JUST IN TIME Previews- Page 5

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/19/25 at 6:29pm

After watching a handful of various clips on social media, I'm avoiding this at all costs.  The headlining cruise ship concept just doesn't do it for me, especially with Groff not making any effort to evoke Bobby Darin in any way AND let's not get me started on those backup dancers and their overzealous energy. Everything just looks so damn tacky and cheap - including the costuming for Sandra Dee and Connie Francis. Could they have not a least attempted to make THEM resemble the women they are portraying? This definitely is a missed opportunity and I think they could have honored Bobby Darin if they simply recreated the Copacabana night club with Bobby Darin telling his story and keeping the background dancers evoking that 60s night club performance style instead of the annoying perky high energy crap they're doing. And at least ook at actual photos of the people being portrayed and try to at least recreate the actual person and not some stereotype of anyone of that era and not that particular person.  

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/19/25 at 6:55pm

''The more comments I read about this show, the more I think it's just about Groff and not Darin.''

Instead of prejudging the show, without any firsthand experience, or dismissing it from quick video clips, how about just seeing ''Just in Time'' in context? There are rush seats for as little as $40.  Groff spends 90% of the show playing Darin. He makes some self-deprecatory remarks at the beginning that contrast the difference between himself, a gay theater nerd, and Darin, a ''playboy crooner.'' And Groff shows you why he's so passionate about sharing Darin's story, and most of all, their shared love of live performing. Groff is giving a tour de force that's such a 180 from his Tony-winning performance in ''Merrily We Roll Along,'' and I'd be surprised if he isn't up for another Tony for this. ''Just in Time'' is now in its third week of soldout previews, and audiences, older and younger, are lovin' it. 

Updated On: 4/19/25 at 06:55 PM

[jakethesnake]

Posted: 4/19/25 at 8:10pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "After watching a handful of various clips on social media, I'm avoiding this at all costs. The headliningcruise ship concept just doesn't do it for me, especially with Groff not making any effort to evoke Bobby Darin in any way AND let's not get me started on those backup dancers and their overzealous energy. Everything just looks so damn tacky and cheap - including the costuming for Sandra Dee and Connie Francis. Could they have not a least attempted to make THEM resemble the women they are portraying? This definitely is a missed opportunity and I think they could have honored Bobby Darin if they simply recreated the Copacabana night club with Bobby Darin telling his story and keeping the background dancers evoking that 60s night club performance style instead of the annoying perky high energy crap they're doing. And at least ook at actual photos of the people being portrayed and tryto at least recreate the actual person and not some stereotype of anyone of that era and not that particular person. "

And we should care about your thoughts why?   You haven’t seen the show yet, yet you write a 300 word treatise.  Who cares?   

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/19/25 at 9:00pm

"Groff spends 90% of the show playing Darin. He makes some self-deprecatory remarks at the beginning that contrast the difference between himself, a gay theater nerd, and Darin, a ''playboy crooner.'''

The gifted Groff is entitled to build his show accordingly, and some of us are equally entitled to determine that this isn't our preferred method to suspend disbelief in the theater. In this case, I'd argue, we're not dealing with pre-judging a show we haven't seen as much as determining whether a structural conceit entices us as consumers. I don't find it unfair to make a decision in advance about anyone's use of discretionary funds in 2025. 

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 4/19/25 at 9:10pm

All I know is the group I was with found it to be a hell of a good night out.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/20/25 at 3:01pm

I assume that 90% of the audience is there to see Groff.  I think that starting out as Groff and turning into Darin is something that would appeal to his fans.  I would bet money that that is why they are doing it, and that they wouldn’t be doing it otherwise.

[Penna2]

Posted: 4/20/25 at 5:26pm

Jarethan said: "I assume that 90% of the audience is there to see Groff. I think that starting out as Groff and turning into Darin is something that would appeal to his fans. I would bet money that that is why they are doing it, and that they wouldn’t be doing it otherwise."

I ran across an old interview with Kevin Spacey last night from shortly after Beyond the Sea opened. He spoke about how he approached the film. For starters, he worked on it for 20 years, mostly based on hearing Bobby Darin recordings played over and over in his household by his mother. He worked on having his voice sound as much like Darin's as possible...even learned to play the drums (which was cut from the film because it didn't work to advance the story). He wanted the story to be about Bobby...not him. It was stylized and not a "this is absolutely the true" story, but it had the approval of Dodd and Sandra.

So that 10% of Groff at the beginning just shows where the ego lies and the show is about Groff not Darin. As I noted before, that's fine, but don't promote it as if it is about Bobby. Should have just been Groff sings Darin and left it at that. The show will be a hit with his fans and the box office will show if that's enough. 

