Tony Awards: Ariana DeBose shows how it’s done with an electrifying opening number!
Academy Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer Ariana DeBose kicked off the 75th Tony Awards with an electrifying mash-up performance of songs from classic Tony Award-winning musicals such as Cabaret, Company, Rent, West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera, and Hair, that brought down the house.
With a sequined outfit inspired by MJ – the musical about Michael Jackson that received 10 nominations – the star of West Side Story took the stage at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and celebrated Broadway’s inclusion and diversity in her opening monologue.
“And so tonight, for you I want to start by singing. To every team, every cast, in present, future, and past, tonight, at last, this is a round of applause. For the last 75 years, you kept it alive here, cheers! High five. ‘Cause you know the show would never go on if we didn’t all come together as one.” DeBose said before breaking into song.
DeBose’s powerful performance was met with a standing ovation from the crowd. “Thank you all. Well, welcome to the 75th annual Tony awards! This night is about all of you,” DeBose told the crowd. “The people who make these nominated shows happen, and a celebration of the very best of the past season. And what a season it has been! For many of you, it’s been a roller-coaster, with starts and stops, dramatic twists and turns, and companies being reunited after nearly two years apart.”
She continued, “I am so proud to be hosting the first Tony awards since Broadway got its groove back, and I’m so proud that the theater is becoming more reflective of the community who adores it. In doing so, it has gained new performers, new creative teams, and new fans.”
“It has shown us stories that have broadened our world and opened our hearts and our minds. And while we have not solved all our problems, I feel like the phrase ‘Great White Way’ is becoming more of a nickname as opposed to a how-to-guide.”
On the diversity on Broadway in the last season, DeBose noted that seven plays had been written by Black playwrights. The host gave a shout-out to Lynn Nottage for being a double nominee for writing both the play Clyde’s and the book of MJ. Nottage is the first playwright to earn nominations in both categories in a single year.
She also gave a nod to A Strange Loop’s L.Morgan Lee, the first transgender person to be nominated for a Tony, as well as Six’s composer Toby Marlow, the first non-binary winner in Tony history. “My friends, those are steps toward inclusion.” DeBose said.
You can check out BeBose’s spectacular performance in the tweet below, and the full list of winners here.
