Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming Open the Tonys with a Showstopper

It was easy to predict that given that Alan Cumming, who has famously played the role of Cabaret‘s Emcee, was one of the Tonys hosts this year the show would use that musical’s “Willkommen” at some point.

And sure enough, that song did factor into Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth’s opening number. The two, both Tony winners themselves, sang snippets of Broadway classics, with setting-appropriate, rewritten lyrics, to start the show.

“Yes, again,” Cumming said as he began “Willkommen,” which now had the lyrics, “This is the last time I’ll ever sing this song.” Chenoweth added in song: “‘Til a revival paycheck comes along.” Chenoweth’s Broadway past also got a shout out, though she put a quick stop to Cumming’s rendition of her song “Popular” from Wicked.

The two also noted the Hollywood talents that were snubbed by the Tonys this year—Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman, who weren’t present—and Harvey Weinstein, producer of the musical Finding Neverland. The two looked at Harvey as they sang, “Smile.”

Weinstein was smiling, especially since they mentioned his show’s box office receipts. Helen Mirren, who ended up winning the Tony for her role in The Audience, got a version of “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” from South Pacific dedicated to her from Chenoweth and Cumming.

However, the hosts’ contributions were comparatively low key given that they introduced a performance of “A Musical,” the show-stopping number from Something Rotten! “A Musical” makes all kinds of nods to Broadway’s past.