It’s almost time for Broadway’s biggest night: The 2023 Tony Awards take place Sunday, June 11 in New York City.
With performances from the casts of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Shucked, New York, New York, Into the Woods, and more in the lineup (as well as a special tribute to Broadway legends Joel Grey and John Kander!), it’s sure to be an exciting evening. But due to the Writers Guild of America strike, this year’s show could feel different than its predecessors.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 76th Annual Tony Awards.
Who’s Performing?
The Tonys announced its performance lineup on June 8. All of this year’s nominees for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical will take to the stage. That includes Camelot, Into The Woods, & Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo, New York, New York, Parade, Shucked, Some Like It Hot, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Additionally, the cast of Funny Girl will give a performance, marking its first Tonys appearance. The musical revival received one nomination at the 2022 Tony Awards. Now, the current cast (which features Lea Michele, Ramin Karimloo, Tovah Feldshuh, and more), will perform a number from the revival, set to close in September 2023.
The 2022 winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Joaquina Kalukango, will also perform, and there will be a special performance for the Tony Award for the 2023 Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre recipients, Grey and Kander.
Expect to see Ben Platt, Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Groban, Gaten Matarazzo, Jordan Fisher, and more during the show performances.
Who’s Hosting?
Ariana DeBose returns as host for the second year in a row. Will she recreate her viral “Angela Bassett did the thing” moment from the BAFTAs? One can only hope. Theater fans loved her as host in 2022. Given her theater background (she was in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton — you can see her in it on Disney+ — and was Tony-nominated for her performance in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical in 2018), it’s no surprise she was a natural host for this event.
Where, How, and When to Watch?
There are two Tonys events to tune into this Sunday. The first, The Tony Awards: Act One, is a live pre-show hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin and will be unscripted like the main event. The show is available to viewers for free on Pluto TV, on Sunday, June 11 at 6:30-8:00pm ET/3:30-5:00pm PT. The Tony Awards: Act One can be accessed on smart TVs, streaming devices, mobile apps, or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the “Pluto TV Celebrity” channel (no payment, registration or sign-in required).
The Tonys are changing venues this year, this time taking place live from the historic United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights. The main telecast kicks off at 8/7c on CBS and will stream live and on demand on Paramount+. The telecast will end around 11/10c.
How Is the WGA Writers Strike Affecting It?
After the WGA writers strike began on May 2, the WGA denied the Tony Awards’ waiver request that would give them a special allowance to continue with a scripted show. At first, this meant the 2023 Tonys would not be televised, but that would have been a major hit to Broadway box offices that were still trying to recover post-pandemic.
The Tony Awards Management Committee appealed WGA’s decision, and the group agreed to let the show go on with an unscripted telecast. WGA leadership also agreed that union would not strike the event. While they aren’t picketing, the WGA did encourage its members not to attend the award show. Attendees and nominees likely won’t be giving red carpet interviews before the event begins.
The absence of a script could mean there won’t be any reading off of a teleprompter. The event typically has a new original song performed for the opening number. Lin-Manuel Miranda was writing the 2023 Tonys’ opening number, but he stopped when the strike began in solidarity with the writers. Still, DeBose will reportedly perform an opening number, and only that, during the Sunday broadcast (per The Hollywood Reporter).
There reportedly will be Tony’s presenters in attendance to hand out awards, but they will only be reading the list of nominees off cue cards.
It may look different this year, but the shows you love from the last year on Broadway will still be celebrated nationwide.
The Tony Awards: Act One, Sunday, June 11, 6:30/5:30c, Pluto TV
76th Annual Tony Awards, Sunday, June 11, 8/7c, CBS and Paramount+
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
