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Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Four-Time Tony Nominee Jonathan Groff on Eight-Year Journey to Become Bobby Darin and Spitting While Singing Quirk: 'Nothing I Can Do About It'
'It's my first love,' Jonathan Groff tells The Hollywood Reporter, on why he returned to Broadway so soon after winning his first Tony Award for Merrily We Roll Along last year. Now, Groff has received his fourth Tony nomination for playing singer-actor Bobby Darin in the jukebox musical, Just in Time. He has previously been nominated for his work in Hamilton and Spring Awakening. But this time, the experience is 'unlike anything' before, as he's been involved with the project for the last eight years and has learned how to embody the moves and persona of the legendary singer. More from The Hollywood Reporter Ike Barinholtz Jokes He's "Lucky to Be Alive" After Driving With 'The Studio' Costar Seth Rogen How 'Survival of the Thickest,' 'Mo' and 'Shrinking' Are Helping Destigmatize Therapy for Men of Color Tom Felton to Reprise Role of Draco in 'Harry Potter' on Broadway And the Mindhunter star is having a lot of fun doing it. At the top of the show, he introduces himself to the crowd as himself, which was Groff's idea, and even warns the crowd that he might spit on them while singing, poking fun at his saliva-based singing quirk that's become a running joke over the years. This year's best performance by an actor in a leading role category is also nostalgic because Groff is nominated alongside his former Glee co-star Darren Criss (Maybe Happy Ending), which he says is 'surreal' and the 'great gift of longevity with your peers.' Below, Groff tells THR about how he got in the best shape of his life by prepping for the show, his most memorable crowd interaction and how he creates the 'magic that happens between performer and audience.' This is your fourth nomination. What does this one in particular mean to you? I've never before been involved in a project from the conception. So, eight years ago, my friend Ted Chapin asked me to do a night of Bobby Darin music at the 92nd Street Y, and we've been developing the show ever since then. So to be nominated for this and for the show itself, to get six nominations after working on it for eight years, is unlike anything I've ever experienced. After , why did you want to return to Broadway so soon instead of taking a well-deserved break or focusing more on film or TV? (Laughs.) I love the theater, is the simple answer to that question. I just I love doing it so much. It's my first love. I didn't anticipate that the timing would work out. We've been trying to make the Bobby Darin musical happen for so many years that I never anticipated it would happen, timing-wise, like this. But there is an inertia and an energy and an acceleration to the vibe of Bobby Darin that it ultimately felt like the right thing. What's crazy is, the day after the Tonys last year, which is the last time you and I spoke, the next day, I went with our producers and Alex Timbers, our director, and Shannon, our choreographer, and Andrew, our music supervisor, to the Circle in the Square to do a site visit for the show. This is just the way it worked out, honestly. It was not something that I intentionally planned or scheduled on purpose. It just sort of shook out this way. What do you appreciate about playing someone who was actually alive? And how is this experience different from some other roles you've done? Over the last eight years, I have become such a deep, deep Bobby Darin fan. By all accounts, he was this Oscar-nominated actor and this Grammy-winning recording artist and prolific songwriter and producer, but everyone says he was at the height of his powers when he was at the center of a nightclub floor working the audience. So the most important thing for me, as I was doing the research on him, and for all of us as we were putting the show together, was to honor the spirit of that, of that energy, of that magic that happens between performer and audience. And this was the jumping off point for this conceit of our show that we turn Circle in the Square into a nightclub and where we've got tables on the floor level that you can reach out and touch the performers from where you're sitting, because that's what it was like when Bobby was at the Copa. Also, this conceit that I start the show as myself, so I establish this relationship between myself and the audience in the present moment, and give everybody the sense that like, let's all be here now together and travel back in time with each other to experience the story of Bobby Darin, while never losing that invisible thread between performer and audience that makes you feel when you're an audience member and as a performer like anything can happen on any given night, it's always different. So in playing Bobby Darin, that energy felt like the most essential thing to bring spiritually into the theater. I also took piano lessons. He was a prolific artist in so many ways. He played seven instruments in the show. I played the piano, I played the drums. I have been trying to embody him as much as possible physically as well, in addition to playing the instruments and then working with the writers Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver. There's so much story in his life. You could do a whole TV series about him. He has many books written about him, and so much went on in his life, so [it was about] trying to distill his story down to the most essential beats to really honor and celebrate who he was. You mentioned you're yourself at the beginning of the show. And you do introduce yourself by