‘Say My Name!’ Ragtime’s Nichelle Lewis & More Reveal How Tony Presenters Might Mispronounce Their Names
Broadway stars shared the ways their names could get mangled on Tony night
What to Know
- Tony nominees reveal the pronunciation mistakes that presenters could make at the ceremony
- Some names are natural to get wrong, with Caissie Levy and Ben Levi Ross (for example) used to mixups
- Ragtime's Nichelle Lewis has a specific name in mind when asked how it could go wrong
The thrill of live performance is that even at the highest level, anything can go wrong. It’s the same charge people get from watching awards shows. You want to know who will win and what they’ll say, but there’s also the guilty pleasure of seeing whether something might go off the rails.
With that in mind, we asked Tony nominees how a Tony presenter might mispronounce their names. Some invite innocent mix-ups, like Ragtime castmates Caissie Levy and Ben Levi Ross. Others inspire creative additions, like the many people who try to tack an “H” onto Schmigadoon! star Sara Chase’s name. She can hear it when they try.
But the nominee who has truly clocked the danger zone is Ragtime’s Nichelle Lewis. How might a presenter get her name twisted? You’ll have to watch the video, but here’s a hint: Destiny’s Child already issued the directive. “Say my name!”
