Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee Make Tony Award History as First Nonbinary Nominees

is preparing to say goodbye to Blake Shelton with a star-studded season 23 finale!NBC announced on Tuesday that a historic lineup of show-stopping performers and returning favorites will be on hand for next week's two-part finale, as the show bids farewell to Blake, who has been with the singing competition since its very first season back in 2011.Former coaches and mentors who will make an appearance to celebrate Blake's last hurrah include, of course, Gwen Stefani, as well as Camila Cabello, Jennifer Hudson, Nick Jonas, John Legend, Usher, Pharrell Williams and Dolly Parton.The season 23 coaches will also be on hand, as Blake, Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper take the stage to perform with their Top 5 artists: Gina Miles, NOIVAS, D. Smooth, Sorelle and Grace West.Part one of the finale on Monday night will also include performances by Lewis Capaldi — who will take the stage with his emotional new single, «Wish You the Best» — and Alex Newell, who will make history performing «Independently Owned» from the hit Broadway musical, marking the show's first performance from a Broadway production.On Tuesday, former coaches Adam Levine and CeeLo Green will perform — Levine and Maroon 5 will take the stage with their new single, «Middle Ground,» while CeeLo's performance remains a surprise.Country star Lily Rose will also perform on Tuesday, joining Diplo for their new song, «Sad in the Summer,» while breakout artist Toosii will perform his chart-climbing hit, «Favorite Song.»ET spoke with Blake ahead of Monday's live semifinal show, where he opened up about making the decision to leave the competition after 23 seasons and a record-setting nine wins.«I'm excited.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic “The Voice” has not been much concerned with current Broadway voices until now. That’ll change in a big way with this coming Monday’s episode, which will feature a show-stopping number from “Shucked” — marking the first time a song from a currently running Broadway show has been featured on the long-running singing competition series. The song is “Independently Owned,” a major nightly showcase for Tony nominee Alex Newell. It’s been cited as the rare example of an original Broadway musical having its first and possibly biggest standing-ovation number come in the middle of the first act… and it’s a testament to “Shucked” as a whole that the production doesn’t feel like it’s going downhill from that early barn-burner.

Striking members of the Writers Guild of America have said they will not picket next month’s Tony Awards telecast, clearing a thorny issue facing show organizers and opening the door for some sort of Broadway razzle-dazzle on TV.

will not negotiate a waiver or interim deal to allow WGA screenwriters to write a script for the show’s broadcast — leaving theater’s biggest night in limbo. “As has been previously reported, the Writers Guilds of America East and West (WGA) will not negotiate an interim agreement or a waiver for the Tony Awards,” the statement said.

76th Annual Tony Awards will go on without having to cross a picket line.The Writers Guild of America announced on Monday that they will not picket this year's show, which is set for June 11, amid the ongoing writers' strike.«Tony Awards Productions (a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing) has communicated with us that they are altering this year’s show to conform with specific requests from the WGA,» a statement from the guild explained, according to «Therefore the WGA will not be picketing the show.»«As they have stood by us, we stand with our fellow workers on Broadway who are impacted by our strike,» the statement added.The show will proceed, although in an unspecified altered form, as planned.Kate Shindle, president of Actor Equity, took to Twitter to share her thanks with the WGA for their agreement, «Thank you, @WGAWest and @WGAEast. @ActorsEquity members: time to double down on showing up at their pickets.»«Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position,» she added. «We can appreciate the grace AND point at the culprits, right?»Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position.

on Friday to denied a waiver to CBS and Paramount+ that would allow the ceremony to be broadcast and streamed. And indeed, WGA specifically blamed CBS, Paramount “and their allies,” for making the changes necessary.“As has been previously reported, the Writers Guilds of America East and West (WGA) will not negotiate an interim agreement or a waiver for the Tony Awards.

effectively canceled the broadcast, which was set to air on CBS Sunday, June 11.The Monday meeting was meant to pick an alternate route, but came up with jack squat, sources told The Post.“Big surprise: No plan or conclusion,” said one annoyed source familiar with the talks.Instead, the Tonys will appeal to the WGA to again attempt (in vain, trust me) to squeeze a waiver out of the striking union and go forward with a normal telecast.“They’re trying to exhaust that one,” the source added. “A Hail Mary.”An incredulous insider pointed out, “There has not been a single waiver issued!”The Post has reached out to the Tony Awards for comment.While a script for the Tonys is said to have been written, other entertainment industry unions — the Directors Guild, Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity and more — are standing in solidarity with the WGA.

The Tony Awards is the latest casualty of the ongoing Hollywood writers strike.

