CBS and Tony Awards Plan ‘Broadway’s Back!’ Special to Air in September
Live theater is returning to Broadway this fall and to celebrate CBS and Tony Award Productions are teaming up for a special multiplatform event, The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!
The festivities kick off on Sunday, September 26, with the presentation of the American Theatre Wing’s 74th Annual Tony Awards at 7:00 PM, ET/4:00 PM, PT live exclusively on Paramount+. The event will honor the best shows and performances of the 2019-2020 Broadway season, which was shut down last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the awards ceremony, the Broadway’s Back! special will premiere on CBS (as well as Paramount+ and the CBS app), bringing viewers the excitement of Broadway through a live concert. The event will feature performances from superstar Broadway entertainers and Tony Award winners, reuniting on stage for renditions of beloved classics, all in the aide of celebrating the magic of live theater.
The show will also include special performances by the three Tony-nominated Best Musical contenders (Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and Tina — The Tina Turner Musical). This will be followed by the live presentation of three Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Revival of a Play, and Best Musical. Other winners will be celebrated throughout the broadcast.
“We are thrilled to bring the best of Broadway to television viewers who have been through so much without the joys, comfort and excitement that live theatre provides,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming, CBS Entertainment.
Sussman continued: “With the combined power of CBS and Paramount+, the show will honor this year’s Tony Award nominees and winners in a new format unlike any other, and celebrate the iconic music, memorable performances and unique personalities that make Broadway so special.”
“After this devastating past year and a half for our industry, our city and for the entire world, we are excited to finally be able to celebrate the return of Broadway, our Tony Award nominees and winners in this new and exciting format,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing.
Marting added: “There is nothing that compares to the magic of live theater—and we are thrilled to be able to share its celebratory return and the incredible talent and artistry of the abbreviated 2019-2020 season with theatre fans everywhere.”