saying, 'Hi, I'm Jonathan Groff,' before devolving into Bobby Darin. Whose idea was that and what do you think it brings to the show? Yeah, I asked from the beginning if I could do that. It felt like the opportunity to tell the story of Bobby Darin's life in front of a live audience, that's where he was, at the height of his powers. That is the place to tell his story. Even removing the artifice of character at the very beginning and really establishing this connection between performer and audience was the most effective way to celebrate what he did to a room when he was in it. So I wanted to start the show as myself, and we spent years trying to figure out how we would make that work and how we would it. And really, it wasn't until our co-book writer Isaac Oliver came on board, because it's one thing for me to be myself at the top, but someone needs to write that. (Laughs.) A talented writer needs to articulate that. You don't want to just see me talking out my mouth at the beginning of the show. It's actually quite specifically constructed. What I say, how I say it and how I transitioned then into becoming Bobby Darin took a lot of writing and a lot of tries. [Oliver] really cracked the code with this opening monologue that he offered over the summer when we were doing a workshop as well as with this monologue at the end that I also delivered to the audience as myself, once the show is over, as sort of bookends of the experience. That was Isaac's idea. I think it really honors the spirit of who he was as one of the greatest entertainers of all time. You do a lot of dancing, which requires a lot of stamina. How did you prepare for that? And is it still challenging? Shannon Lewis, our amazing choreographer, she [worked with] me three times a week for 10 weeks before the first day of rehearsal. We were in the studio, and she taught me her physical warm-up, which is a 30-minute warm-up, which I still do every day before the show, to get my body ready. It's like training for a marathon physically, this role, and I'm learning a lot about my body, and I'm in the best shape I've ever been in my whole life. (Laughs.) And like you said, it's a daily, I would say it's a daily practice to check in with your body, find out where it is. I've like become friends with our physical therapist at the theater (laughs) who helps me with issues and small injuries as they come up. But it's like being an athlete, kind of, you know, you have to really take care of yourself. I've learned in the last, like, two months that cross-training is really essential for me. Earlier today, I was at the gym doing light weight lifting in order to counterbalance the repetitive motions I do every night while we're dancing. It's a real discipline. You acknowledge that part of the audience may be hit with spit during the performance. What went into that decision to mention that? Yes! (Laughs) This is the brilliance of Isaac, our co-book writer. He really cracked the code with that one. It's an interesting experiment to play one's own self (laughs), and he really helped. He did many things and wrote many amazing parts of the show, as did Warren, who gave so much to the show in so many different ways. But one of the contributions that Isaac made was finding the sweet spot of me, sort of like taking the piss out of myself and declaring who I was at the same time. I'm so grateful that he wrote me in the way that he wrote me. That was all his genius. People online have noticed that you do spit a bit when you sing, what do you make of the attention that it's gotten? It's funny, it started with back in the days of Spring Awakening. People used to ask if I would spit in their programs after the show, because I had spit on them on stage. And then years later, when the Disney+ version of Hamilton came out, and I was playing King George, and I was spitting kind of on myself, like, drool, like it was coming down my face, that became a whole thing. And then last year, during Merrily, Dan [Radcliffe] and Lindsay [Mendez] and I were joking and laughing about it a lot on the press tour. At this point, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm just sort of letting it happen at this point. Fortunately, all of my fellow actors that I've been on stage with are incredibly patient and like loving with me about that, and they don't make me feel too bad about it. What's been your most memorable dance and crowd member interaction so far? Good question. Oh my gosh, it's really fascinating because we're learning with these audiences that it's quite multigenerational. It's really like eight year olds and 80 year olds are both enjoying the show in equal measure. A couple of performances ago, this probably eight-year-old girl was in the front row, and I noticed her at the very beginning. I was sort of like winking at her and smiling at her, and you could tell she felt a little scared or a little nervous, and so I was trying to make her feel relaxed throughout the show and smiling at her. And then at the very end, I reached out my hand to ask her to dance, and she lit up like a light bulb. Her face got so excited, and she took my hand and immediately started spinning around in circles. I wanted to cry. It was so cute. Have you found any similarities between you and Bobby that helped you to understand and connect with him? There's this line I have at the end of the show when it's like in the middle of the very final song that I sing, called 'The Curtain Falls,' which was his famous closing song in his act at the end of his career. And I say, 'doing this,' meaning connecting with the audience in this way, 'Doing this was when he felt the most alive.' And then I say, 