Stephen Colbert's Greatest Musical Moments: A Look Back at 11 Years of Broadway on THE LATE SHOW
Take a look at our favorite Broadway performances and musical theater-themed moments from the past eleven years.
On Thursday, May 21, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will shut off the lights at the Ed Sullivan Theater for the last time. The CBS talk show has given a lot of love to Broadway over the years, as did its predecessor, Late Show with David Letterman. Both shows often dedicated segments and performance slots to guests straight from The Great White Way.
An American in Paris, the stage adaptation of the classic film, became the first Broadway performance on Colbert's iteration of the late-night show during its first month in 2015. This set the stage for many more star-studded performances, featuring some of the newest and best of what musical theater had to offer at any given moment.
For eleven seasons, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert spotlighted performances from Tony winners and the first-rate cast members from some of Broadway's brightest new productions, including The Color Purple, Dear Evan Hansen, and Moulin Rouge! as well as the hit revivals of Merrily We Roll Along, Sunset Boulevard, and Ragtime.
In between these proper performances, Colbert also frequently referenced the current theatrical moment with original musical numbers and segments featuring Broadway talent like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Groff.
Ahead of the final episode, we are looking back at some of our favorite Broadway performances and musical theater-themed moments from over the past ten years, presented in chronological order. Take a look below to relive some of these memorable television moments.
Andrew Lloyd Webber Plays His Hits (November 19, 2015)
In an episode early in its first season, Colbert welcomed Andrew Lloyd Webber to the show. During the visit, the legendary composer played a series of well-known selections from his repertoire, including Any Dream Will Do, Heaven on Their Minds, and Don't Cry for Me Argentina, with Colbert happy to sing along.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Colbert Unveil Hamilton Parody (December 11, 2015)
During its first year on Broadway, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda teamed up with Colbert to illuminate an often overlooked founding father, Button Gwinnett. Watch as Miranda, playing John Adams here, presents a musical number from their fictional musical "Button!," written in the style of Hamilton.
Stephen Sings Fiddler on the Roof with Broadway Cast (March 2, 2016)
In a hilarious segment, Colbert helps grant the "last wish" of a young boy who was eager to see the revival of Fiddler on the Roof, then playing next door at the Broadway Theatre. After Colbert forgets the lyrics after singing a few solo bars from "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," the actual Broadway cast joins in on the fun.
Rachel Bloom Teaches Colbert About Musicals (March 29, 2016)
During the first season of Rachel Bloom's musical series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the creator and star joined Colbert for a lesson on the conventions of the musical form and how they can be broken. Together, they demonstrate that any moment can turn into a show-stopping musical number.
Cynthia Erivo Sings "I'm Here" from The Color Purple (May 23, 2016)
Years before her onscreen turn as Elphaba in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo rose to prominence with her acclaimed role as Celie in The Color Purple. Having first performed the role in London, the show marked Erivo's Broadway debut, and she showed off her Act 2 number, "I'm Here" on The Late Show. She went on to win a Tony Award for her performance.
Hamilton/Trump Feud Musical (November 21, 2016)
Another major Hamilton-themed Late Night moment came during the show's cold open in 2016. Following a weekend of a public feud between President-elect Donald Trump and the cast of Hamilton, Stephen Colbert responded with his own hip-hop musical that served as a way to preserve 2016-era history for future audiences.
Ben Platt Performs Dear Evan Hansen (May 22, 2017)
Only a month before winning a Tony Award for his performance, Ben Platt visited The Late Show to perform "For Forever," from the 2017 Broadway hit, Dear Evan Hansen. The Pasek and Paul musical won six Tonys that season, including Best Musical.
Broadway Stars Reimagine TV Shows as Musicals
In what would become a recurring segment during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Colbert recruited several Broadway stars to perform musicalized versions of their onscreen television work. The series kicks off with future Tony-winner Jonathan Groff reimagining his psychological thriller series Mindhunter as a Broadway musical. Later guests included Christopher Jackson, Christine Baranski, and Alan Cumming.
"Tony Awards The Musical" Starring Sara Bareilles & Josh Groban (June 6, 2018)
Ahead of their gig co-hosting the 72nd Tony Awards, Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban (with help from Colbert) performed a musical number about the ceremony itself, spotlighting a few of the nominated productions while also poking fun at some of the trends of the season.
