Pop star P!nk hosted the 79th Annual Tony Awards on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. While there, the “Just Like a Pill” singer resurrected her Millennial hit “Lady Marmalade” from the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge! (which also featured Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink, rapper Lil’ Kim, and producer Missy Elliott) in a musical theatre-style opening performance.
P!nk was joined by rapper Megan Thee Stallion for a Broadway rendition of the song. Earlier this year, Megan starred in Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Broadway.
The entire performance earned rave reviews from viewers who were sent on a nostalgic trip down memory lane both in pop music and musical theatre. Overall, the performance earned P!nk snaps from musical theater buffs.
P!ink opens with Peter Pan classic
When the curtains lifted for the opening performance, P!nk was suspended in the air and dressed in a green costume like Peter Pan. She began singing “I’m Flying,” a tune from the 1954 Peter Pan musical.
Broadway alum and actor Neil Patrick Harris interrupts her in a comedic bit, questioning what she’s doing. She replies, “I want to show how much I love theater, even though I haven’t been on Broadway. I’m concerned that some people will be like, ‘Why is P!nk hosting the Tonys?’ And I want everyone to know how thrilled I am to be here! Thank you for having me! And I want my opening to be as Broadway as possible.”
She shows off her musical range by singing bits of songs from The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked, nailing the high note from Wicked‘s iconic “Defying Gravity.”
P!nk performs “Lady Marmalade” with slew of stars
After a quick costume change (while Harris momentarily handles hosting duties), Broadway star Deborah Cox kicks off “Lady Marmalade” from the Broadway show Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Cox is then joined by Ann Harada and Shaina Taub as the trio harmonize the song’s iconic “Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister!” line.
P!nk then struts onstage in a pink corset and feather train to belt out a Tony’s rendition of “Lady Marmalade.” The music and lyrics were written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick—and the performance was arranged by Sam Davis and orchestrated by Charlie Rosen, per Playbill.
P!nk is then joined by more famous leading ladies from Broadway, including Shoshana Bean, Marla Mindelle, and Christiani Pitts.
She utters the iconic “Gitchie, Gitchie” line, calling out famous female stars in their seats. “Gitchie, gitchie Leslie Manville. Gitchie, gitchie Carrie Coon!”
Mormon Wives reality show and Chicago star Whitney Leavitt belts a line before being joined by Hannah Cruz and Lea Michele, who make their way to veteran Broadway star June Squibb.
Megan Thee Stallion joins
After an introduction from the show Ragtime‘s ensemble, Megan Thee Stallion takes the stage carried in by two shirtless men and announces, “The theatre is mother’s domain!”
She raps an original verse, a nod to her time starring in the show from March to May 2026. The nearly 10-minute performance continues with ensemble appearances from Rocky Horror, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Titaníque, Schmigadoon!, and more. Other performance guests include Ali Louis Bourzgui, Sara Chase, Bryce Pinkham, Nicholas Christopher, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, André De Shields, Leiomy Maldonado, and Dylan Mulvaney.
P!nk sings a touching personal verse before closing out the number with a stage full of performers:
“Standing on stage at the Tony Awards
Ten-year-old me is like, oh my god.
This ain’t ChatGPT, this ain’t Claude
This is live! So I hope you applaud…
For this cast, the whole team
Every kid with a dream
Every Leading Lady Marmalade!”
Viewers respond
P!nk and her fellow Broadway stars stunned viewers, who shared their praises in the comments:
“Wow, this was an opening number that felt like it actually included all of Broadway, not just the shows that are nominated. It just felt like the joy of live theater.”
“P!nk always knocking it out of the ballpark! What a performance! She can sing anything!”
“Theatre kids just being theatre kids 😂”
“I’m crying … ‘this aint ChatGPT, this is live…’ Let’s make that the future for everything! Awesome!”
“This is why Pink needs to do a super bowl halftime show. She understands pageantry. She understands showmanship. She doesn’t just get up there and sing a song. She brings it to life.”
“Hands down the best awards show opening ever.”