'honestly, same,' (laughs) that's the next line. And I really feel that connection with him. This great, deep, profound, primal passion for performing and for sharing that experience with the artists on stage, the cast and the band, and sharing that with the audience, is one of my favorite things in in my whole life. I just I love it so much. That love, I would say, is the thing that I have the most in common with him. This year you're also nominated alongside your former co-star Darren Criss. What does it mean to you that you're both nominated for Tonys in the same category? It's so awesome. It's so surreal. I remember him making his debut on that show, and creating such a sensation, and being such a like fresh, new, exciting talent, and to now see him be a real like, I mean, he's done many Broadway shows. I saw him do Hedwig [and the Angry Inch]. He was one of the replacements in Little Shop of Horrors. I saw him in Maybe Happy Ending, he's exceptional in it. This is the great gift of longevity with your peers, is that we get to go through all these experiences together. Lea Michele came to opening night, and brought her four-year-old son a week and a half later, and he was sitting on the aisle, beaming. It's a gift to be able to go through life and share these experiences with your friends. It's incredibly special. Looking back on your time on that show made so many more people knowledgeable about theater and made it accessible to people who don't have the opportunity to come to New York to see Broadway shows. Have you found that to be true, or have you heard of fans who became interested in musical theater through the show? Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, Gracie Lawrence, who is Tony nominated in our show, playing the role of Connie Francis and is a supernova talent. She told me during rehearsal, she was like, 'Oh my gosh, Jonathan, I can't believe I'm doing a musical on Broadway with you, because I used to come home after high school and watch you on Glee and now we're singing together duets on a Broadway stage show. So it's an example of a former Gleek that now we're co-starring in a Broadway musical together. It's so cool. We're coming up on the 20th anniversary of . Reflecting on all that's happened in your career since, what would you tell your younger self? I did that when I was 20 years old, and I guess the short answer is, I would tell him to keep following his passion and the thing that makes your heart race. Once you're doing that, once you're locked in with that, it doesn't matter if it's a success or a failure, because I've had both of those experiences throughout the years, highs and lows. But when I'm in touch with what is making my pulse race and what I get excited about, just personally, outside of anyone's perception of what might be good or bad, but just for my own self, the things that make me excited, that's when I'm my happiest. That's how I feel inside of Just in Time. I love Bobby Darin, and I love this experience so much. And getting the chance to live inside of his music and his life, it's pure joy. Just in Time is playing at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Seeing Double? 25 Pairs of Celebrities Who Look Nearly Identical From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Étoile' Star Gideon Glick Launches LGBTQ+ Not-for-Profit Theater Initiative Blue Roses Project With Jonathan Groff Joining Board of Directors (EXCLUSIVE)
'Étoile' star Gideon Glick and producer-director James Will McBride are launching the Blue Roses Project, a not-for-profit theater initiative featuring Tony award-winning Jonathan Groff ('Merrily We Roll Along') on the board of directors, Variety can exclusively reveal. The Blue Roses Project aims to connect local New Orleans artists with theater professionals across the U.S., providing a rare opportunity for queer playwrights to create authentic, contemporary plays. More from Variety 'Just in Time' Review: Jonathan Groff Plays Bobby Darin in a Lackluster Bio-Jukebox on Broadway Nicole Scherzinger and Jonathan Groff Bond Over NSFW Banter, Performing Sick on Broadway and 'Patti F--ing LuPone' Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff Rom-Com 'A Nice Indian Boy' Gets Theatrical Release by Blue Harbor (EXCLUSIVE) 'Blue Roses Project is vital because it provides a safe, affirming space for LGBTQ+ voices to create, explore, and share stories at a time when queer narratives are increasingly under threat,' Blue Roses Project founder Glick said in a statement. 'By uplifting underrepresented voices, Blue Roses Project fosters empathy, builds community, and ensures that queer stories remain visible and celebrated.' In addition to Groff's involvement, the board of directors includes Tony award-winning actress Celia Keenan-Bolger, 'Dear White People' co-showrunner and writer Jaclyn Moore, 'A Strange Loop' producer Dale A. Mott, Apollo Theater director Kelley Nicole Girod, Broadway publicist Shane Marshall Brown and Not-For-Profit CEO and consultant David Emond. In a statement, Groff said: 'I'm honored to be a part of a project so dedicated to fulfilling a crucial need in our theatre community. Blue Roses Project provides resources so playwrights' imaginations can flourish in a place with a rich cultural legacy.' The initiative comes at a time of critical need with post-COVID budget crises and hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced across the country. Over the next year, the Blue Roses Project aims to host a 29-hour workshop, create relationships with local and nationally-renowned actors and collaborate with LGBTQ+ organizations in New Orleans. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jonathan Groff would be the first person to win Best Actor in a Musical consecutively
