Ariana DeBose to Return as Host of This Year’s Tony Awards Ceremony

Ariana DeBose will be heading back to the Tony Awards 

The 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress/singer will return as host of this year’s Tony Awards ceremony.

Ariana DeBoseDeBose, who earned a Tony nomination for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, hosted last year’s broadcast to general acclaim.

This year’s event, the 76th Annual Tony Awards, will air live from United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights on Sunday, June 11, on CBS.

“I was honored to serve as host last year and even more so to be asked back,” DeBose said in a statement. “So looking forward to celebrating this incredible season and the people who make the work happen. Here’s to adding some uptown flavor to the magic of the Tony Awards.”

Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League said in a joint statement that DeBose is a “force both on and off the stage,” and that the event presenters and producers are “thrilled to welcome back one of Broadway’s brightest lights to dazzle, inspire and illuminate this year’s Tony Awards.”

“Ariana will host and dance and sing, we’re so thrilled she’s back to do the thing,” said Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producers, White Cherry Entertainment.

DeBose won an Oscar last year for her performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, and was Tony-nominated in 2018 for her role as “Disco Donna” in Broadway’s Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Other stage credits include Hamilton, A Bronx Tale, Pippin and Motown the Musical, among others.

Notable television and film credits include the Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon! and the Netflix adaptation of the Broadway musical The Prom. She’ll next be seen in the feature films Kraven the Hunter, Wish, House of Spoils, Argylle and I.S.S.

The 76th Tonys celebration will recognize Broadway productions of the 2022-2023 season. The Tony Awards eligibility cut-off date for the season is Thursday, April 27; nominations will be announced on Tuesday, May 2.

The 76th Annual Tony Awards will air live Sunday, June 11, at 8:00 pm ET/ 5:00 pm PT on CBS, and stream live and in-demand on Paramount+.

Ariana DeBose to Star in Blumhouse Television & Prime Video’s Thriller “House of Spoils”

Ariana DeBose is embracing the spoils

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress will star in the Prime Video and Blumhouse Television psychological thriller House of Spoils, playing an ambitious chef who opens her first restaurant but has to contend with the powerful spirit of the estate’s previous owner who threatens to sabotage her at very turn.

Ariana DeBose,Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy are directing off their script based on their original idea.

Cameras will roll in the fall. 

The project reunites with Blumhouse with Amazon, which have made the collection of genre movies, Welcome to the Blumhouseand the recently wrapped slasher horror-comedy film Totally Killer, directed by Nahnathcka Khan starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, and Randall Park.

Prime will stream Blumhouse’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Nanny from first-time feature writer-director Nikyatu Jusu starting December 16.

DeBose took home an Oscar, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG Awards prize for her star-making role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story. In winning her Oscar, she became the first openly queer Afro Latina to win an Academy Award.

She is also starring in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter, which will be released on January 13, and Matthew Vaughn’s action film Argylle for Apple. She will also star in Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space thriller I.S.S

DeBose’s other credits include AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon! and Ryan Murphy’s Netflix adaptation of the hit-Broadway musical The Prom. She starred on Broadway as part of the original cast of Hamilton and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her a 2018 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Said Chris McCumber, president of Blumhouse Television: “We’re excited to see Ariana’s fresh, bold and spirited energy that won her an Oscar in a role that is completely different. And with the gifted filmmaking team of Bridget and Danielle, the talent in front of and behind the camera is exceptional.”

Ariana DeBose to Host This Year’s Tony Awards Show

Ariana DeBose has a date with Tony

The 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress, singer and Broadway star, who claimed her first Oscar in March for her performance in West Side Story, will host the 75th annual Tony Awards live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 12.

Ariana DeBose,DeBose was nominated for a Tony four years ago for playing “Disco Donna” in the acclaimed musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She received a nod for best featured actress in a musical.

“I’m coming home! I’m so honored to celebrate 75 years of excellence in theater, but more importantly every member of this community who poured themselves into making sure the lights of Broadway have the opportunity to shine brightly once again!” DeBose said in a statement.  “This is a dream come true, and I’m excited to see you all on June 12.”

“We are thrilled to have Ariana DeBose, who has captivated audiences with her inspirational roles on stage and in film and television, host this year’s Tony Awards,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music, live event and alternative programming, CBS. “After the last challenging two years there is no one better to bring the theater community together on this important night honoring the best of Broadway, and share the joys of live performing once again than this extraordinarily talented artist.”

