LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin’s name has been confirmed as the host for the preshow telecast of the Tony Awards. This part of the show will largely remain unscripted just like the main event, claimed the sources close to the award function. Earlier, WGA said that though they have not given the Tony Awards a waiver said the union ‘would not picket the show’ if the producers of the show don’t go with any script.

Ariana DeBose, who had been tapped as the host of the main telecast, will only perform the opening number, according to the sources. This year, Broadway actors and other celebrities are anticipated to be presenting awards. Interestingly, there will be no teleprompter used for introduction and guidance, sources said. Instead, the presenters will be carrying cue cards with the list of nominees, which is what they are expected to stick with as of now.

'Continue to refuse to negotiate a fair contract'

As per WGA, nominees who are part of the guild are asked not to attend the event. “Responsibility for having to make changes to the format of the 2023 Tony Awards rests squarely on the shoulders of Paramount/CBS and their allies,” the WGA said in a statement earlier. “They continue to refuse to negotiate a fair contract for the writers represented by the WGA. As they have stood by us, we stand with our fellow workers on Broadway who are impacted by our strike," reports The Hollywood Reporter.

'Proposals have been wholly insufficient'

The WGA went on strike on May 1, after failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), including Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, Netflix, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony. The WGA is looking to negotiate a new deal with these organizations that guarantees better pay for all their creations, be it for movies or television, reports MEAWW. “Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal — and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains — the studios’ responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing, told WGA to its members.

The pre-show telecast comprises the first round of Tony Awards and will be aired on Pluto TV from 6:30-8 pm. ET and 3:30-5 pm. PT, through the Pluto TV Celebrity Channel. However, the main telecast will air coast-to-coast on CBS and Paramount+ between 8 pm and 11 pm. ET and 5-8 pm. PT.