Sunday’s Tony Awards on CBS are set for huge ratings.
The show has no sports competition or anything else of note running against it. Luckily, the NBA finals are off that night.
Singer Pink is the off beat choice as host, and she’s going to surprise everyone with a knockout night.
The opening number at 8pm is written by Pasek and Paul — of “Evan Hansen” and “La La Land” fame — along with Mark Sonnenblick. The number should be spectacular with 170 performers on the stage at Radio City Music Hall.
The show will also feature performances from current musicals The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titaníque, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), CATS: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime and Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.
There will be a special 15th anniversary reunion of the cast of “The Book of Mormon.” No less than Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. will honor those we’ve lost this year with a moving performance of “Without You” from Rent, in honor of the show’s 30th anniversary.
Also, Queen Latifah and Pink will lead a 30th anniversary tribute to “Chicago,” still playing like crazy thanks to the canny producers Fran and Barry Weissler.
The presenters list is off the charts, too. Look at this:
Adrien Brody, Annette Bening, Ariana DeBose, Ben Platt, Bernadette Peters, Billy Crystal, Bowen Yang, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Carrie Coon, Cole Escola, Darren Criss, Jack O’Brien, Jeremy Pope, John Leguizamo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kara Young, Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Law Roach, Lena Waithe, Lily Rabe, Maya Rudolph, Megan Thee Stallion, Neil Patrick Harris, Nicole Scherzinger, Patrick Wilson, Paul Rudd, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Sarah Paulson.
Plus Sting, who opens next Tuesday in his musical, “The Last Ship,” at the Metropolitan Opera House, will give an award. (There are very few tickets left!)
Got other plans? Cancel ’em!
PS There’s a pre-show free on Pluto TV (streaming) with Laura Benanti and Tituss Burgess giving out a slew of other Tonys. It runs from 6:35 to 8pm. And no, Radio City offers no food to the black tie guests. We’ll be calling Door Dash for a pizza at some point!
