The 79th annual Tony Awards returned to New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night, with pop superstar Pink taking the helm as host for the first time. The Grammy-winning singer arrived on the red carpet in a dramatic black gown with oversized petal-inspired ruffles and a blue floral hairpiece, accompanied by her husband Carey Hart and their children.
The ceremony, celebrating the 2025-2026 Broadway season, kicked off with a pre-show called The Tony Awards: Act One, which revealed a slew of winners in technical and creative categories. Heading into the national broadcast, the new musical Schmigadoon! led with three wins, while the Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf-led revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman racked up three trophies of its own, making it the most awarded play so far.
“Schmigadoon! and Death of a Salesman lead early wins at the 79th Tony Awards, hosted by Pink at Radio City Music Hall.”
The night also honoured milestone anniversaries of several Broadway staples, with tributes planned for The Book of Mormon, Chicago, A Chorus Line and Rent. Productions were eligible if they opened between 28 April 2025 and 26 April 2026.
Among the early winners, the revival of Cats: The Jellicle Ball took Best Choreography for Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, while Chloe Lamford won Best Scenic Design of a Play for Death of a Salesman. The Lost Boys picked up Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, and Schmigadoon! scooped Best Original Score from Cinco Paul.
The red carpet outside Radio City Music Hall was packed with Hollywood heavyweights and theatre legends. Rose Byrne, nominated for her Broadway debut in Fallen Angels, stunned in a monochromatic Old Hollywood look alongside her partner Bobby Cannavale. Sarah Paulson turned heads in a colourful fashion-forward ensemble, and Aubrey Plaza officially debuted her pregnancy, showing off her baby bump in a black-and-white striped gown with her partner Christopher Abbott.
Other stars in attendance included Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Queen Latifah, Leslie Odom Jr, Adrien Brody, Maya Rudolph, Bernadette Peters, Rachel Zegler, who is set to appear in an upcoming Broadway run of Evita, Julianne Hough, Drew Barrymore and Cole Escola, who wore a hot pink balloon-style outfit.
The national broadcast, airing at 8pm ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, promises further recognition for the season’s best plays and musicals. With the early lead held by Schmigadoon! and Death of a Salesman, the main ceremony will determine which productions take home the night’s top honours.