Ariana DeBose's Unscripted 2023 Tony Awards Monologue Will Leave You Breathless

Ariana DeBose. Michele Crowe/CBS

Ariana DeBose dazzled audiences at the 76th annual Tony Awards with her impressive dance skills. The talented performer opened the show by gracefully moving through the United Palace, culminating in a stunning performance on stage. She revealed that her script was blank due to the current Writers Guild of America strike.

"Our colleagues at the WGA are currently on strike fighting for a fair deal," she announced. "It is customary for members of the WGA to write award shows. In order for this show to proceed, a diverse group of individuals had to come together and reach a compromise. We are all here today, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to every person who played a role in making that happen." The Tony nominee anticipated that the audience would be curious about the details of the compromise. "You might be wondering what the compromise was. Well, the truth is, we don't have a script. That's right, I'm here live and unscripted. You're welcome," she joked. "So, to those who thought last year's show was a bit chaotic, get ready for an even wilder ride."

"I am completely unscripted, just like every other presenter tonight," DeBose said with a smile. "We're all just winging it, which I think is pretty cool. And I am truly grateful to be here tonight." She went on to explain that the countdown monitors on the sides of the stage were only there to keep acceptance speeches from running too long. "But don't worry about that tonight," she reassured the audience. "This is your night to shine, so take all the time you need."

At the 2022 ceremony, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City last June, the Oscar-winning performer showcased her talent with a phenomenal medley of hits from Broadway shows such as Hamilton, A Bronx Tale, and Summer: A Donna Summer Musical. The highlight of her performance was undoubtedly her rendition of "Somewhere" from West Side Story. Notably, DeBose won her first Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg's 2021 revival of the movie musical.

DeBose was honored to be asked back as the host of the Tonys for a second year, especially since the event was moving from Radio City to the United Palace in Washington Heights. In a statement, she expressed her excitement for celebrating the incredible season and the hardworking people behind it, while also adding some uptown flavor to the magic of the Tony Awards. This marks DeBose's first live performance since her viral rap at the 2023 BAFTAs, where she shouted out all the female nominees in song, including Michelle Yeoh, Viola Davis, and Angela Bassett. Despite receiving criticism for her musical tone and lyrics, both the actress and the BAFTAs producers defended the show bit. However, despite the previous success, the North Carolina native still found getting up on stage on Sunday nerve-wracking.

The actress from "Prom" recently admitted to Marie Claire that she has developed a bit of stage fright. However, she doesn't let that stop her from challenging herself and doing scary things every day. She believes in acknowledging her emotions and not pretending like they aren't there. The actress also shared her experience of performing at the BAFTAs and how hurtful comments on the internet affected her. She doesn't understand why society feels the need to make fun of someone for doing what they love. Despite the negativity, she found joy in the experience and continues to push herself out of her comfort zone.