Star of stage and screen Cynthia Erivo told Stephen Colbert that she is looking forward to being the host — and not a nominee — ahead of the 78th Tony Awards.
The “Wicked” star won a Tony nine years ago for her performance as Celie in the 2016 revival of “The Color Purple,” but she’ll take the stage for the first time as host this Sunday. She told Colbert on Thursday that waiting to see if you take home an award is actually more nerve-wracking than leading the night’s festivities.
“Your job is to make sure everyone has a good night, and you usher people through the evening,” Erivo said. “That is, for me, fun – hard work, but I really enjoy it.”
The “Late Show” host then asked Erivo who she’d like to see take home the season’s top Broadway prizes, and she answered congenially: “Everyone.” She has seen all of the eligible shows this season, though.
Broadway saw its highest grossing season this year earning $1.89 billion across all productions – marking a steady recovery post-pandemic. The grosses are up 23% from last season. This season’s star-studded productions were led by George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin and Audra McDonald, to name a few.
Colbert and Erivo also discussed her upcoming run at the Hollywood Bowl as the titular role in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” She is the first female to play the role on this large of a stage.
“It means a lot to me,” she shared. “It’s the first time I’ve been onstage in a long time, so to do it with this role is awesome.”
“Do you remember the first time I sat with you, and I sang to you?” the actress asked Colbert. “This is my return. That was amazing.”
