Tony Awards 2014: What We Know About The Award Ceremony So Far

The Tony Awards always promises to be a night of drama, stirring songs and as many celebrities as it is physically possible to pack into the Radio City Music Hall, New York. As it's always something of an occasion even for those who haven't tread the Broadway boards, here's what we know so far about tonight's award ceremony:

Hugh Jackman will host the awards for the fourth time.

Hugh Jackman - The Host

In prime position to observe the antics of the gathered throng will be actor and musical theatre veteran Hugh Jackman, this year's host.

Jackman hasn't been able to resist keeping his fans up to speed with his rehearsals or his ability to perfect a "bounce". The 45-year-old actor has been posting a series of videos on Instagram in which he, quite literally, bounces up and down in various outfits. There has also been the occasional rehearsal shot so we know tap dancing is definitely central to his hosting. He also appears to have at least two tuxedos so presumably a costume change is in order at some point during the evening.

The Performances

A wide array of stars are set to appear at the awards including Neil Patrick Harris who is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. The leading role in question is Hedwig, a transgender woman, in the cult rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Harris, who has previously hosted the ceremony, will also be performing a number from the musical during the course of the evening, according to Theatre Mania. Idina Menzel is also set to perform, having been nominated for the female counterpart to Harris' award, a song from If/Then.

Previous winning productions will return to honour the awards including the musical Wicked which is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Broadway. A special performance with the current cast will commence whilst Alan Cumming, who won a Tony for his role as the Emcee in Cabaret, will also take to the stage with the rest of the award winning cast.

Neil Patrick Harris performing in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

The Likely Winners?

A new musical comedy has received a dizzying number of nominations. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, based on the same book as the classic film Kind Hearts and Coronets, has been nominated for 10 awards. The musical follows one Edwardian gentleman's determined efforts to inherit a seemingly lost title and land, which happens to involve killing off large numbers of his own family. The musical was first performed in 2013 and has been nominated for the most prestigious of the Tony awards: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

Although A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder may seem a shoe in for the top prizes, there are some strong contenders in the musical category. Hedwig and the Angry Inch has also been nominated for 8 including Neil Patrick Harris' aforementioned nomination for Best Actor. Other nominees include the 2012 musical After Midnight, which received 7 nominations and Beautiful - The Carol King Musical also with 7.

Two plays have also fared equally well, albeit in their own specific categories, with the most recent production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night also gaining 7 nominations each.

The Tony Awards are broadcast in the US on CBS at 8pm.

Idina Menzel is set to perform from If/When.