Let's revisit Neil Patrick Harris' incredible opening performance to the 2013 Tony Awards
Aux Features TV
As awards-ceremony opening numbers go, the Tonys are a pretty high bar. Since they celebrate stage shows, you would think/hope that they would have the best command of the stage. James Corden hosts again this Sunday, and he previously offered a lovely opening number in 2016 with “This Could Be You,” living out his childhood dream of being on Broadway by diving into popular stage musicals from The Sound Of Music to Fiddler On The Roof (although he was already a Tony award winner in 2012).
Watching Corden’s energetic performance, it’s hard not to wonder whether his set was inspired by the all-time great Tony host: Neil Patrick Harris. In 2013, Harris’ performance of “Bigger” (“Better” is automatically implied) unfolded over eight unstoppable minutes, with Harris dancing with the divas of Kinky Boots, performing acrobatics with Pippin, conversing with the kid casts from Matilda and Annie, and leading a row of Newsies down the aisle. Somehow he also fits in a magic trick, a Mike Tyson cameo, and a Doogie Howser reference. Throughout it all, NPH scarcely stops to take a breath (the repeated cast refrain “Go Neil Go!” appears to be sincerely supportive) as he sets out to prove why Broadway is determined to pull out all the stops to entertain you as much as possible. Even the audience, filled with Broadway vets, is gobsmacked, and they leap to their feet when Harris, panting, finally finishes, hanging for dear life off the edge of a giant Tony award.
The Tonys won the Emmy that year for “Outstanding Special Class Program”; Harris’ jaw-dropping opener made it a shoe-in. If you’re going to watch the awards on Sunday, we recommend viewing the clip above (maybe more than once) to get yourself in the right mood this year. Godspeed, James Corden.
14 Comments
Yeah, no offense to James Corden or any other Tony host, past or future, but no one is ever going to top that.
Nope. Hugh Jackman best host. Favorite year – 2004. Not the Boy Next Door indeed! Also the year that Avenue Q beat Wicked for best musical.
No.
I watched this the night it was telecast, and I re-watch it every now and then. Just incredible. I love how they obviously weren’t prepared for the ovation to go on quite as long as it did.
I’ve never seen it before. That was amazing!!
Not a Broadway/theatre person at all – but that was super impressive.
During the ovation I always worry for the chorus boys from ‘Bring It On’, having to wait while holding a cheerleader aloft.
I’m reading this while out in public, but I can’t wait until I get home so I can watch the clip with sound!
This was co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and helped to get him an Emmy
That explains so much!
It’s that moment he does the Pippin leap (alas, not quite Fosse, Gwen!) that you realize his commitment level and that it really is going to get BIGGER, but it’s the “Les Miz” close up that gets me every time.Hopping Hugh Jackman really wasn’t the same….but then Neil did Hedwig as one of the musical numbers and it was a whole new level.
No one will ever top this. But I sure can’t wait for someone with prodigious amounts of talent to try.
As far as opening award show medley’s go, I’ve always been partial to Jackman’s 2009 number (I still get a kick out of the random expressionistic routine for The Reader…because nobody has seen The Reader).
they leap to their feet when Harris, panting, finally finishes
Well, I don’t know about you, but I was panting after watching that.
Harris, on the other hand, looked remarkably composed.