See Jonathan Groff Rehearse Just in Time, His Most Dance-Heavy Role Yet
Best known for his golden tenor, Jonathan Groff will be the first to admit that he's never really had the chance to dance—to really dance—on Broadway before. Now, thanks to his training with choreographer Shannon Lewis and his own high-kick determination, he's ready to dance up a storm as Bobby Darin in Just in Time, the most movement-heavy role of his career.
“For 10 weeks before rehearsals even began, Shannon and I were working three days a week to get my body in shape so I wouldn’t—hopefully wouldn’t—break from all the dancing,” Groff told The Broadway Show during a recent break in rehearsals. That prep paid off: His newly honed dance chops ground a string of exuberant production numbers, including a full-tilt “Splish Splash” (replete with rubber ducky).
Lewis, whose credits span from Broadway to Saturday Night Live, was inspired by the kinetic charge of ‘60s dance shows like Hullabaloo. Darin’s music and Groff’s sheer determination set the tone. “He really did the work,” Lewis said of Groff. “He picked up the style, the musicality, the shapes. Nobody’s expecting what’s about to come out of him.”
Check out the full video below.
