The 2016 Tony Awards kicked off on Sunday night with a moving tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. But after host James Corden delivered that touching speech, the show shifted gears and officially began with a Hamilton parody at the 2016 Tony Awards. Stars of the Broadway smash hit including Leslie Odom, Jr., and Daveed Diggs introduced Corden and the ceremony with a set of hilarious rhymes set the tune of the opening number of Hamilton, called "Alexander Hamilton."
Odom walked out first in a full-out Hamilton costume, making the crowd — and viewers at home — go wild with #Ham4Tonys fever. The lyrics were altered to talk about The Late Late Show host being "that chubby dude from Into the Woods" and his passion for theater. "The theater's what he loves / it's from where he made his name," Odom sang, right before Corden walked out, stage center and holding a Tony Award, the coveted prize of the night. "My name is James Corden and these are what I'll be awarding, just you wait," the host sang with lots of enthusiasm. During his opening monologue, he told viewers once the song was done, "Tonight's show will not be all about Hamilton. There will also be some commercial breaks."
And the song wasn't wrong — Corden's career began in the theater. In addition to starring in Disney's 2014 film adaptation of Into The Woods, he starred in The History Boys as Timms in London's West End, the Sydney Theater in Australia, and on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theater. He also appeared on stage in the play A Respectable Wedding in London in 2007, and the play One Man, Two Guvnors in London and on Broadway. You can watch his Hamilton-inspired opening number below.
And judging by that amazing performance, Corden's got lots of love for Hamilton, too. Sounds like he was the perfect choice to host this year's Tony Awards.
