First-time Tony nominee Darren Criss and Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry are set to co-host The Tony Awards: Act One, a live pre-show celebrating the kickoff of Broadway’s biggest night, The Tony Awards.

The free-to-access broadcast will air on Pluto TV beginning Sunday, 8 June 2025 at 6:40 PM ET / 3:40 PM PT, featuring exclusive content and the first round of awards announcements.

Criss, currently nominated for his leading role in Maybe Happy Ending, and Goldsberry, best known for her Tony-winning turn as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, will usher audiences into the 78th Annual Tony Awards with the 80-minute special. Viewers can tune in to Act One via the “Live Music” channel on Pluto TV using any smart TV, streaming device, mobile app, or web browser.

Immediately following the pre-show, the main ceremony – hosted this year by triple-threat performer Cynthia Erivo – will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from Radio City Music Hall. The primetime event will run from 8:00–11:00 PM ET / 5:00–8:00 PM PT and will include performances, tributes, and the remaining awards presentations.

Spotlight on the Hosts

Darren Criss earned his first Tony nomination this season for Maybe Happy Ending, a futuristic musical set in Seoul where he stars as Oliver, a “HelperBot” navigating identity and love in a technologically complex world. His performance has also garnered nods from the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Awards. A Broadway regular, Criss has previously appeared in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Buffalo, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Outside of theatre, he rose to fame on Glee and won a Primetime Emmy for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

Renée Elise Goldsberry, meanwhile, brings her powerhouse stage and screen credentials to the role. In addition to her Tony-winning performance in Hamilton, she has starred in Broadway productions of Rent, The Lion King, and The Color Purple, and recently headlined the television comedy Girls5Eva. Goldsberry’s debut album, Who I Really Am, will be released just two days before the ceremony, on June 6.

Recap on the 2025 Tony Award Nominations

21 musicals and 21 plays were nominated for this year’s awards, with eligibility dates running from 26 April 2024 to 27 April 2025.

Three musicals, Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending, lead the nominations with 10 each.

Two British productions, Sunset Boulevard directed by Jamie Lloyd, and The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth, were each nominated for 7 nominations.

Other British shows to do well include Stranger Things: the First Shadow with 5 nominations, and hit London musical Operation Mincemeat, with 4 nods.

Full list of 2025 Tony Award nominations >

Behind the Scenes and How to Watch

The Tony Awards are produced by White Cherry Entertainment in partnership with the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Glenn Weiss returns as director, with Weiss and Ricky Kirshner serving as executive producers and showrunners. The 2025 event is supported by official partners including American Express, Carnegie Mellon University, Playbill, and Sofitel New York.

For viewers in the U.S., The Tony Awards: Act One is free and available on Pluto TV. The main ceremony will be available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers via live CBS feed, while Paramount+ Essential users will be able to stream the event on-demand starting the next day.

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Main photo: The Tony Awards: Act One (Image provided by PR)

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