This year’s Tony Award telecast will be last year’s Kennedy Center Honors … sort of.
And that could satisfy people who want high-class celebrations of the performing arts.
CBS has set the Kennedy Center show for 8-10 p.m. June 6. Gloria Estefan will host and the honorees will range from violinist Midori, 49, to actor Dick Van Dyke, 95; others are country’s Garth Brooks (shown here), 59; folk’s Joan Baez, 80; and actress-dancer Debbie Allen, 71.
The network usually has two prestigious shows a year – Broadway’s Tonys in June and the Kennedy Center Honors in December. Last year, COVID shut down both of them.
The Tony people finally announced their nominees (led by “Jagged Little Pill,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Slave Play” and “Tina”) in October and had the voting in March – about a year after Broadway closed. But the actual ceremony remains in limbo; it will be timed to the return of Broadway shows.
That left the June 6 date available for the Kennedy Center Honors, running six months later than usual.
The show keeps honorees in the audience, while others perform their music and other tributes.
This time, the performances will be taped in various spots on the center’s campus, beginning May 17.