P!nk Leads Star-Studded 'Chicago' Tribute and 'Leading Lady Marmalade' Parody at the Tony Awards
The 79th Annual Tony Awards saw a dazzling tribute to the iconic musical Chicago, led by host P!nk alongside an ensemble of Broadway veterans and celebrity fans. The night also kicked off with P!nk's hilarious 'Leading Lady Marmalade' parod...
New York isn't the Windy City, but Radio City Music Hall was certainly buzzing with a star-studded tribute to Chicago on Sunday (June 7), celebrating the musical's enduring legacy at the 79th Annual Tony Awards.
The electrifying medley featured a remarkable lineup including the night's host, P!nk, alongside Queen Latifah (who famously portrayed Matron “Mama” Morton in the 2002 film adaptation), current Broadway star Whitney Leavitt (Roxie Hart), Dylan Mulvaney (of Six fame), 2023 Tony winner Alex Newell (a Chicago Broadway veteran), and 2022 Tonys pre-show host Julianne Hough, among others.
The segment began with Queen Latifah's warm introduction, passing the torch “from one mother hen to another.” This set the stage for Alex Newell to deliver a show-stopping rendition of “When You’re Good to Mama.” Newell's powerful voice commanded the stage, making for a tough act to follow.
Yet, the ensemble rose to the challenge with a spirited “Cell Block Tango,” featuring a round-robin of murderesses recounting their tales of vengeance. Even Jesse Tyler Ferguson made a brief, hilarious cameo, adding to the performance's gusto.
To cap off the Chicago celebration, P!nk took center stage for the musical's iconic anthem, “All That Jazz.” The hardest-rocking pop star traded her usual aerial acrobatics for jazz hands and vocal excellence, embodying the “cat who caught the canary” energy, clearly living out a childhood fantasy on the Tony Awards stage.
Speaking with Billboard ahead of her hosting duties, P!nk shared her philosophy on live performance: “We always come from a theatrical place. I mean, for me, I’m a carney, right? So it’s sort of like a circus, without the animals of course, other than the humans.” This insight perfectly encapsulates her dynamic approach to entertainment.
The multi-song performance marked 30 years of Chicago on Broadway. While the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical originally debuted in 1975, its current revival opened in 1996 and has been running ever since, making it the longest-running show currently on the Great White Way and the longest-running musical revival in history.
Before the Chicago tribute, P!nk kicked off the 2026 Tonys with an extravagant and uproarious parody of her 2001 smash “Lady Marmalade.” Rewritten as “Leading Lady Marmalade,” the opening number featured an incredible cast including Megan Thee Stallion, Lea Michele, Neil Patrick Harris, the Tony-nominated women of 2026, and dancers from The Lost Boys, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and Schmigadoon!.
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