7 Of The Greatest Moments In Tony Awards History

The 2019 Tony Awards will go live this Sunday, June 9th at 8:00 PM ET/PT, only on CBS. This year's awards are the 73rd annual affair and with 72 previous iterations in the books there are historic moments for fans to look back on. Here we attempt to highlight five of the most impactful moments to get your palette ready for this weekend's awards.

Josh Groban's 2015 Tribute

Former Los Angeles Clipper Eric Gordon of the New Orleans Hornets watches from the Hornets bench at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

Josh Groban's 2015 tribute to those we've lost was a powerful reminder to appreciate the people in our lives while we can. Championed by a chorus of 175 performers, Groban's performed a stunning version of Carousel that had audiences standing on their feet.

Carpool Tonys Karaoke

Rande Foye #4 of the Los Angeles Clippers defends Chris Marco Belinelli #8 of the New Orleans Hornets during a game at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

No show has ever taken the Tony Awards by storm like Hamilton did in 2016. During the 2016 edition of the awards, the "Carpool Karaoke" master James Corden was joined by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as a host of others to get him through New York traffic with an epic selection of tunes from Hamilton, Les Misérables, and other Broadway classics.

Bette Is A Winner

Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers defends Trevor Ariza #1 of the New Orleans Hornets during a game at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

Bette Midler's career has cemented her as a legend on stage and screen, but she had to wait until 2017 to finally call herself a Tony Award winner. Midler was named "Best Actress In A Musical" for her role in Hello, Dolly! Midler stands as one of the few performers to boast a Tony, GRAMMY and Emmy on her trophy case.

Down Goes Wicked

Jarrett Jack #2 of the New Orleans Hornets drives to the basket while being defended by Chris Paul #3 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a game at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

Wicked came into the 2004 Tony Awards primed for a big night but instead, Avenue Q pulled off one of the biggest upsets in awards show history. Originally showing in a 120-seat Off Broadway house, "Q" was such a surprise winner for "Musical Of The Year" that video operators even briefly flashed Wicked as the cast walked up to accept their award. Avenue Q's cast and crew had gone all in on a campaign that encouraged voters to "Vote with your heart." Seems like it worked!

Tiny Daisy Gets A Big Win

Greivis Vasquez #21of the New Orleans Hornets drives to the basket while being defended by Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a game at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

1994's Tony Awards were record setting for a then 11-year-old Daisy Eagen. Eagen became the youngest Tony Award winner ever at the time when she took home the honor of "Best Featured Actress In A Musical" for her work in The Secret Garden.

Big Win For A Lost Boy

Reggie Evans #30 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts during a game against the New Orleans Hornets at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

In 1955 Mary Martin won the first award for playing a role of the opposite sex when she was recognized for her performance as Peter Pan, winning "Best Actress In A Musical." After her pioneering victory the feet has been repeated by Harvey Fierstein in Hairspray (2003), Mark Rylance in Twelfth Night (2014) and Lena Hall for her role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2004). But Martin will always be the first!

A Powerful Performance

Carl Landry # 24 of the New Orleans Hornets gets fouled by De Andre Jordan #9 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a game at the Staple Center on March 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mel Blackmon/CBS)

On February 14, 2018 a gunman opened fire inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, taking 17 lives and injuring 17 others in the process. At the 2018 Tony Awards, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took the stage to perform in front of the whole world in an inspiring and breathtaking show of strength and courage.

Tune in this Sunday, June 9th at 8:00 PM ET/PT for the 73rd Annual Tony Awards, only on CBS for even more unforgettable moments and memories. Check your local listings for more information.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.