2023 Tony Awards to air as scheduled on June 11 amid the ongoing writers strike. The Hollywood Reporter reported Friday that the telecast of theater’s biggest night will not air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ as originally planned.

Sad news for the Broadway community – the 2023 Tony Awards will not be able to take place as planned on June 11.

2023 Tony Awards telecast will go on as planned a month from now are slipping away fast, multiple sources told The Post.The complexities of the writers’ strike, which is still in its early days, have made it virtually impossible for the show, Broadway’s biggest promotional push of the year, to air on Sunday, June 11 on CBS.“The Tonys are hanging on by fingernails,” said a source familiar with the turmoil. “It’s a mess.” The American Theatre Wing and Broadway League, two trade organizations that put on the ceremony, are voting Friday to decide how to move forward.The Wing, I’m told, would prefer to postpone the broadcast — which is still set to take place at the United Palace in Washington Heights — until the strike is over. That option would look something like when the 2020 Tony Awards finally went on in Sept.

The nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards were announced this week and every actor who is nominated for their performance in a musical showed up for the Meet the Nominees event!

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Joel Grey and John Kander will receive special honors at this year’s Tony Awards, for lifetime achievements in theater. Kander, a composer and one half of the songwriting duo known as Kander and Ebb, wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including “Cabaret,” “Chicago,” both of which were turned into feature films. Grey is best known for originating the Master of Ceremonies in the musical “Cabaret” on Broadway and also portrayed the Wizard of Oz in the contemporary hit “Wicked.” “We are immensely thrilled to honor two legends in their own rights. John Kander has composed the soundtrack to all of our lives — meeting us in every decade — creating unforgettable scores for ‘Cabaret,’ ‘Chicago,’ ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman,’ and his current Broadway hit ‘New York, New York,’” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League.

British actress Jodie Comer has earned her first Tony Award nomination for Broadway debut Prima Facie.The Killing Eve star, 30, is nominated for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play for her role as Tessa in the one-person production by playwright Suzie Miller.The production, about a British defence lawyer who ends up in the witness box, secured four Tony Award nominations in total, including for best scenic design, best lighting design and best sound in a play. After receiving critical acclaim for her West End debut at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London, which included winning best actress at the 2023 Olivier Awards, Comer took the play to the John Golden Theatre on Broadway in April which will run until July.

Curtains up! The 76th annual Tony Awards are just around the corner and stars including Jessica Chastain, Jodie Comer and Josh Groban will be recognized for their work on Broadway during the ceremony.

announced, and Broadway’s corniest new musical picked up nine including Best Musical — tying “& Juliet” and “New York, New York” for the second-most nominated show of the year. What’s the musical, you’re wondering? “Shucked.” What’s it about? Ask any cast member or audience member alike and they’ll tell you the same thing.

Lena Waithe is now a first-time Tony nominee as one of the producers of  The production scored a total of six nods, tying it with  as the most-nominated new play, for the 76th annual Tony Awards. Following the announcement, which was revealed live by Lea Michele and Myles Frost on Tuesday, Waithe shared her excitement about the play's recognition. " is a monumental play and I was honored when Lee Daniels asked me to join the team," she said in an exclusive statement to ET. «I saw a reading of it years ago and I knew it deserved to be on Broadway.

like most of this season, looking smaller than usual.Ahead of the awards, held on June 11, the pre-show telecast has been banished by CBS to something called Pluto. The Tonys themselves are taking place about as far away from the Theater District as the planet Pluto — at the United Palace in Washington Heights.

Lea Michele and Myles Frost presented the nominees for the 76th annual Tony Awards live on before finishing the list from the heart of Broadway at the Sofitel New York. Recognizing the best in live theater, the Tony Awards cap off a strong year for Broadway, which bounced back during the 2022-2023 season with a number of acclaimed and groundbreaking productions. In total, there were 38 eligible shows, including 17 original plays and nine new musicals as well as six play revivals and six musical revivals.Earning the most of any production, came out on top, with a total of 13 nominations. The most nominated play, meanwhile, is, which garnered six.

Audra McDonald earned a historic 10th acting Tony Award nomination for her performance in. The latest nod ties her with Chita Rivera and Julie Harris as the most nominated individual performers ever in the 76-year history of the Broadway awards. McDonald was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her turn as writer and alum Suzanne Alexander, who recounts her traumatic experiences while attending OSU. Prior to the 76th annual Tony Awards, McDonald had garnered two previous nominations in the same category for in 2020 and in 2014. She has also been nominated in the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical category three times, for in 2012, in 2007 and in 2000. Her other acting nods include two for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, for in 2004 and in 1996.