What a journey it’s been for the 2019–2020 Tony Awards, which are finally, supposedly, happening on September 26, 2021, and have only now announced their hosts. Today, CBS announced that the awards ceremony will have two very theater-y hosts: Leslie Odom Jr., Tony Award winner for Hamilton, and Audra McDonald, Tony Award winner for, well, so many things. Both of them have also appeared in the Good Wife universe, which just makes this even more theater-y.
As previously announced, the ceremony will be split in half, with the presentation of the bulk of the trophies starting at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount+ that night (Audra will host that part of the ceremony), and a concert event titled “The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!†starting at 9 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+ (Leslie will host that part). The “Broadway’s Back!†event will include “superstar Broadway entertainers†performing “beloved classics,†as well as performances from the three nominated Best Musical contenders (Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge!: The Musical, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) and the presentation of the three big awards: Best Play, Best Revival of a Play, and Best Musical. The whole event will air live from the Winter Garden Theatre, and this bifurcated design means that McDonald and Odom seemingly won’t ever have to be onstage at the same time, but … could they? Just for a little duet? As a treat?