The Tonys will air live coast-to-coast for the first time. The show is set to air on Sunday, June 12, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET, and from 5 to 8 p.m. PT on CBS. It will also stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

The celebration will commence from 7 to 8 p.m. ET/4 to 5 p.m. PT, with exclusive content streaming only on Paramount+. Hosts and further information on the Paramount+ presentation will be announced at a later date.

Tony winner Adrienne Warren and Tony nominee Joshua Henry will host the 75th Annual Tony Awards nominations on Monday, May 9, at 9:00 am ET on the Tony Awards official YouTube page. The Tony Awards eligibility cutoff date has been extended for the 2021-22 season to Wednesday, May 4, for all Broadway productions which meet all other eligibility requirements.

DeBose has worked extensively in the theater. In 2015, she appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the Tony-winning musical Hamilton as a member of the original cast in both the Broadway and off-Broadway productions, as well as the Emmy Award winning film version that was later released on Disney+.

After her departure from Hamilton in 2016, DeBose completed a run as Jane in the original Broadway cast of A Bronx Tale.  Other theater credits include: Leading Player in the Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin, Mary Wilson in Motown the Musical, Nautica in Bring It On: The Musical and ensemble in Stephen Sondheim’s Company.

She recently had a breakout role in Schmigadoon!, and received critical acclaim for her performance in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix adaptation of the hit Broadway musical The Prom. 

Next, DeBose will star in Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter, Argylle from Apple, and the space thriller ISS.

A limited number of tickets to the 75th Annual Tony Awards will be made available.  Tickets will be available at www.TonyAwards.com/tickets starting on Monday, May 9, at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Ariana DeBose to Appear on Season Finale of Brian Stokes Mitchell’s On Demand Streaming Talk Show “Crossovers Live!”

Ariana DeBose is preparing for a crossover

The 30-year-old half-Afro-Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer will be a guest on the season finale of Brian Stokes Mitchell’s on demand streaming talk show Crossovers Live!.

Ariana DeBose

DeBose will appear along side fellow Broadway star Audra McDonald.

Portions of ticket sales for the live show will benefit The Actors Fund.

The season holiday finale episode is set for Monday, December 20 at 8:00 pm ET.

A Stellar Original presentation in association with Atomic Focus EntertainmentCrossovers Live! was created and will be directed by Tom Wiggin, and is designed to showcase performers who have made the jump from stage to film, television or music.

Since the monthly series debuted last June, Crossovers Live!, hosted by Mitchell, has featured such guests as Vanessa Williams, Daniel J. Watts, Marc Shaiman, Megan Hilty, Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth and David Hyde Pierce.

Blending candid interviews, rare footage and various surprises, the series is livestreamed in New York City and also available on demand. Ticket info is available here, with a minimum of 10% of net proceeds benefiting The Actors Fund.

DeBose made her television debut competing on So You Think You Can Dance and her Broadway debut in the musical Bring It On. Other Broadway credits have included Motown: The Musical, the revival of PippinA Bronx Tale and as Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her a Tony Award nomination.

On film and television, she appeared in the filmed version of Hamilton, Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of Broadway musical The Prom, and most recently in Apple TV’s Schmigadoon!.

She’ll soon be seen on the big screen as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film adaptation of West Side Story.

Ariana DeBose to Star in the Space Thriller “ISS”

Ariana DeBose has landed an out of this world role…

The 30-year-old half-Afro-Puerto Rican actress/singer has been cast in ISS, the space thriller from LD Entertainment and director Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

Ariana DeBose

DeBose joins previously announced stars Chris Messina and Pilou Asbaek, as well as John Gallagher Jr., Costa Ronin, and Masha Mashkova.

Nick Shafir wrote the screenplay, which was featured in the recent 2020 Black List. The plot follows six astronauts living aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the actions they take after receiving distressing information from Earth that threatens their missions and their lives.

DeBose will play Kira Foster, a promising biological engineer and the newest arrival of six astronauts aboard the ISS.

Production is set to begin this month in Wilmington, NC.,

DeBose was most recently seen in Ryan Murphy’s all-star Netflix musicalThe Prom,

She also earned a Tony Award nomination in 2018 for her portrayal of Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and was part of the Off Broadway cast of Hamilton.

Up next, she can be seen in the role of Anita for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake.

Netflix Releases Trailer for Ariana DeBose’s Musical “The Prom”

Ariana DeBose is heading to prom

Netflix has released the first trailer for Ryan Murphy’s musical The Prom, starring the 29-year-old half-Afro-Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer.

