mamaleh said: "The perfect host: Hugh Jackman--if he's not off filming a movie.
"
Seriously? I love Hugh but he was so boring last time he hosted.
"James Corden works in la. He can't really take a month off from his show for a one time gig."
Who says he has to take a month? He writes the gig in LA, comes to New York for a weekend and flies home the next day. It's happened before and I'm sure it could happen again. The most I could see is him missing a few of his shows.
God, please, no Jane Lynch. I shudder at the thought.
I've said it before, I will continue to say it: Idina would be a great Tonys host. Watch footage from her world tour this past summer-- she's hilarious and absolutely knows how to entertain and reign in a crowd.
TFMH18 said: "I've said it before, I will continue to say it: Idina would be a great Tonys host. Watch footage from her world tour this past summer-- she's hilarious and absolutely knows how to entertain and reign in a crowd. "
She has great stage patter, but much of it can be off-the-cuff, rated R, and only works when she's at the center of it; I don't mean that necessarily in an egotistical way, just that her style probably wouldn't work at an awards ceremony about other shows and people, especially if an award recipient doesn't feed off the same kind of humor. And Menzel doesn't seem to do well in live-televised appearances, to be honest.
Stephen Colbert-He has a talk show on CBS, plus he's an avid supporter of Broadway.
James Corden-He also has a talk show on CBS, plus he's a recent Tony winner.
Steve Martin-He's got a musical coming to Broadway soon, plus he's proven to be a pretty successful Oscar host."
Here's two more suggestions I've thought of:
Wayne Brady-He's on Broadway right now in Kinky Boots, plus he's the host of Let's Make a Deal on CBS.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson-He's gonna be back on Broadway this spring in Fully Committed, though the only conflict would be that he's on a TV show from a competing network.
James Corden, Steve Martin, Wayne Brady, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Stephen Colbert are great choices. A lot of the people otherwise being named in this thread are just famous people who are on Broadway this season. I would think CBS would get Gloria Estefan, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Groff, etc. to be on the show in some form.
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
What about Jim Parsons? He's done several plays on Broadway, is good with comedy and is a "name" due to the success of The Big Bang Theory. Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Wayne Brady are good choices though too.
Anyone who saw that singing competition he hosted (Rising Star?) would not suggest Josh Groban. I like Corden because he has the experience and from his talk show, he clearly loves theatre and music and it seems like he'd be up for all the skits.
Wayne Brady and Stephen Colbert would be good safe choices. I think they'd guide the show along fine but they wouldn't attract too much attention to themselves. Many hosts would be fine. It's just difficult to re-calibrate your expectations after NPH and Jackman.
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Laura Benanti is on CBS's Supergirl these days, and I think the show is doing pretty well, so if the odd were ever in her favor, this year might be the time? She's done a great job hosting the Drama Desk the last 2 years. Plus she will be on Broadway this spring in She Loves Me, and hopefully get a nom, so it just seems like good timing to me, if her schedule would allow it.
They could pair her with a bit of a bigger TV personality perhaps, because despite Supergirl Laura isn't very well known outside of NY. Or maybe even Josh Groban (He could still do it next year though)
Also, depending on how well Grease Live does, they might want to use someone from that?
I won't be surprised if it's Jesse Tyler Ferguson. He's a Broadway boy who's become a TV star, and he'll be back on Broadway in the spring in a one-man show that I BELIEVE will be considered a play rather than a special event, making him eligible for award nominations.
Idina Menzel and Lea Michelle should co-host. They could play the mother daughter part a bit and parody playing each other's characters. And just think of a duet here or there.