2017 Tony Awards: who’s presenting and performing?
By Zoe West
The 71st Tony awards are taking place this Sunday (June 11). Let’s take a look at who will be involved in the show, presenting the awards or performing in the show.
The list of performers and presenters for the Tony Awards present an interesting cross-section of this season’s theater community and the winners from last years show.
The presenters include:
Scott Bakula, Sara Bareilles, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bloom, Glenn Close, Brian d’Arcy James, Cynthia Erivo, Tina Fey, Sutton Foster, Josh Gad, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Groff, Mark Hamill, Taraji P. Henson, Christopher Jackson, Allison Janney, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Kendrick, Keegan-Michael Key, Nick Kroll, John Legend, John Lithgow, Patina Miller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Mulaney, David Oyelowo, Chazz Palminteri, Sarah Paulson, Lea Salonga, Tom Sturridge, Tommy Tune, Olivia Wilde, and nominees Sally Field, Josh Groban, Bette Midler and Ben Platt.
Performing are the casts of:
Bandstand, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Falsettos, Groundhog Day The Musical, Hello, Dolly!, Miss Saigon, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and War Paint.
There are going to be additional performances from The Radio City Rockettes and Tony Award winners Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr.
This group includes performances from all four of the nominees foe Best Musical as well as the three that are up for Best Revival. Bandstand and War Paint are not nominated for either of those awards, but are represented elsewhere in the Tonys. War Paint has two nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, as well as a nod for it’s scenic and costume design. Bandstand kind of feels like the odd man out, as it’s only nominations are for choreography and orchestration. However, we assume that means that its performance number will be visually striking and complex.
Next: 71st Tony Awards: Full list of nominees
While neither Erivo or Odom are involved in shows that are nominated this season, they are familiar faces to the Tony Awards. In 2016, Cynthia Erivo won the Best Actress in a Musical award for her performance as Celie in The Color Purple. Leslie Odom Jr also won last year for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in Hamilton.