by Zach Dulli, The Scene
This Sunday, the 77th Annual Tony Awards will take center stage as the theatre community comes together to celebrate the best of Broadway. Whether you’re a seasoned theatergoer or a first-time viewer, prepare for an evening where the magic of Broadway shines brightest. Here’s your guide to making the most of this year’s Tony Awards.
When and Where to Watch: The excitement begins with The Tony Awards: Act One, hosted by Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar, airing on Pluto TV from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. The Tony Awards: Act One will not only feature exclusive content but also the presentation of a first round of awards. Then, immediately following at 8:00 PM, head over to CBS or Paramount+ for the start of the 77th Annual Tony Awards, broadcasting live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Tony Awards Host: Returning for her third consecutive year, the multi-talented Ariana DeBose will host the 77th Annual Tony Awards. Known for her dynamic roles on Broadway and her Academy Award-winning performance in Stephen Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” DeBose is set to bring her unique charm and talent to the stage once again, ensuring the night is as enchanting and entertaining as the performances it honors.
Star-Studded Presenters: The lineup of presenters for this year’s Tony Awards reads like a who’s who of Hollywood and Broadway. Presenters will include Nate Burleson, Cynthia Erivo, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Josh Gad, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sean Hayes, Jennifer Hudson, Angelina Jolie, Nick Jonas, Idina Menzel, Ashley Park, Jim Parsons, Wendell Pierce, Ben Platt, Anthony Ramos, Andrew Rannells, Solomon Thomas, Taylor Tomlinson, Pete Townshend, Tamara Tunie, Adrienne Warren, Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, and more. With such a diverse and accomplished group, the stage is set for a night of memorable moments and heartfelt speeches.
The Nominees: This year’s nominations are led by “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Stereophonic,” each with a staggering 13 nods. These productions, along with this year’s other nominees, represent the best of Broadway’s offerings from the 2023-2024 season. Notable mentions in the Best Actor and Actress categories include talents like Jonathan Groff, Jessica Lange, Rachel McAdams, Leslie Odom, Jr., Sarah Paulson, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, and Michael Stuhlbarg have all brought their exceptional skills to the stage, earning them well-deserved nominations.
Check out the complete list of this year’s Tony Award nominees.
Performances to Anticipate: This year’s ceremony will showcase performances from eight of the shows nominated for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical. They include Illinoise, Hell’s Kitchen, Suffs, The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, Cabaret at the KitKat Club, The Who’s Tommy, and Merrily We Roll Along. They will take center stage alongside a musical performance from Best Play nominee Stereophonic.
A Night to Remember: The Tony Awards are more than just an awards ceremony; they are a celebration of the rich, diverse, and impactful world of theater. They remind us of the power of live performance and its ability to touch hearts, provoke thought, and bring people together. So, prepare for an evening of spectacle and heart-stirring performances. Whether you’re a seasoned theatre-goer or a curious first-timer, the 77th Tony Awards promise to be an unforgettable night.
To delve deeper into the nominees and the nominated shows, check out the articles below and get fully prepared for tomorrow’s Tony Awards:
- 43 Tony Nominees and the Shows That Shaped Them by Michael Paulson, Julia Jacobs, Jolie Ruben, Amanda Webster, Photographs by Dana Scruggs, The New York Times | The Tony Awards are Sunday. Each year we photograph nominated performers and talk to them about their craft. This time, we asked about early theater memories. Read…
- Tony Predictions: Expect Wins for “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Stereophonic” by Michael Paulson, The New York Times | Times reporter Michael Paulson surveyed a quarter of Tony voters before Sunday’s ceremony. One certainty: Sondheim’s onetime flop seems destined for redemption. Read…
- Inside the American Theatre Wing and the Tony Awards with Heather Hitchens by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News | In the first part of this Q&A series, American Theatre Wing president and CEO Heather Hitchens explains the Wing’s involvement in the Tony Awards, and her take on the purpose of the awards. Read…
- Toast to the Tonys With These Libations Inspired By 2024 Tony-Nominated Shows by Julia Chambers, Playbill | Sweet Hospitality Group has created three inventive cocktails and one mocktail inspired by some of this season’s best. Read…
- Tony Producers on Changes For This Year’s Show, “Stereophonic” and Their Plan to Honor Plays by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter | “What I’m saying is you never know what’s gonna happen on the Tony Awards,” producer and director Glenn Weiss said of this year’s lineup. Read…
- Listen to the Best Tracks From 8 Tony-Nominated Shows by Jesse Green, The New York Times | “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Stereophonic,” and others are up for top prizes at Sunday’s ceremony. The New York Times critics take stock of their cast albums, all available now. Read…
- All in the Details: Tony-Nominated Set Designers on Getting It Right by Erik Piepenburg, The New York Times | For this year’s nominees, some of their most rewarding — and realistic — work was in the smaller details. Read…
- “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’s” Jocelyn Bioh on Breaking Barriers for Black Woman Playwrights: ‘It’s for Every Single Black Woman Who Has Put Pen to Paper’ by Angelique Jackson, Variety | April 30 was a “great day” to be Jocelyn Bioh, playwright of the hit Broadway show “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Read…
- How Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ investigation of the family drama led to “Appropriate” by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News | The playwright shares how his desire to understand the genre created the Tony Award-nominated revival. Read…
- Jessica Lange and Paula Vogel on Breaking, and Keeping, the Family Contract by Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times | In the Tony-nominated “Mother Play,” the writer conjures warm memories and thorny ones, not to judge her mother but to understand — and to forgive. Read…
- “It’s Like Lightning in a Bottle”: Eli Gelb and Idina Menzel Geek Out Over “Stereophonic” by Idina Menzel, Interview Magazine | In many ways, it’s Gelb who makes the show—and the band—hum, bringing forth the show’s spirit of collaboration even as the bandmembers treat him as a nuisance. “In the second and third act, you’re like the heart and the glue of the entire play,” Menzel says. After seeing the show, she called up her old co-star to remind him to stop and smell the roses. Read…
- After A 40-Year Broadway Career, Kecia Lewis Gets Her First Tony Nomination For “Hell’s Kitchen” by Jeryl Brunner, Forbes | In the Broadway musical “Hell’s Kitchen” Kecia Lewis plays Miss. Liza Jane, a mentor and piano teacher to 17-year-old Ali. Read…
- “Merrily We Roll Along” made them old friends. Now, the cast is ‘dreading’ saying goodbye by Patrick Ryan, USA Today | On July 7, the cast of “Merrily We Roll Along” will take their final Broadway bow together. For the show’s tight-knit central trio, the grief has already set in. Read…
- “The Outsiders” Director And The Hollywood Insider by Greg Evans, Deadline | How Danya Taymor & Angelina Jolie Built A Friendship And A Hit Broadway Musical. Read…
- On Broadway, “Suffs” Has a New Tune (and 6 Tony Nominations) by Elisabeth Vincentelli, The New York Times | A reworked opening number, less historical bulk, and a general push to “have fun with these women” helped a musical find its way. Read…
- In “Suffs,” Shaina Taub Fights For Women’s Rights. On Broadway, She’s Smashing Barriers by Curtis B. Wong, HuffPost | The New York actor and composer says she hopes the musical and its cast album energize audiences who are feeling weary amid America’s political divide. Read…
- “Illinoise” Director Justin Peck on Bringing Sufjan Stevens to Broadway by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter | Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury reinterpreted Stevens’ 2005 album into a Tony-nominated, dance-based musical. Read…
