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Getting To Know Kristin Chenoweth & Alan Cumming 2015 Tony Awards Hosts

It’s that time of year again: Actresses are picking out their best gowns, actors are seeking out the perfect tuxedos and the red carpet is ready for as much glamour and pizazz as the stars of Broadway can provide. It’s award season, and the 69th Annual Tony Awards will be presented on Sunday, June 7 on CBS, broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York. The nominations were recently announced, making dreams come true for several talented artists from all over the world. The hosts for this year’s ceremony are two talents that are certainly comfortable on the big stage. Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming have been announced as co-hosts for the 2015 Tony Awards, and both have won the coveted statue in the past.

Kristin Chenoweth

Kristin Chenoweth

In addition to hosting, Chenoweth is also a nominee this year for her work in “On The Twentieth Century,” where she was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical. However, it was her brilliant origination of the role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” that first catapulted Chenoweth to national stardom. Her performance as the bubbly Glinda earned her a Best Actress Tony nomination in 2003, though she had previously won the award for her role as Sally Brown in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on Broadway in 1999.

Chenoweth’s star power doesn’t stop on the Great White Way, either. She’s been seen on several television shows, including her own short-lived series titled “Kristin,” as well as such popular series as “Frasier,” “Ugly Betty,” “The West Wing” and “Glee,” where she was nominated twice for an Emmy Award in 2010 and 2011. When it comes to film, Chenoweth has been making her talent known there as well. She was seen in the 2005 film version of “Bewitched” and had supporting roles in several other films, including “RV,” “Running With Scissors,” “Deck the Halls” and “Stranger than Fiction.”

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

If there’s one actor that can possibly match the star power of Kristin Chenoweth, it’s Alan Cumming. The Scottish-born actor’s first US film was “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion," where he played the hilariously nerdy Sandy Frink. From there he went on to be seen in “X2: X-Men United,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Son of the Mask” and “Burlesque,” among many others. Cumming has also been nominated for an Emmy award twice for his work on “The Good Wife,” where he plays Eli Gold.

However, it’s the stage for which Cumming has received the most accolades, including his Tony Award win in 1998 for Best Performance by a Leading Actor for his role as the Emcee in “Cabaret.” New York audiences will recognize Cumming from his many different performances on Broadway stages, including his recent one-man version of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” at the legendary Barrymore Theater.

Hosting Duties 

Tony's Host
Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)

Chenoweth and Cumming are both new to the hosting game, but the two are certainly strong enough to carry the difficult task of hosting the Tony Awards, and their unique styles should complement each other well. If they need some help, perhaps Chenoweth and Cumming can grab a quick lunch with Neil Patrick Harris, who’s famously hosted the Tony Awards four times, the Emmy Awards twice and the Oscars once.

The 2015 Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on June 7 from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on CBS. Set your DVRs, plan your schedules accordingly and start filling our your own Tony ballots, as Broadways' biggest night of the year plays out live with two very exciting new hosts.

Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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