“The Tony Awards 2023: Innovative Ways to Watch Theater’s Biggest Night”

How to Watch the 2023 Tony Awards and Everything You Need to Know

The 76th Annual Tony Awards will celebrate the best of the 2022-2023 Broadway season on June 11th. For Broadway enthusiasts, this is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. The ceremony will be hosted by Ariana DeBose and aired live on CBS and Paramount+ while the preshow will air on Pluto TV.

Location and Impact of the Writers Guild of America Strike on the Ceremony

This year’s venue for the Tonys is the historic United Palace Theater in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, a departure from previous ceremonies. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the Writers Guild of America strike had an impact on this year’s ceremony. While Lin-Manuel Miranda was asked to pen the show’s opening number ahead of the strike, he later stopped in solidarity with the strikers. The Tony Awards Management Committee was also denied a waiver or exception from the WGA. Nonetheless, the union confirmed it would not picket this year’s event, and the ceremony will “move forward with an unscripted, televised broadcast.”

Host and Presenters

DeBose, who emceed last year’s ceremony, will return as the host for this year’s Tony Awards. Due to the limited scope of the event, the writers’ strike will limit the host and presenters’ responsibilities accordingly. Presenters will not read off a teleprompter, instead relying on cue cards for the list of nominees.

Performances and Nominees

The evening usually features musical performances of most, if not all, of the shows nominated in the Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical categories. This year, performances will include a selection from And Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo, New York, New York, Shucked, Some Like It Hot, Into the Woods, Camelot, Parade, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

For theater enthusiasts, the full list of nominees is available online. Jodie Comer, Jessica Chastain, and Ben Platt are among the notable nominees.

Editorial and Advice

Despite the Writers Guild of America strike impacting this year’s ceremony, there is still much to appreciate about the 2023 Tony Awards. The Tony Awards are not only a celebration of great work in theater but also an opportunity to appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship of this unique and special form of entertainment.

In light of the pandemic, virtual events have become increasingly popular. Encouraging people to watch the Tonys at home will be socially responsible while allowing everyone to witness the incredible achievements by Broadway’s finest. Therefore, viewers are advised to grab their favorite snacks and tune in to the ceremony.