Just in Time: Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin on Broadway
Just in Time - Musical Podcast
Just in Time
The Bobby Darin Story — Live on Broadway
The Swingin’ New Broadway Musical
Just in Time is a jukebox musical based on the life of the legendary American singer Bobby Darin, with a book by Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver, based on an original concept by Ted Chapin. Developed and directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!, Beetlejuice), the show opened on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 23, 2025.
The show begins with lead performer Jonathan Groff portraying himself in 2025 — then travels back in time to the 1950s and 1960s to tell Darin’s remarkable, all-too-short story. From Bronx teenager to teen idol, from Tin Pan Alley to Las Vegas, from rock ‘n’ roll to jazz and back again, Just in Time is a once-in-a-lifetime night at the theatre.
For the production, the Circle in the Square has been transformed into an immersive nightclub-like destination — complete with two stages, a cabaret-style seating plan, and a full live big band right on stage. Critics have called it “utterly electrifying” (Entertainment Weekly) and “so seductive in ambiance that you find yourself not wanting to go back outside” (Chicago Tribune).
Who Was Bobby Darin?
Bobby Darin was one of the most versatile and commercially successful American entertainers of the late 1950s and 1960s. Born Walden Robert Cassotto in the East Bronx, New York, he burst onto the music scene in 1958 with “Splish Splash” — a million-selling rock ‘n’ roll single he co-wrote himself. Within a year he had pivoted to the Great American Songbook, recording the definitive version of “Mack the Knife”, which sat at No. 1 for nine weeks and won him the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Darin was a Grammy Hall of Fame Award winner who moved effortlessly between rock and roll, swing, folk, and pop — always with an urgency that stemmed from his awareness that his health was fragile. Born with rheumatic fever as a child, which had damaged his heart, he lived his life at full throttle, determined to make his mark before time ran out.
His personal life was equally dramatic: his marriage to Hollywood actress Sandra Dee (star of Gidget and A Summer Place) made them one of the glamour couples of their era. He died in December 1973 at just 37 years old, during open-heart surgery.
Discover the man behind the music — a once-in-a-lifetime talent who knew his time was limited and was determined to make a splash before it was too late.
— Just in Time official show descriptionOriginal Broadway Cast
The original production features a cast of 16, led by Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff in the role of Bobby Darin.
Cast Replacements
| Period | Performer | Role |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | Sadie Dickerson | Sandra Dee (replaced Erika Henningsen; Dickerson’s Broadway debut) |
| October 2025 | Sarah Hyland | Connie Francis (replaced Gracie Lawrence; known for Modern Family) |
| From April 21, 2026 | Jeremy Jordan | Bobby Darin (replacing Jonathan Groff, whose final performance is March 29, 2026) |
About Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Groff is the Tony Award winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Merrily We Roll Along (2024). His Broadway credits include Hamilton (Tony nomination, Grammy Award), Spring Awakening (Tony nomination), and In My Life. TV and film credits include Mindhunter, Looking, Glee, Hamilton (Emmy nomination), and Frozen and Frozen II.
Just in Time marks Groff’s return to Broadway following his celebrated, Tony-winning turn in Merrily We Roll Along. He is also one of the show’s producers.
An Immersive Night at the Club
Unlike a traditional Broadway show, Just in Time transforms the Circle in the Square into a fully realised 1950s–60s nightclub. The theatre features two stages, cabaret-style seating, and a live big band performing on stage throughout — putting audiences right in the middle of the action.
The show begins with Groff stepping out as himself in 2025, before gradually slipping into the skin of Bobby Darin and transporting the audience back sixty years. The production’s innovative staging, led by director Alex Timbers and choreographer Shannon Lewis, has been widely praised for reinventing what a jukebox musical can be.
The show is recommended for ages 10 and up, runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission, and is located at 235 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019.
Full Song List
The show features Bobby Darin’s iconic catalog of hit songs, arranged and supervised by Andrew Resnick with orchestrations by Resnick and Michael Thurber. Below is the complete song list from the Original Broadway Cast Recording.
“We got to record with the band live and I think that was really important: ensuring that the cast album sounds as close to what you would experience if you were live and in the theater with us.” — Erika Henningsen (original Sandra Dee), speaking to Ticketmaster. The cast recording was released August 15, 2025 and is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
From Concert Stage to Broadway
Awards & Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Jonathan Groff | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Gracie Lawrence | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Derek McLane | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Catherine Zuber | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Peter Hylenski | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Award | Best Orchestrations | Andrew Resnick & Michael Thurber | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Jonathan Groff | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Gracie Lawrence | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Just in Time | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Alex Timbers | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Warren Leight & Isaac Oliver | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Derek McLane | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical | Catherine Zuber | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Orchestrations | Andrew Resnick & Michael Thurber | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical | Peter Hylenski | Nominated |
| 2025 | Drama League Award | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Just in Time | Nominated |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Michele Pawk | Nominated |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Choreography | Shannon Lewis | Nominated |
| 2026 | Grammy Award | Best Musical Theater Album | Just in Time (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Nominated |
Update
It has been officially confirmed that Matthew Morrison will return to Broadway for a strictly limited three-week engagement in the hit musical “Just In Time.” Morrison will step into the lead role of legendary entertainer Bobby Darin from April 1 through April 19, 2026.
The “Bobby Darin” Rotation
Morrison’s run serves as a high-profile “bridge” between two other major Broadway stars:
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Jonathan Groff: The show’s originating star (and 2024 Tony winner) will play his final performance on March 29, 2026.
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Matthew Morrison: Performs April 1 – April 19, 2026.
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Jeremy Jordan: Takes over the role permanently starting April 21, 2026.
About the Show
Developed and directed by Tony winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!), Just In Time is an immersive bio-musical that transforms the Circle in the Square Theatre into an intimate, swinging 1960s nightclub.
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The Experience: The production features a live on-stage big band and breaks the “fourth wall,” with the lead actor often interacting directly with the audience.
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The Music: The score is packed with Darin’s iconic hits, including “Beyond the Sea,” “Mack the Knife,” “Splish Splash,” and “Dream Lover.”
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The Cast: Morrison joins a stellar ensemble that currently includes Sarah Hyland (Connie Francis), Sadie Dickerson (Sandra Dee), and Tony winner Michele Pawk.
Morrison’s Return to Broadway
This marks Morrison’s first time back on a Broadway stage in a decade, following his 2016 run as J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland. Though widely known for his Emmy-nominated role as Mr. Schuester on Glee, Morrison is a Broadway veteran with credits including Hairspray, South Pacific, and a Tony-nominated turn in The Light in the Piazza.
Co-book writer Isaac Oliver stated that the production is being specifically “tailored” to fit Morrison’s unique journey and talents for this three-week stint, making it a “homecoming” for the performer.
