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Theatre legend Michael Crawford is being honored at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony and according to the star, “there are no words,” to describe his excitement about earning the distinction. Watch a video of his pre-show interview above.
“I owe America a great deal for Gene Kelly putting me in Hello, Dolly! and coming to Broadway in Phantom. Working with the great Hal Prince. I owe America a great deal,” he said.
The annual tradition honors those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture with performances and tributes.
This year, honorees included Tony Award-winning performer Michael Crawford (The Phantom of the Opera), actor/writer Sylvester Stallone (Broadway’s Rocky), country music star George Strait, disco and gospel artist Gloria Gaynor, and the rock band KISS. Kennedy Center Chairman and U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the ceremony.
Tributes to Crawford include Carrie Manolakos’ performance of “It Only Takes a Moment” from Hello, Dolly, along with Laura Osnes and David Phelps, who performed from The Phantom of the Opera. Other attendees included Miranda Lambert, Debbie Winans, Kurt Russell, Vince Gill, Elle King, and more. Watch Kelsey Grammer’s introduction of Crawford in the video, featuring a reimagined version of Hello, Dolly.
CBS will broadcast the ceremony on Tuesday, December 23, at 8:00-10:30 PM ET/PT, and will also stream on Paramount+. Last week, it was announced that the board overseeing Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to rename the iconic venue the Trump-Kennedy Center. The President currently serves as chairman of the board. Watch highlights from the initial medallion ceremony below.
Past Broadway honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors include Leonard Bernstein, Agnes De Mille, Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury, Chita Rivera, Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, and many more.
