Don’t cry for Rachel Zegler — she’ll be performing at the 2026 Tony Awards ahead of the Broadway launch of her acclaimed revival of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Evita next spring. Tony Awards Productions announced on Thursday that the West Side Story star will perform a special tribute to A Chorus Line in honor of that landmark musical’s 50th anniversary.
And speaking of anniversaries, Hamilton Tony-winner Leslie Odom, Jr. will mark the 30th anniversary of Rent by performing that show’s signature song, “Without You,” as part of the In Memoriam reel marking those Broadway legends who have passed on. The show will open with a super-sized production number choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby and written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick that features over 170 Broadway performers.
And if you didn’t get a chance to sample this year’s Best Musical and Best Musical Revival contenders in a Broadway theater, you’ll be able to watch them on your TV screen. On the Best Musical side, that means The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titanique and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) will showcase their showstoppers for audiences in Radio City Music Hall or watching along at home. Meanwhile, the Best Musical Revival trio of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show will put their best foot forward.
The Book of Mormon will also be ringing in its 15th anniversary with a performance on the telecast: original Broadway cast members Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells, Rory O’Malley, and Nikki M. James will slip back into their roles, and the Mormon masterminds Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez will introduce them.
And before this year’s host Pink takes the Radio City stage, Broadway fans can get warmed up for theater’s biggest night with a live pre-show event. Tony-winner Laura Benanti and Emmy-nominated Tituss Burgess will host The Tony Award: Act One, a free-to-stream special on Pluto TV airing on June 7 starting at 6:35 p.m. ET/3:35 p.m. PT.
That will be immediately followed by the Tony ceremony, airing at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, where Pink will emcee a night filled with performances from the musicals currently treading the Broadway boards.
“It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest working people in showbiz,” the Grammy-winning artist previously said in a statement provided to Gold Derby. “Broadway has shaped my life and how I put my own shows together — it is a community that is supportive, and inclusive, and full of talent and love. These people give magic every single day, and I cannot wait to celebrate them with the entire world.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the incomparable Pink as the host of this year’s Tony Awards — a fearless artist whose powerhouse voice, electrifying stage presence, and undeniable authenticity embody the very spirit of live performance and theatre,” 2026 Tony Award executive producers Raj Kapoor, Sarah Levine Hall, and Jack Sussman said in a separate statement. “A passionate fan of Broadway, she brings a genuine love for the art form alongside her bold creativity and deep connection to audiences around the world, and we know she will deliver a fresh, dynamic energy to Broadway’s biggest night!”
Pink released a social media video that found her crashing a Broadway show… but just missing her chance to get onstage.
While a million dreams of Pink’s sure-to-be triumphant hosting gig are keeping us awake, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Tony Awards.
When are the Tonys?
The 79th Annual Tony Awards take place on June 7, 2026. This year, the show returns to the legendary Radio City Music Hall.
How can I watch the Tonys?
The Tony Awards will broadcast live to both coasts on CBS. The ceremony will also be streamed live on Paramount+ for all Paramount+ premium subscribers. The broadcast airs at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Who is eligible for the Tonys?
The eligibility cut-off date for the 2025-26 season was April 26. This means that a Broadway production must officially open by that date in order to compete for this year’s Tony Awards. The Tony Awards Administration has already released Round 1 and Round 2 of eligibility determinations. Two additional sets of decisions are expected before the end of the season.
This season a total of 30 productions were eligible for the awards. That list included new musicals Beaches, The Lost Boys, The Queen of Versailles, Schmigadoon!, Titanique, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York); new plays The Balusters, Call Me Izzy, Dog Day Afternoon, The Fear of 13, Giant, Liberation, Little Bear Ridge Road, and Punch; musical revivals Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Chess, Mamma Mia, Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show; and play revivals Art, Becky Shaw, Bug, Death of a Salesman, Fallen Angels, Every Brilliant Thing, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Marjorie Prime, Oedipus, Proof, and Waiting for Godot.
When nominations were announced in April, The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! tied for most-nominated musical while Death of a Salesman was the most-nominated play.
Who votes on the Tony Awards?
The Tony Awards nominating committee, composed of 64 members across various artistic disciplines, votes on the nominees. Members of this committee serve three year terms and commit to seeing every eligible production in a given Broadway season. If a member is not able to attend every eligible show, or becomes involved in a production that is competing for this year’s awards, they must recuse themselves of their voting duties.
After nominations are announced, all Tony Awards voters are able to cast a ballot to determine the winners. There are over 800 Tony voters, which include members of The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, along with members of the governing boards of Actors’ Equity Association; the Dramatists Guild; SDC, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; United Scenic Artists; the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, and members of the New York Drama Critics Circle.
This post was originally published on March 11; it was updated April 9 with Pink’s hosting announcement, May 20 with news of the live pre-show; May 21 with the performance lineup; May 28 with The Book of Mormon news; and June 4 with the final list of performers.
