The show will go on! It was announced today that a celebration of Broadway’s return after being closed down for a year and a half due to the COVID-19 pandemic will happen on Sept. 26 on CBS and Paramount+.
The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back! will be a four-hour-long celebration split into two parts. First, the 74th Annual Tony Awards will be shown live at 7 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+.
Following that CBS and Paramount+ will both show a special concert commemorating some of Broadway’s favorite performers and classic shows.
“After this devastating past year and a half for our industry, our city, and for the entire world, we are excited to finally be able to celebrate the return of Broadway, our Tony Award nominees and winners in this new and exciting format,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “There is nothing that compares to the magic of live theater—and we are thrilled to be able to share its celebratory return and the incredible talent and artistry of the abbreviated 2019-2020 season with theatre fans everywhere.
Back in October, Tony Award-winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) announced the nominations for the 74th Annual Tony Awards and it was announced that the show would happen in conjunction with the reopening of Broadway. At that time, no one knew when that would be, but announcements are being made with 2019 Best Musical winner Hadestown being the first to reopen on Sept. 2 followed by Chicago, Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked reopening on Sept. 14.
Jagged Little Pill, the new musical featuring music from Alanis Morissette’s landmark album, leads the pack with 15 nominations, while Jeremy O. Harris’ Slave Play garnered 12 nominations – the most of any play. And in a rare turn of events, Aaron Tveit is the only actor nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Moulin Rouge! The Musical. He just needs the majority of voters to say he is deserving of the award to take it home.
“We are thrilled to bring the best of Broadway to television viewers who have been through so much without the joys, comfort, and excitement that live theatre provides,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming, CBS Entertainment.
“With the combined power of CBS and Paramount+, the show will honor this year’s Tony Award nominees and winners in a new format unlike any other, and celebrate the iconic music, memorable performances, and unique personalities that make Broadway so special,” he adds.
Check out all of the nominees for the 74th Annual Tony Awards below and be sure to catch the ceremony and Broadway’s Back! on Sept. 26.
Are you excited to get back to Broadway? Leave a comment below or tweet us at @celebsecrets.
Best Play
Grand Horizons
The Inheritance
Sea Wall/A Life
Slave Play
The Sound Inside
Best Musical
Jagged Little Pill
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Revival of a Play
Betrayal
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
A Soldier’s Play
Best Book of a Musical
Diablo Cody, Jagged Little Pill
John Logan, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Christopher Nightingale, A Christmas Carol
Paul Englishby, The Inheritance
Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb, The Rose Tattoo
Lindsay Jones, Slave Play
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Ian Barford, Linda Vista
Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Blair Underwood, A Soldier’s Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play
Laura Linney, My Name is Lucy Barton
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill
Adrienne Warren, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Ato Blankson-Wood, Slave Play
James Cusati-Moyer, Slave Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons
Chalia La Tour, Slave Play
Annie McNamara, Slave Play
Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Derek Klena, Jagged Little Pill
Sean Allan Krill, Jagged Little Pill
Sahr Ngaujah, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Daniel J. Watts, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill
Celia Rose Gooding, Jagged Little Pill
Robyn Hurder, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Derek McLane, A Soldier’s Play
Clint Ramos, Slave Play
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Riccardo Hernández and Lucy Mackinnon, Jagged Little Pill
Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dede Ayite, Slave Play
Dede Ayite, A Soldier’s Play
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Emily Rebholz, Jagged Little Pill
Mark Thompson, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play
Jon Clark, The Inheritance
Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside
Allen Lee Hughes, A Soldier’s Play
Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Bruno Poet, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti & Christopher Reid, The Inheritance
Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Lindsay Jones, Slave Play
Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, Jagged Little Pill
Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Nevin Steinberg, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Direction of a Play
David Cromer, The Sound Inside
Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
Kenny Leon, A Soldier’s Play
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
Robert O’Hara, Slave Play
Best Direction of a Musical
Phyllida Lloyd, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill
Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Choreography
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jagged Little Pill
Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Anthony Van Laast, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill
Justin Levine, with Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen and Matt Stine, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Ethan Popp, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
