Jamaican actress, Shantol Jackson.

That show aired on Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) on April 1 at 8:00 pm and featured announcements by cultural icon Joan Andrea Hutchinson and the newly designed Actor Boy trophy by Jamaican sculptor Keith Cousins.

The Awards Show was initially scheduled to take place at PBCJ Auditorium Monday, April 27, 2026 at 6:30 pm, but news arrived last week of its postponement to Monday, June 1, 2026, fuelling even more anticipation.

A news release from the awards committee indicates that the new date “allows us to deliver the kind of experience that this milestone year deserves”.

At the forefront of this year’s race are two musicals: Alice by Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC) and
Ded leff by The ASHE Company. Both productions have surged ahead with commanding nomination tallies, setting the tone for what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive years in the awards’ history.

Alice dazzles as a technical and artistic triumph. With nominations spanning costume, set, lighting, sound, choreography, and major acting categories. Ded leff, driven by powerful performances, dominates the acting categories with multiple nominations across supporting and lead roles. Add to that recognition, directing and design, and Ded leff emerges as a formidable contender, proving that raw, actor-centred storytelling still has the power to shake the stage.

But this is not a two-production race. In a year that defines competition, several productions have crossed into double-digit nomination territory, creating a field where no category feels secure. Dahlia Harris’s Bloodlies (DMH Productions) asserts its presence across design, acting, and overall production categories, while Edna Manley College of the Visiual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) School of Drama’s Tick tock, directed by Owen “Blakka” Ellis proves its strength through technical precision, ensemble work, and overall production excellence.

Meanwhile, Father Ho Lung & Friends’ Jesus 2025 and Dredz Productions’ Redemption add further depth to an already stacked line-up, with strong showings in design, writing, and performance categories. Across the board, the nominations reflect a theatre community that is not only thriving but evolving, boldly and unapologetically.

That evolution feels especially significant this year. Because at 35, the ABAs are not just celebrating longevity, they are marking transformation. The nominations reflect decades of excellence while spotlighting a new generation of creatives who are redefining what Jamaican theatre can be. Established names stand shoulder to shoulder with emerging voices, creating a dynamic tension that fuels the entire season.

Among the nominees:

1) Costume Design

• Carolyn Chin-Yee — Alice

• Conroy B. Wilson — Ded leff

• Greg Thames & Clayton Gidden — Jesus 2025

• Marie Lovelock — Bloodlies

• Samantha Thompson — Tick tock…

2) Sound Design

• Adira Truthe & Alexandria Chin — Alice

• Owen “Blakka” Ellis — Tick tock…

• Ryan Esson — Jesus 2025

• Tahjae White — Ded leff

• Tesfa Edwards & Dahlia Harris — Bloodlies

3) Set Design

• Kalena Mollison — Alice

• Kirk Nunes — Ded leff

• Owayne Hamilton & Kimberly Mitchell — Bloodlies

• Owen “Blakka” Ellis, Camille Quamina & Lauriston Watson — Tick tock…

• Patrick Brown — Boopsie’s homecoming

4) Lighting Design

• Calvin Mitchell — Tick tock…

• Elisha Ellis — Alice

• Robin Baston — Jesus 2025

• Sylvester Campbell — A calabash to save the world

• Tesfa Edwards — Bloodlies

5) Special Effects

• Alexandria Chin — Alice

• Robin Baston — Jesus 2025

6) Choreography

• Daron Mitchell, Damario Gutzmer & Giselle Bain — Alice

• Michael Holgate — Ded leff

• Michael Holgate — Tick tock…

• Paula Shaw — Jesus 2025

7) Best Comedy

• A Rose of Sharon — Basil Dawkins Productions

•Boopsie’s homecoming — Jambiz International Ltd

•Indecent proposal — Jambiz International Ltd

•Low pay? don’t pay! — EMCVPA School of Drama

8) Actor in a Supporting Role

• David Crosgill — Boopsie’s homecoming

• Dean Smith — Ded leff

• Khumar McHugh — Ded leff

• Mario Ramdal — Alice

• Ricardo Anderson — Ded leff

9) Actress in a Supporting Role

• Danielle Shepherd — Redemption

• Makalia Benjamin — Ded leff

• Maria Walters — Bloodlies

• Shantae James — Redemption

• Zoë Hall — Alice

10) Actor in a Lead Role

• Antonio Campbell — Ded leff

• Glen Campbell — Boopsie’s homecoming

• Jevon Ferril — Alice

• Oraine Meikle — Redemption

• Rashiem Shepherd — Redemption

11) Actress in a Lead Role

• Abigail Dunstan — Ded leff

• Dahlia Harris — Bloodlies

• Daindra Harrison — Boopsie’s homecoming

• Sharee McDonald Russell — Indecent proposal

• Zoë de Geus — Alice

12) Best Production

• ALICE — JMTC

• DED LEFF — The Ashe Company

• JESUS 2025 — Fr Ho Lung & Friends

• BLOODLIES — DMH Productions

• TICK TOCK… — EMCVPA School of Drama

Shantol Jackson, actress in BBC One’s series Death in Paradise, presenter at the nominations show, poses with the new statuette.