It takes a lot of women power to pull off a trailblazing Tony Award opening performance, as America saw last week with the astounding performance of “Leading Lady Marmalade” at the 2026 annual Tony Awards. The host of this year’s award ceremony, P!NK, was joined by 170 performers to pay tribute to the singer’s 2001 hit “Lady Marmalade” and to the performers of the Broadway season.
I was eager to see how Grammy award winning singer P!NK (born Alecia Beth Moore) would be opening the 79th Tony Awards this year, especially to witness how the pop singer would pay tribute to the theater world in her classic P!NK style, while still recognizing the performers that were being celebrated that night.
Previous Tony Awards host include Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo, who began the ceremony last year with opening number “Sometimes All You Need Is A Song” in 2025, which captivated audiences. Before that, Broadway actress Ariana Debose, known for her roles on hit productions such as Hamilton and West Side Story, hosted the ceremony three years in a row, launching the night with striking performances for each show.
This would be the first time in Tony history that a pop star would be hosting the award ceremony, providing an opportunity to bring in non-theater audience to the celebration of Broadway’s biggest night.
“I just want to show how much I love theater, even though I’ve never been on Broadway,” P!NK said as she began the number. This would be the first time in Tony history that a pop star would be hosting the award ceremony, providing an opportunity to bring in non-theater audience to the celebration of Broadway’s biggest night.
The performance began with P!NK suspended from the rafters of Radio City Music Hall singing “I’m Flying” from the musical Peter Pan, accompanied by Neil Patrick Harris (a frequent Tony Awards host). After a stunning rendering and tribute to the former host with the iconic riff from “Defying Gravity,” I eagerly anticipated what more P!NK had in store for honoring the leading ladies of live theater.
P!NK was very involved with constructing the opening number “Leading Lady Marmalade”; some inspiration for the piece being taken from the singer’s young daughter, according to the creators of the opening number Benji Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick. “She wanted to do something that was poking fun at herself right away,” Pasek said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “She actually sent us a voice memo, where she was like, ‘Hey, Willow [P!NK’s daughter] has a really funny idea. What if I actually sing the Elphaba riff somewhere’ And we were like, ‘OK, great.’”
Having been influenced by Neils’ 2013 Tony Awards opening performance, the composers of “Leading Lady Marmalade” worked with director and theater choreographer Sarah O’Gleby, who previously produced and choreographed the number “Bigger!” with Neil. “[Sarah… helped bring [the] entire number to life…,” Pasek said to The Hollywood Reporter. “She was so helpful in having the vision that every show would be represented.”
And really, every show that was nominated was represented.
Shoshana Bean, who shared a moment with P!NK on stage during the opening number, won her first Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a featured role in a musical for her performance in The Lost Boys (the critically acclaimed musical adaptation of the 1987 of the cult classic by the same name) which had 12 nominations this season. Ann Harada also took the stage representing her role as Florence Menlove in Schmigadoon!, winner of this year’s Tony for Best New Musical.
P!NK and the ensemble didn’t shy away from representing all leading ladies of showbiz this season. The show-stopping opening number not only celebrated the leading women of contemporary productions that were nominated, such as Titanique, or Two Strangers: Carry A Cake Across New York, but also, Broadway legends of former productions.
Lea Michelle, who is currently on Broadway’s revival of Chess as Florence Vassay, and media personality and Chicago actress Whitney Leavitt are two performers who have made their way from primetime television to Manhattan’s Theater District. Lea, coming from the renowned jukebox musical comedy-drama television show Glee as Rachel Berry, and Whitney Leavitt as herself on the hit reality television series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Both Lea and Whitney were featured in the opening number, alongside the theater legend June Squibb who made her debut in the original Broadway production of Gypsy in 1959. June has returned to the Broadway stage nearly 66 years later in the 2025-2026 revival of Marjorie Prime, in which she received her first-ever Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. “We were like… this woman has musical experience,” Justin said, adding “…and it came back that she was totally game, and she slayed it!”
Other appearances came from rapper and Moulin Rouge! performer Meghan Thee Stallion, alongside an ensemble of performers from hit musical revival The Rocky Horror Show and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, two of the biggest Broadway sensations this season.
Celebrating live theater has never been more significant…
Celebrating live theater has never been more significant, and that is clear with the contributions from shows highlight LGBTQ+ performers. The Jellicle Ball actress and ballroom dancer, Leiomy Maldonado, was joined by trans media personality and former Six performer, Dylan Mulvaney, hand in hand chanting “Hey sisters, all sisters. Protect the dolls, sisters!”, which was one of the highlights of the performance for me, as I have followed both stars on their journey to Broadway as openly trans women, reshaping history in the theater world.
P!NK’s opening number was history making, and full of iconic moments from performers who make The Great White Way shine, reminding viewers of the impact that live theater has on popular culture.
“June Squibb says yes, and then Lea says yes, and then Megan Thee Stallion is entering during a Ragtime section,” said Sonnenblick. “That love for the community came through from everybody, and we were just grateful.”
© Brianna Savage (6/10/26) — Special for FF2 Media ®
LEARN MORE / DO MORE
Experience P!NK’s 2026 Tony Award opening number.
Watch P!NK’s preview hosting Tony Award.
Read The Hollywood Reporter interview with ‘Leading Lady Marmalade’ creators.
CREDITS & PERMISSIONS
Top Photo: P!NK attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 07, 2026 in New York City. Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE Credit: Imagespace/Alamy Live News. Alamy 3EN43KY.
Middle Photo: P!NK attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 07, 2026 in New York City. Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE/Sipa USA Credit: Sipa USA/Alamy Live News. Alamy 3EMWYBE.
Bottom Photo: P!NK attends the Tony Awards at Radio City Hall in New York, NY on June 7, 2026 with her husband, Carey Hart, daughter, Willow, son, Jameson, and mother, Judith Moore. Photo by Charles Guerin/ABACAPRESS.COM Credit: Abaca Press/Alamy Live News. Alamy 3EMNBHF.
