Rachel Zegler brought “What I Did for Love” back to the Tony Awards during a 50th anniversary salute to A Chorus Line.
The West Side Story actress performed the song on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where the 79th Annual Tony Awards aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
People reported that the number honored the musical’s anniversary during a broadcast that also leaned into Broadway history with tributes to Rent, Chicago, and The Book of Mormon.
The performance came shortly after Zegler won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Jamie Lloyd’s Evita. She is set to reprise Eva Perón when the revival transfers to Broadway in spring 2027.
Rachel Zegler Performed “What I Did for Love” at the Tonys
The Tony Awards announced before the ceremony that Zegler would sing in honor of A Chorus Line, which opened on Broadway in 1975.
CBS later posted the full performance on YouTube, listing the song as “What I Did for Love” from A Chorus Line.
Leslie Odom Jr. also performed “Without You” from Rent during the In Memoriam segment, marking that show’s 30th anniversary.
The same broadcast included anniversary appearances tied to Chicago and The Book of Mormon, alongside numbers from current Broadway productions.
A Chorus Line Has Been a Broadway Standard Since 1975
A Chorus Line opened at the Shubert Theatre on July 25, 1975, according to IBDB.
The original production ran for 6,137 performances before closing on April 28, 1990.
The musical follows dancers competing for spots in a Broadway chorus, with the audition room becoming the place where they reveal their ambitions, insecurities, injuries, and personal histories.
Its 1976 Tony Awards included Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Direction of a Musical. IBDB also lists the production as the 1976 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama.
The Tonys Built the Night Around New Shows and Old Favorites
The 79th Annual Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7.
The official Tony Awards site confirmed that P!NK hosted the main ceremony, which aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
The performance lineup included The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titaníque, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), CATS: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime, and Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.
People reported that Schmigadoon! won Best Musical, while Ragtime won Best Revival of a Musical.
Evita Is Bringing Zegler Back to Broadway
Zegler’s Tonys appearance came after a major London run as Eva Perón in Lloyd’s revival of Evita.
The Guardian reported that she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical after starring in the West End production.
The London staging drew wide attention for “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” which Zegler performed from the balcony of the London Palladium to crowds gathered outside.
Shubert announced that Evita will transfer to Broadway in spring 2027, with Zegler reprising the role at a Shubert theater to be announced.