Grammy-winning singer Pink will host the 79th Annual Tony Awards this June, producers announced today.
In a Broadway season that has seen a range of performers with widespread, multi-genre appeal on the New York stage – Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, John Lithgow, Lea Michele, for starters – Pink (sometimes stylized as P!NK) is a surprising choice to host theater’s big night, having never appeared on Broadway.
The decision even seems to have caught the singer unawares.
“When I was asked to host the Tonys,” she said in a statement, “I immediately thought, ‘I have to get permission from my daughter.’ I’ve never been on Broadway, and shouldn’t you have to have been on Broadway in order to host? That seems fair and right. But when I asked my daughter, she was really excited about being able to have a ticket to go to the Tonys, so I’m hosting the Tonys and I’m really, really, excited and very nervous because that girl is a tough crowd!”
Calling the gig “the honor of an entire lifetime,” Pink said, “Broadway has shaped my life and how I put my own shows together – it is a community that is supportive, and inclusive, and full of talent and love. These people give magic every single day, and I cannot wait to celebrate them with the entire world.”
This year’s ceremony honoring Broadway takes place Sunday, June 7, live from Radio City Music Hall. Nominations will be announced May 5.
“It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest working people in showbiz,” said Pink.
“Each year, the Tony Awards creates new theater fans around the world, expanding Broadway’s reach and shaping its future,” said Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing, and Jason Laks, President of the Broadway League, presenters of the event. “Over the course of her extraordinary career, P!nk has built one of the most passionate and enduring fan communities in the history of popular music, giving her a unique ability to bring even more people into this growing family. Simply put: we could not be more excited to get this party started.”
The awards’ executive producers Raj Kapoor, Sarah Levine Hall and Jack Sussman called the singer “a fearless artist whose powerhouse voice, electrifying stage presence, and undeniable authenticity embody the very spirit of live performance and theater. A passionate fan of Broadway, she brings a genuine love for the art form alongside her bold creativity and deep connection to audiences around the world, and we know she will deliver a fresh, dynamic energy to Broadway’s biggest night.”
Pink’s nine studio albums and greatest hits collection have sold more than 60 million album equivalents globally, and she has earned 15 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four No. 1s. She’s earned three Grammy Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award and seven MTV Video Music Awards, including the 2017 Vanguard Award.
While the singer herself has never been on Broadway, two of her songs are currently used in separate jukebox musicals: “Raise Your Glass” in Moulin Rouge! The Musical and “F*ckin’ Perfect” in & Juliet.
The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Raj Kapoor, Sarah Levine Hall, and Jack Sussman will produce this year’s show. Kapoor and Levine Hall will also serve as Co-Showrunners. Patrick Menton and Rob Paine will Co-Executive Produce, with Menton also serving as Head of Talent.
The 79th Annual Tony Awards will broadcast live to both coasts Sunday, June 7, on CBS, streaming on Paramount+ (8-11 pm ET/5-8 pm PT).