The Cast of The Prom Performs "Unruly Heart" (May 20, 2019)
Ahead of the 73rd Tony Awards, Caitlin Kinnunen led the cast of The Prom in a performance of the musical number "Unruly Heart." The musical was nominated for seven awards that season, including Best Musical. Hadestown ultimately took home the award.
Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivo Lead Moulin Rouge! Performance (November 15, 2019)
Original Moulin Rouge! The Musical cast members Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivo visited The Late Show four months into the run of the hit show to perform "Your Song," alongside the show's cast. Both stars were later nominated for Tonys, with Tveit taking home the award.
Adrienne Warren Performs from the Tina Turner Musical (January 13, 2020)
In what would be the final Broadway performance before the COVID-19 shutdown, Adrienne Warren took the stage to lead a performance of "River Deep Mountain High" from Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Warren would later win a Tony Award for her portrayal of the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll.
Stephen Sondheim's Final TV Interview (September 15, 2021)
In September of 2021, legendary songwriter Stephen Sondheim visited the show, coinciding with the reopening of Broadway, which had been closed since March of 2020. During his appearance, he spoke about the gender-swapped production of Company, the new film version of West Side Story, and surprised viewers with the announcement of his new musical "Square One," which was later titled "Here We Are." This would end up being the final TV interview from the composer/lyricist, who passed away shortly after.
Patti LuPone Performs "The Ladies Who Lunch" from Company (May 23, 2022)
Broadway legend Patti LuPone joined the show to promote the gender-swapped revival of Company, in which she starred as Joanne. Obligatory vodka stinger in hand, LuPone sat directly across from Colbert, serenading the host with her performance of her eleven o'clock number, "The Ladies Who Lunch." The following month, LuPone would win her third Tony Award.
The Lion King Cast Performs "Circle of Life" (November 7, 2022)
In what is a surprising statistic, the cast of Broadway's long-running production of The Lion King marked the first-ever late-night television performance of the opening number, "Circle of Life," during an appearance in 2022.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and John Kander Talk New York, New York; Cast Performs (April 4, 2023)
Two major figures from the Musical Theater Universe joined Colbert in 2023 to promote New York, New York. The short-lived musical featured songs by John Kander, with some new lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The songwriters spoke about their writing process on the show before the cast took the stage to perform "But the World Goes 'Round," featuring Anna Uzele.
Alex Newell Performs from Shucked (October 31, 2023)
A few months after winning Best Featured Performance in a Musical at the 2023 Tony Awards, powerhouse performer Alex Newell took the stage to perform their showstopping Shucked musical number, "Independently Owned."
Merrily We Roll Along Stars Perform "Old Friends" (May 20, 2024)
In what has become one of the most-watched Late Show performances of the last few years (the YouTube video currently has over a million views), Merrily We Roll Along stars Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe performed "Old Friends" from the hit Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical. Groff and Radcliffe both took home Tony Awards for their performances, with Mendez also receiving a nomination.
Nicole Scherzinger Performs 'As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Blvd (January 27, 2025)
Nicole Scherzinger wowed The Late Show audience in early 2025 with her iconic performance "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard. The reimagined revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical was a hit on Broadway following its acclaimed run on the West End. Scherzinger won both Olivier and Tony Awards for her turn as Norma Desmond.
Joshua Henry and Nichelle Lewis Lead "Wheels of a Dream" Performance from Ragtime (September 29, 2025)
While still in previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in 2025, Ragtime stars Joshua Henry and Nichelle Lewis visited The Late Show for a special performance of the fan-favorite musical number "Wheels of the Dream." With 11 nominations, Ragtime is currently the highest-nominated musical revival of the season, receiving a nomination for Best Revival, in addition to performance nods for Henry and Lewis.
Broadway Stars Celebrate Sondheim with "Putting It Together" (May 13, 2026)
In what is likely to be the last musical theater showcase on the show, Broadway's Annaleigh Ashford, Christopher Jackson, Bernadette Peters, Ben Platt and Patrick Wilson all recently gathered on the show to celebrate Stephen Sondheim. The five stars performed "Putting It Together" from "Sunday in the Park with George."
Featuring performers who all had a personal connection to Sondheim himself, the performance served as a fitting tribute to the composer, long admired by Colbert, and a conclusion to The Late Show itself.
Photo Credit: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS
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