Ariana DeBose in The Prom

The plot centers on four Broadwayactors who’ve seen better days who come up with a publicity opportunity to reignite their careers by flying to a small town in Indiana to help a lesbian student banned from bringing her girlfriend to the prom.

The adaptation of the Tony Award-nominated stage musical has a screenplay from original playwrights Chad Beguelinand Bob Martin.

In addition to DeBose, who competed on So You Think You Can Dance, the all-star cast includes Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Jo Ellen Pellman, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Chamberlin, Mary Kay Place, Nico Greetham, Logan Riley, Nathaniel J. Potvin, Sofia Deler, and Kerry Washington.

The film will launch on the streaming service on December 11.

Netflix Releases New Photos of Ariana DeBose’s Musical Film “The Prom”

Ariana DeBose is heading to the big dance

Netflix has released new photos for the film adaptation of the Tony Award-nominated musical The Prom, starring the 29-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican actress and Broadway star.

Ariana DeBose in The Prom

The film, directed by Ryan Murphy, will arrive on Netflix on December 11.

It stars Meryl Streep as Dee Dee Allen, Nicole Kidman as Angie Dickinson, James Corden as Barry Glickman, Andrew Rannells as Trent Oliver, DeBose as Alyssa Greene, Keegan-Michael Key as Mr. Hawkins, Kerry Washington as Mrs. Greene, Kevin Chamberlin as Sheldon Saperstein, and newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman as Emma Nolan.

Featuring a book by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin and a score by Beguelin and Matthew Sklar, the musical tells the story of an Indiana high schooler barred from bringing her girlfriend to the prom—and the group of eccentric Broadway folk who infiltrate the town in an earnest, misguided attempt to fight the injustice.

The Prom opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on November 15, 2018. The musical played 23 preview and 309 performances before closing August 11, 2019, earning seven Tony Award nominations.

The production, directed and choreographed by Tony winner Casey Nicholaw, starred Tony winner Beth Leavel, Tony nominees Christopher Sieber and Brooks AshmanskasCaitlin Kinnunen, Isabelle McCallaAngie Schworer, Micahel PottsJosh Lamon, and Courtenay Collins.

DeBose’s theater credits include Bring It On, Motown: The Musical, Pippin and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

Santino Fontana Earns Tony Awards Nomination for “Tootsie”

Santino Fontanais back in the running…

The 2019 Tony Award nominations have been announced, with the 27-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer earning recognition.

Santino Fontana

Fontana, previously nominated in 2013 for his starring role as Prince Topher in the Broadwaymusical Cinderella, is nominated in the Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for his work in Tootsie.

Fontana portrays Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film of the same name, which starred Dustin Hoffman as the lead character.

Eva Noblezadais now a two-time Tony Award nominee…

The half-Mexican American actress/singer, who received a Tony nomination in 2017 for starring in the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon, is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for portrayingEurydice in Hadestown.

Prior to appearing on Broadway in Hadestown, Noblezada opened in the lead role of Eurydice in the Royal National Theatre‘s production of the musical on the West End.

Sergio Trujillowill be crossing his fingers on Broadway’s biggest night.

The internationally recognized Colombian choreographer is nominated in the Best Choreography category for his work in Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations.

Trujillo previously earned a Tony Award nod in the same category for his work on the Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan musical On Your Feet! 

Hadestowntopped all nominees with nods in 14 categories including best musical, where it will go up against Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the TemptationsBeetlejuiceThe Promand Tootsie.

This year’s Tony Awards will air at 8:00 p.m. on CBS on June 9 from Radio City Music Hall, with James Cordenserving as host.

Here’s the full list of nominations:

Best Play
The Ferryman
Choir Boy
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
What the Constitution Means to Me
Ink

Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play 
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play 
Annette Benning, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney + Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Rogers + Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Harold Wheeler, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill + Peter Nigrini, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Rogers + Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations
Drew Levy, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg + Jessica Paz, Hadestown

Best Original Score
Be More Chill,music & lyrics by Joe Iconis

Beetlejuice, music & lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Hadestown, music & lyrics Anais Mitchell
The Prom, music by Matthew Sklar & lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, music & lyrics by David Yazbek 

Best Book of a Musical
Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations, Dominique Morisseau
Beetlejuice, Scott Brown & Anthony King
Hadestown, Anais Mitchell
The Prom, Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, Robert Horn

Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Scene Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network

Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird

Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld + Tal Yarden, Network