Just in Time star Jonathan Groff in currently in second place in Gold Derby's Tony Awards predictions for Best Actor in a Musical, only behind fellow Glee alum Darren Criss for Maybe Happy Ending. The former triumphed for Merrily We Roll Along just last year, so if he prevails again, he'd be the first individual in history to win this category consecutively. Prior to Groff, five men were Tony nominated for Best Actor in a Musical two years in a row, but didn't emerge victorious: More from GoldDerby 'One of the best creative teams in the business': NBC orders Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe comedy from '30 Rock' producers 'The Office' spinoff 'The Paper' first look and premiere month revealed during NBC Upfront 'Wicked' live musical event with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande coming to NBC Gregory Hines in 1980 for Comin' Uptown and 1981 for Sophisticated Ladies George Hearn in 1983 for A Doll's Life and 1984 for La Cage aux Folles (the latter of which resulted in a win) Patrick Wilson in 2001 for The Full Monty and 2002 for Oklahoma! Michael Cerveris in 2006 for Sweeney Todd and 2007 for LoveMusik Brian d'Arcy James in 2023 for Into the Woods and 2024 for Days of Wine and Roses Groff may be at a disadvantage due to the fact that Just in Time missed out on a Best Musical nom. To this day, the last time someone managed to win this category despite their show not having a corresponding bid for Best Musical nor Best Revival was Barry Bostwick for The Robber Bridegroom way back in 1977. Although given how well Just in Time did by scoring six nominations overall (including Gracie Lawrence surprisingly showing up in Best Featured Actress in a Musical), it might've been close. One important factor that may give Groff a serious leg up over his competition is that he's playing real-life musician Bobby Darin. We've seen in the past how much those kind of roles have been catnip for Tony voters. In 2006, John Lloyd Young won for his portrayal of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. In 2010, Levi Kreis won for his portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet. In 2014, Jessie Mueller won for her portrayal of Carole King in Beautiful. In 2019, Stephanie J. Block won for her portrayal of Cher in The Cher Show. In 2021, Adrienne Warren won for her portrayal of Tina Turner in Tina. In 2022, Myles Frost won for his portrayal of Michael Jackson in MJ. In 2024, Maleah Joi Moon won for playing a fictionalized version of Alicia Keys in Hell's Kitchen. The rest of this year's Best Actor in a Musical lineup includes Jeremy Jordan in Floyd Collins (third place), Tom Francis in Sunset Boulevard (fourth place), Andrew Durand in Dead Outlaw (fifth place), and James Monroe Iglehart in A Wonderful World (sixth place). SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' Click here to read the full article.
Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Newport Harbor grad who had Broadway wish granted, continues moving forward
Gabriella Earnhart attacks life with vibrancy. She describes herself well in a single sentence: 'I'm constantly creating something in whatever capacity I can.' Her home in Costa Mesa is close to her alma mater, Newport Harbor High School, where Earnhart works as a brand and community coordinator for the performing arts program she participated in before graduating in 2023. Earnhart faces a threat that's not always outwardly apparent, Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue all over her body. The 6-foot-1 Earnhart has an enlarged aorta, and the syndrome leaves her at increased risk for emergencies such as her lungs collapsing or retinas detaching. She sometimes needs to use a wheelchair to get around. 'I'd say that probably the most pervasive aspect of the illness is just chronic pain and chronic fatigue,' said Earnhart, 20, who had spinal surgery in 2018 for scoliosis that is often associated with Marfan syndrome patients. 'Something always hurts all the time.' Still, Earnhart tends to look on the positive side of life. She has met some of her best friends through nonprofit the Marfan Foundation. Her family moved from Chicago to Orange County when her father, David, got a new job while Gabriella was in high school. Settling into her new surroundings, Earnhart started seeing David Liang, a Hoag Hospital doctor who specializes in treating Marfan syndrome. Liang recommended her for Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire. Her wish itself wasn't very specific. 'I wanted something where I could travel to a cool place, and I wanted something that is theater related,' Earnhart said. 'Something that I can dress up and enjoy the fun things.' The theater kid's wish was granted by Make-A-Wish in June 2024. Earnhart and her mother, Heather, were treated to a trip to Broadway. The reveal was special to her, as it happened in front of the bell tower on campus as she was preparing to direct junior actors in a production of 'Alice In Wonderland.' Her mom, coworkers, high school students and theater camp kids were all present. 'That was the first time in my life that I've ever actually been surprised by something,' she said. 'I was not expecting it all. It was a beautiful moment. Sometimes the kids will run into me at the grocery store and they're like, 'Miss Gabriella! I remember when we had cupcakes for your wish!' It's fun to have those memories in that place.' She saw two musicals on the New York trip, 'Merrily We Roll Along' and 'The Great Gatsby.' Earnhart also got to attend a theater awards show, plus the after-party. 