First-time Tony Award nominee Darren Criss and Tony and GRAMMY Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry will host THE TONY AWARDS: ACT ONE, a live pre-show with exclusive content that is available to viewers for free on Pluto TV – the leading free streaming television service – beginning Sunday, June 8 at 6:40-8:00 PM, ET / 3:40-5:00 PM, PT. Criss earned his first Tony Award nomination this year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical for his performance in Maybe Happy Ending, and Goldsberry, who won a Tony Award for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, and next releases her debut album Who I Really Am this June, will kick off Broadway’s biggest night with the presentation of the first round of Tony Awards during the exciting pre-show telecast.

Viewers can access THE TONY AWARDS: ACT ONE on their smart TV, streaming device, mobile app or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the “Live Music” channel, found within the Entertainment category on the service – free and easy.

Immediately following ACT ONE, the 78th Annual Tony Awards will broadcast LIVE to both coasts from 8:00 - 11:00 PM ET / 5:00 - 8:00 PM PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.*  This year’s show, hosted by Tony, Emmy, and GRAMMY Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, will return to the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Multi-hyphenate actor and musician Darren Criss currently stars as Oliver in the critically acclaimed original Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending. For his performance, he earned his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, as well as a nomination for Best Musical as a co-producer. His portrayal has also earned him individual nominations from the Drama Desk Awards, Drama League Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle. Set in Seoul, Korea, Maybe Happy Ending is a futuristic musical about a “HelperBot” named Oliver who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, love, and purpose in a world where technology and humanity collide. The production was named one of the “Best Theatre of 2024” by numerous outlets, including The New York Times, and has already received top accolades for Best Musical from the Drama League Awards, New York Drama Critics' Circle, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Criss’s additional Broadway credits include American Buffalo opposite Sam Rockwell and Laurence Fishburne (2022), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2015), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2012), and the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors (2024). He first rose to fame as one of television’s most memorable characters, Blaine Anderson, on Fox’s hit show Glee. His portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s limited series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story earned him a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Critics’ Choice Award. He is also the founder of the annual Broadway-inspired music festival Elsie Fest and a founding original member of the viral musical comedy troupe StarKid Productions. On the music front, he released a solo EP in 2021 titled Masquerade (BMG), along with a full-length holiday album that same year, aptly titled A Very Darren Crissmas (Decca).

Tony and Grammy Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry is a multi-hyphenate actress and singer, whose performance as Angelica Schuyler in the groundbreaking musical Hamilton won her Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, and Lucille Lortel Awards, as well as an Emmy Award nomination for the Disney+ filmed version. For television, she most recently starred for three seasons on the critically-acclaimed comedy series Girls5Eva, earning multiple Critics Choice and Television Critics Association Award nominations for her breakthrough performance as Wickie Roy. Her extensive film and television credits include Waves, She-Hulk, Altered Carbon, The Good Wife, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Ally McBeal, Albany Road, and her two-time Emmy-nominated performance on One Live to Live. A theater mainstay, she has starred on Broadway in iconic musicals such as The Color Purple, Rent, and The Lion King, and the acclaimed plays Good People and All In: Comedy About Love. She received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from her alma mater Carnegie Mellon in 2024. Her debut album, Who I Really Am, will be released on June 6th and available on all streaming platforms.

The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director.

About the Tony Awards

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.  At The Broadway League, Kristin Caskey is Chair and Jason Laks is President.  At the American Theatre Wing, Emilio Sosa is Chair and Heather A. Hitchens is President & CEO.

Sponsors for the American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards include: City National Bank - the official bank of The Tony Awards; American Express - the official payments partner of The Tony Awards; Carnegie Mellon University - the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner; Baccarat - the official partner of the Tony Awards; Cunard - the official cruise partner of The Tony Awards; Dewar's - the official scotch whisky of The Tony Awards; Rockefeller Center - the official home of the Tony Awards red carpet and events; Sofitel New York - the official hotel of The Tony Awards; Playbill; Rainbow Room - the official partner of the Tony Nominee Luncheon; TIRTIR - the official beauty partner of the Tony Awards; and and Pure Leaf - the official iced tea of the Tony Awards.

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About Pluto TV

Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, is the leading free streaming television service delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand to a global audience. The Emmy ® award-winning service curates a diverse lineup of channels, in partnership with over 400 international media companies, offering a wide array of genres, languages and categories featuring movies, television series, sports, news, lifestyle, kids and much more. Pluto TV can be easily accessed and streamed across mobile, web and connected TV devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV’s growing international footprint extends across four continents and over 35 markets.

*Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.