And the winner is ... Tony Awards honor finest in theater

Michael Cerveris, winner of the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for "Fun Home," and Kelli O'Hara, winner of the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for "The King and I," pose backstage during the American Theatre Wing's 69th Annual Tony Awards at the Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York June 7, 2015 [Photo/Agencies]

Risky new productions are vying with more classic shows, and newcomers are in tight races with veteran stars on June 7 for the 2015 Tony Awards, US theater's highest honors, and the culmination of Broadway's most successful season ever.

The 69th Annual Tony Awards will celebrate the best in a record-breaking season in which audience numbers topped 13.1 million and grosses rose to a $1.36 billion.

"The numbers have shown and reflected that this has been an incredibly lucrative season at the box office," said producer Debbie Bisno. "There is really great product."

Tony winners Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth, also a nominee this year, are hosting the awards in a live broadcast from Radio City Music Hall on CBS television.

Actor Bradley Cooper, a nominee for his role as a physically deformed male in "The Elephant Man" and rock star Sting, who earned a nod for his "The Last Ship" score, will be among the presenters along with last year's Tony winners Neil Patrick Harris and Bryan Cranston.

Broadway legend Tommy Tune will receive a special lifetime achievement Tony Award during the show, which will feature songs from the nominated musicals and a special number by singer Josh Groban with more than 175 performers on stage, the most in Tony Awards history.