Tony Awards 2014 top moments and highlights

The 68th annual Tony Awards got off to a hoppin' good start with Hugh Jackman on Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall.

The evening's host entered New York's Radio City Hall hopping his way from the streets of New York, through the aisles and then backstage where he proceeded to meet the cast members of many of today's biggest Broadway shows.

He jumped-roped with the star of 'Rocky,' rubbed elbows with Neil Patrick Harris and said hello to Sting before making his way back to the stage to introduce the evening's first performance: Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Fantasia who performed a number from 'After Midnight.'

After catching his breath, Jackman told the crowd, 'It's great to be back as your host. Tonight is a celebration of Broadway.'

The first award of the night went to Mark Rylance of 'Twelfth Night' for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play.

A slew of celebrities hit the red carpet, while casts from some of Broadway's biggest shows will hit the stage for the ceremony, taking place in New York, just steps from the Great White Way.

'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' leads the pack with 10 nominations, followed by 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' with eight nods. 'After Midnight,' 'Beautiful - The Carole King Musical,' 'The Glass Menagerie' and 'Twelfth Night' are all up for seven nominations each.

Jackman will have plenty of help along the way with performances by the cast of 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch,' along with nominee Foster with the cast of 'Violet.' Alan Cumming, meanwhile, will reprise his Tony Award-winning role in a performance from the revival of 'Cabaret,' and Menzel will sing a song from 'If/Then.' Plenty of cast performances are expected, too, including 'Aladdin,' 'Les Miserables,' 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,' 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder,' 'Bullets Over Broadway' and 'Rocky.'

The cast of 'Wicked' will celebrate the show's 10th anniversary with a performance at this year's Tonys. Sting will preview a number from his upcoming musical, 'The Last Ship.'

Presenters include Kevin Bacon, Matt Bomer, Wayne Brady, Zach Braff, Kenneth Branagh, Patricia Clarkson, Bradley Cooper, Fran Drescher, Clint Eastwood, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Vera Farmiga, Will Ferrell, Tony Goldwyn, Anna Gunn, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Carole King, Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Kate Mara, McDonald, Leighton Meester, Alessandro Nivola, Zachary Quinto, Emmy Rossum, Liev Schreiber, Orlando Bloom, Barrett Foa, Jonathan Groff, T.I., LL Cool J, Samuel L. Jackson, Judith Light, Rosie O'Donnell and Patrick Wilson.

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