Kyle Selig Will Lead Water for Elephants on Broadway After Grant Gustin Departs

Kyle Selig, last seen on Broadway as the original Aaron Samuels in the musical adaptation of Mean Girls, will take over as Jacob Jankowski in Water for Elephants at the Imperial Theatre. He assumes the role from the musical's original star Grant Gustin, who plays his final performance on September 1. Selig's first performance will be on September 3.

On Broadway, Selig also starred in The Book of Mormon. On tour and regionally, he has performed in The Book of Mormon, October Sky and West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl. His screen credits include Welcome to Flatch, Monster High, FBI: International, Cat Person, The Housewives of the North Pole, Mulligan, Christmas in Tahoe for Hallmark Channel, Madame Secretary and Evil.

Selig joins a cast that features Isabelle McCalla, four-time Tony Award nominee Gregg Edelman, Paul Alexander Nolan, Stan Brown, Philippe Aymard (replacing current cast member Joe De Paul), Sara Gettelfinger and Wade McCollum.

Water for Elephants has a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice, adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, and a score by PigPen Theatre Co. The show received four Drama Desk Awards—more than any other musical in the 2023-24 season—including for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Jessica Stone. Stone also won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical, additionally earning the second directing Tony nomination of her career. 

After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.