'We just had the best time going to the Met, trying new restaurants [and] shopping for jewelry for the awards show at midnight in Times Square,' she said. She remains involved with Make-A-Wish. Earnhart spoke at the foundation's 'It's In The Bag' fashion show and luncheon, held April 27 at the Waterfront Resort in Huntington Beach. 'It really is inspiring to see how our wish kids take so many challenges and turn them into positives, and to see how the wishes that we grant really have an impact on the trajectory of where their future takes them,' said Anne Grey, Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire's president and chief executive. 'It gives them the feeling that anything is possible. It's so wonderful, and Gabby really embodies that, which I think is amazing.' Though Make-A-Wish is often associated with children with terminal illnesses, Grey said about 70% of the organization's kids live on to adulthood. 'What can be so deceiving is that they can look healthy on the outside by all appearances, but the highs and lows of dealing with a critical illness throughout your life do have those valleys where it's really a struggle,' she said. 'Having the ability to look forward to a wish or look back on your wish, how that was a great time, getting through the hard times and staying strong is something that a wish makes possible.' Earnhart, who has taken two gap years since graduating from high school, has focused on working both at Newport Harbor and the Sunflower Design Co., a hand-lettering and painting business. She is now taking the next step, leaving Newport Harbor and enrolling at Pepperdine University, where she'll start studying musical theater and marketing in the fall. She knows that her Marfan syndrome will likely affect her life in the performing space, but she's still making that choice to pursue the arts. Experiencing her Broadway wish come true no doubt gave her inspiration. 'It was just really lovely to be able to combine the arts and this wish,' Earnhart said. 'It felt like a very culminating moment for me.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maria Friedman Recalls Donny Osmond's 'Hilarious Stories' About Osmonds Band While Making 'Joseph' Musical Film (Exclusive)
Maria Friedman reminisced to PEOPLE about working with Donny Osmond on during the opening night of "We have seen each other over the years, absolutely," said the theater vet, calling Osmond "a gorgeous guy" Osmond later appeared in a live production of as Pharaoh last year, after first playing the title role on stage and, later, in a 1999 movie adaptation Maria Friedman has fond memories of working with the "gorgeous" Donny Osmond on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The actress, singer and director was in attendance during the opening night of Broadway's Real Women Have Curves in New York City on Sunday, April 27, where she opened up to PEOPLE about her time making 1999's Joseph with Osmond, 67. "I remember Donny Osmond always telling hilarious stories about when he was in The Osmonds," says Friedman, 65, referring to her former costar's famous family band that also consisted of his brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond. The Merrily We Roll Along director also reflected on what she learned in making the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved stage musical, in which she played the Narrator alongside Osmond's titular Joseph. "I just remember the ensemble thing, and also how I got to learn about cameras," she tells PEOPLE. "Because it was filmed ... we recorded it but we had a very short rehearsal period, so I had to really understand technique of getting into the camera and making sure I was in frame." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Related: Donny and Marie Osmond's Siblings: All About Their Brothers According to Friedman, "Because you didn't get a second ... [with] 20 people, you've got to find the frame. So it taught me a lot." First presented as a stage production in 1972 with Bill Hutton in the title role, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis and was Webber, 77, and book/lyrics writer Tim Rice's first musical to be performed publicly. And more than 25 years after the movie version's release, Friedman tells PEOPLE that she and Osmond "have exchanged texts and emails," but don't often connect in person these days. "We have seen each other over the years, absolutely," she adds. "I haven't worked with him or seen him [lately], but he's a gorgeous guy." The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Related: Donny Osmond Doesn't Think He Could Do Another Osmond Family Christmas Show: 'It Was a Different Time' (Exclusive) Meanwhile, Joseph runs deep in Osmond's veins. After first playing the title role on stage in the early to mid '90s and, later, in the 1999 film, he returned to the production last year in the villainous role of Pharaoh at the Edinburgh Playhouse in Scotland. Osmond spoke with PEOPLE late last year amid his Joseph run in Scotland, which began with performances on Dec. 3 and concluded on Dec. 29. He admitted that it can feel "pretty bizarre ... to hear someone else doing the material you did for six years, 2,000 performances and more." (He even started singing a Joseph line by accident one night!) But he's "good" with his evolution now. "Opening night it was like, 'What is this going to be like?' " Osmond told PEOPLE at the time. "And as soon as they set me down on the chair on stage and the lights came up, the applause and ovation ... it was absolutely amazing. And then when Joseph comes out and ['Poor Poor Joseph'] began, I looked at the audience and I said, 'Déjà vu!' " Read the original article on People
