At long last, a host for the fast-approaching 69th annual Tony Awards has been selected. Correction: Make that two hosts. Unfortunately Neil Patrick Harris isn’t one of them.
Broadway veterans Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked) and Alan Cumming (Cabaret) will host the proceedings on Broadway’s biggest night, which will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, 7th June on CBS. Both hosts are previous winners, Chenoweth for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1999, and Cumming for Cabaret in 1998. The famous two have tread the boards this Broadway season as well; Chenoweth is currently starring in the Roundabout Theatre’s critically-acclaimed revival of On the Twentieth Century, while Cumming stepped back into his iconic suspenders to play the Emcee once more in Studio 54’s latest revival of Cabaret.
Cummings and Chenoweth have previously starred together in the 1999 Annie TV movie with Cummings portraying Daniel Francis ‘Rooster’ Hannigan and Chenoweth portraying Lily St. Regis.
In the past decade, only four other actors have formally hosted: Hugh Jackman (2003-2005, 2014), Whoopi Goldberg (2008), Neil Patrick Harris (2009, 2011-2013) and Sean Hayes (2010). Unlike in seasons past, this year’s announcement of Chenoweth and Cumming as hosts comes particularly late in the game, with just six weeks remaining until the ceremony (for comparison, Jackman was announced as host last year on 11th February).
Nominations will be announced on Tuesday 28th April, in an event co-hosted by Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker and Bruce Willis (who makes his Broadway debut this fall in Misery).
The 69th annual Tony awards will air live on CBS on June 7th.
