Ariana DeBose is returning to the Tony Awards stage to host the 76th annual ceremony recognizing the year’s best of Broadway.
The “West Side Story” Oscar winner returns to the hosting duties just one year after hosting the 75th annual awards in 2022.
“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!”
Announcing the upcoming hosting gig on Wednesday, 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 “unstoppable” and “the true definition of a triple-threat.”
“We are thrilled to welcome back one of Broadway’s brightest lights to dazzle, inspire and illuminate this year’s Tony Awards,” they said.
Jack Sussman, EVP of Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming at CBS said, “She’s baaaack! We could not be more excited for the sensational Ariana DeBose to return to the Tony Awards stage as our host for this year’s show. As we celebrate the best of Broadway at the United Palace, a venue with a rich and storied history, we know that Ariana will bring an unparalleled level of passion and energy to her hosting duties, making it an incredible night to remember.”
And nodding to DeBose’s viral musical number from hosting the BAFTA Awards earlier this year, Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, executive producers, White Cherry Entertainment, teased, “We’re so thrilled she’s back to do the thing.”
Weiss will also serve as director of this year’s ceremony, live from the historic United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights.
The 76th Annual Tony Awards are scheduled for Sunday, June 11, and will air live on CBS at 8 p.m.–11 p.m. Eastern. They will also stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
To this point, DeBose is best known for her Oscar-winning turn as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s remake of the classic musical “West Side Story.” She was nominated for a Tony in 2018 for playing mid-career Disco Donna in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” And she was also in the original Broadway cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” in 2015.