From soaring ballads to jaw-dropping showstoppers, the Tony Awards have delivered some of Broadway’s most unforgettable moments, where live performance and pure magic collide on one stage.
The annual celebration of Broadway’s best airs each year, spotlighting the performances that define a season on stage. It’s a night where standout moments, surprise wins, and pure theatrical energy come together in one live broadcast.
Parade Magazine is highlighting some of these unforgettable performances by revisiting some of the most electrifying moments ever to hit the Tony Awards stage. From showstopping numbers to career-defining turns, these are the performances that continue to capture Broadway at its very best.
In no particular order, here are five Tony Award performances that left viewers speechless.
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Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked, inspired by Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, arrived on Broadway in 2004 as a bold reimagining of the world behind The Wizard of Oz. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth's performances as Elphaba and Glinda anchored the show’s soaring Act I finale "Defying Gravity" with explosive energy and emotion, creating one of the most unforgettable moments in Tony Awards history.
"Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening (2007)
The musical Spring Awakening would take home eight Tony Awards in 2007. It introduced Broadway audiences to the talents of Lea Michele (Wendla Bergmann), Jonathan Groff (Melchior Gabor), and John Gallagher Jr. (Moritz Stiefel). The company's performance of a medley of the musical's greatest hits had an urgency unlike anything else on Broadway. The show's intensity produced a charged musical moment that stuck with audiences and a raw, urgent energy that made the performance feel completely alive.
The 2008 unforgettable Tony Award musical number "96,000" from In The Heights was led by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Usnavi), along with Christopher Jackson (Benny), Robin de Jesús (Sonny), Karen Olivo (Vanessa), Andrea Burns (Daniela), and Janet Dacal (Carla). The song mixed salsa, hip-hop, and classic Broadway style as the cast daydreamed about what they’d do if their corner bodega sold a winning $96,000 lottery ticket.
Jackson and Miranda would go on to create magic once again with Hamilton, who stole the Tony Awards show in 2016 with a performance of the songs "History Has Its Eyes on You” and “Yorktown.”
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" Dreamgirls 1982
Jennifer Holliday's performance as Effie White of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is widely considered the most electrifying vocal performance in Tony Awards history. The result was an unforgettable, standing-ovation-inducing moment. Holliday’s delivery builds with such force that it feels like viewers were watching her character's emotional breakdown set to music. By the time she reached the song’s final refrain, the moment cemented its place in Tony Awards history.
“I Hope I Get It”: Chorus Line (1976)
In 1976, A Chorus Line was the hottest ticket on the Great White Way. The Michael Bennett musical told the story of a group of Broadway dancers auditioning for a single chorus line. Each performer revealed their personal struggles, ambitions, and sacrifices along the way. As the audition unfolds, their stories gradually blur the line between performance and reality, turning the stage into a deeply human portrait of life in the theater.
The 79th Annual Tony Awards, will deliver a special tribute to A Chorus Line, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, as well as a performance of "Without You" from RENT by Leslie Odom, Jr. Additionally, there will be performances from The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titaníque, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), CATS: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime and The Rocky Horror Show.
The entire original cast of The Book of Mormon, including Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, will celebrate the show’s 15th anniversary on Broadway. The 30th anniversary of Chicago will be celebrated in a tribute performance featuring Queen Latifah, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Alex Newell, Adrienne Warren, Cedric the Entertainer, Julianne Hough,Whitney Leavitt, and Dylan Mulvaney.
P!NK hosts the Tony Awards airing Sunday, June 7, 2026, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Related: Original 'Hamilton' Cast Takes Over the 2025 Tony Awards For Epic Reunion—And Fans Are Losing It
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