Lea Michele will sing in the opening number at the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, even though she was left off this year’s nominee list. Kristin Chenoweth is also set to appear at the ceremony as a presenter, putting two Broadway names who drew attention for their work this season back on the show’s biggest stage.
The opening number will be crowded in the way only Broadway can manage. More than 170 performers are scheduled to sing with host Pink, making the number a showcase of the field itself rather than a single star turn. Brian Stokes Mitchell is among the presenters announced for the 79th annual ceremony, and the night will also include tributes to The Book of Mormon, Rent, Chicago and A Chorus Line.
That lineup gives the Tony Awards a clear purpose beyond handing out trophies. Michele had been viewed as a contender for her work in Chess, while Chenoweth drew strong reviews for The Queen of Versailles, but neither made the nominee list. Instead, both will still be part of the broadcast, a reminder that Broadway’s most visible night often doubles as its broadest stage.
The ceremony’s tribute list carries its own weight. The original cast of The Book of Mormon will reunite onstage for a number marking the musical’s 15th anniversary on Broadway, and Chicago will be saluted as it marks 30 years on Broadway. With the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League presenting the show, the night is built to celebrate both current arrivals and long-running fixtures in the city’s theater scene.
What happens next is straightforward: the 79th Tony Awards will unfold Sunday with a packed opening, a long presenters list and a series of musical tributes that keep the focus on Broadway’s biggest names even when some of them are not in the nominee column. For Michele and Chenoweth, the message is already clear. They may not be competing for trophies this year, but they will still be onstage when Broadway turns its attention to itself.
