Ariana DeBose to Perform a Medley for the Tony Awards Opening Number

Ariana DeBose will perform a medley for the Tony Awards tonight, Sunday, June 11 at 8pm EST on CBS.

While the ceremony is set to be unscripted, the opening number will be courtesy of Macy Schmidt and Benjamin Rauhala, who will arrange and orchestrate a medley of pre-existing Broadway hits for the host to perform.

Schmidt revealed the news on her Instagram, stating "Ever since the 2013 ceremony, I’ve dreamed of getting to add my own musical stamp to the lineage of Tony Awards Opening Number legacies. And while this year came with, let’s just say, more than a few guardrails, I’m deeply proud of the storytelling you’ll see on that stage Sunday night. (more on that later, but for now, no spoilers!!!). You all aren’t ready for what Ariana DeBose is about to serve up — she truly is not only a triple threat, but a creative visionary too, and her genius is all over this thing."

 Read the full post below!

Macy Schmidt is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Orchestrator, Music Director, & Producer based in New York City. A first-generation Egyptian-American who recently became the first woman of color orchestrator in Broadway history, Macy Schmidt is an honoree of the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 List in Music (alongside talents such as Olivia Rodrigo & Willow Smith) for her work as the Founder/CEO and Music Supervisor of The Broadway Sinfonietta, the acclaimed all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra. With an impressive resumé of high-profile international engagements spanning the globe — from Music Supervising entertainment pieces for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, to projects in the UK, the Middle East, and India — Macy has quickly risen to the top of her field as an artist, a businesswoman, and an advocate for women in entertainment. A Sony Music recording artist, her unique potpourri of creative entrepreneurship and esteemed musical reputation has also led her executive producing for TV/Media, creative music direction for pop & Broadway stars, speaking engagements, and more.

Benjamin Rauhala is one of the Broadway community's most trusted music directors and collaborators, known best for his arrangements and concerts with Jeremy Jordan, the Tony-nominated star of Broadway's Newsies, and as the co-creator and ‘Fairy Godfairy’ of the Broadway Princess Party concert series starring Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Courtney Reed, and Aisha Jackson. He has created and shaped concerts with many of his generation's brightest stars, including Tony Award nominees Ariana DeBose, Taylor Louderman, Jennifer Damiano, and multi-hyphenates Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, Derek Klena, Kyle Dean Massey, Corey Cott, Casey Cott, and many more. He was also named 'Best Musical Director' by the 2020 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Awards

The 76th Annual Tony Awards® will feature showstopping performances from the casts of Tony Award nominated best musicals and revivals, including Camelot, Into The Woods, & Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo, New York, New York, Parade, Shucked, Some Like It Hot and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

In addition, the show will feature performances from Joaquina Kalukango, the winner of the 2022 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, the cast of A Beautiful Noise, the cast of Funny Girl, and a special performance for the Tony Award for the 2023 Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre recipients, Joel Grey and John Kander.

“CBS has been home to the Tony Awards for more than 40 years,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president of specials, music, live events and alternative programming at CBS. “We are proud to once again celebrate the best of theater this season, and continue our support for Broadway, the broader theater community and all the incredible artistic talents both on stage and behind the scenes who bring the shows to life.”

“This year’s Tony Award nominees are a reflection of a tremendous year of Broadway,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “The show will feature performances by Broadway’s brightest lights - from breakthrough performers to industry icons - in recognition of the momentous productions wowing audiences worldwide.”

The 76th Annual Tony Awards, with Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose, will air live from the historic United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights, Sunday, June 11 from 8:00- 11:00 PM, LIVE ET/5:00-8:00 PM, LIVE PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+.

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