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
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 07: Josh Groban performs onstage during the 2015 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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
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
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
NEW YORK - JUNE 6: (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER OUT) The cast of "Avenue Q", winners of "Best Musical" for "Avenue Q" appear on stage during the "58th Annual Tony Awards" at Radio City Music Hall on June 6, 2004 in New York City. The Tony Awards are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
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
HOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 4: (L to R) Actors Charles Durning and Daisy Eagan attends the all star reading of the play "Sunset Boulevard" at the Pantages Theater on April 4, 2004 in Hollywood, California. The event benefits The Actor's Fund of America. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images).
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
Exterior view of the marquee advertising Mary Martin in 'Peter Pan,' at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, New York City, 1950s. (Photo by Harry Morrison/Getty Images)
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
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama students perform onstage during the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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.