I'm sure Bobby would be pleased that he is still an influence and is being remembered.

[Love Theatre2]

Posted: 4/21/25 at 7:34pm

Hello to all here,

To Brody Fosse123,Broadway Legend, message #100,  THANK YOU.   I too felt as you did in watching the previews.  You put it into words, perfectly, what I was feeing but didn't know how to express it.  I also feel that it should be billed differently if they are not trying to portray Bobby Darin.  From what I can tell, it ought to be billed as a concert of Bobby Darin songs by Jonathan Groff.   I was just in NYC, and skipped it for that reason.  And your other comments were also, very valid.  So, thanks for speaking up.  And in the clips, it does feel like a cruise ship.

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 4/21/25 at 9:13pm

Except it is not a concert of Groff singing Bobby Darin songs alone. 

It literally enacts elements of Darin's career, including others who were a part of it.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/21/25 at 9:35pm

SteveSanders said: "Except it is not a concert of Groff singing Bobby Darin songs alone.

It literally enacts elements of Darin's career, including others who were a part of it."

[yyys]

Posted: 4/21/25 at 9:54pm

The book is about Bobby Darin...from early childhood to death. It's actually a very enjoyable and very well done bio jukebox musical. I'm sure Alex Timbers will be nominated for the direction.

 

Love Theatre2 said: "Hello to all here,

To Brody Fosse123,Broadway Legend, message #100, THANK YOU. I too felt as you did in watching the previews. You put it into words, perfectly, what I was feeing but didn't know how to express it. I also feel that it should be billed differently if they are not trying to portray Bobby Darin. From what I can tell, it ought to be billed as a concert of Bobby Darin songs by Jonathan Groff. I was just in NYC, and skipped it for that reason. And your other comments were also, very valid. So, thanks for speaking up. And in the clips, it does feel like a cruise ship."

 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/21/25 at 9:55pm

People are on a first-name basis with a performer who died in 1973?

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 12:44pm

Kad said: "People are on a first-name basis with a performer who died in 1973?"

 

Why would you have a problem with that?  Oh right -- you have a problem with everything.

[getatme]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 1:08pm

Saw this a few weeks ago and while I don't know that I'd over all consider it a good show, I found it incredibly entertaining and it felt like a fresh take on the bio-jukebox musical, an artform that seems to grow staler and staler with each new artist plopped onstage. Is the framing device entirely successful? No, but I appreciate that the team is trying something new with it.

Groff is, quite simply, a true Broadway star. He is one of the most--if not the absolute most--charistmatic, charming, utterly winning leading men of this generation and it was a delight to see him in a show where he is clearly having the time of his life. Does the performance match up to the level of his performance in Merrily? No, but the material isn't asking for that. It's asking him to sing, dance, and sell the show as best he can, and he's doing all of that and more. It was a sold out house when I went, including standing room, and you could feel the entire room falling more and more in love with him as the show went on. He sounds phenomenal, dances up a storm, and looks gorgeous (god bless the speedo).

The supporting cast is all in rather thankless roles but perform well even if their voices aren't the strongest (Bergl and Pawk may not have the most flexible pipes, but they are committed to their roles and bring a certain heart and warmth to it all). Gracie Lawrence sounds amazing in a very thinly drawn role. Erika Henningsen probably fares the best of the supporting roles, bringing her crystal clear voice and grounded-ness to the stereotypical sidelined wife role.

The book isn't great but I don't think it's bad overall. It's merely sufficient at bringing you from one song to the next, would probably be much more successful as a sort of concert-musical like Lady Day where Bobby Darin recounts his life and brings in the key players from his history. There are some groaners and some moments that should have been cut (and may have consider I went to an earlier preview). But I was entertained start to finish.

The set, lighting, and costumes are all pretty first rate and have Timbers's signature visual flair. The set is not overly flexible, but it looks stylish and expensive.

I think if you're a fan of Jonathan Groff, it's worth seeing.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 2:24pm

Was there last night. While Groff, Gracie Lawrence, and (especially, in my opinion) Erika Henningsen give very good performances, this as a whole didn't work for me. The "I'm Jonathan Groff" device at the beginning felt like nothing more than an attempt to differentiate this bio-musical from something like Jersey Boys. And while there are a few great songs that we all know and love, I frankly don't think Bobby Darin's catalog is strong enough to warrant an entire musical like this. Also, the book was a mess. Bobby keeps telling us that he's failing time and again both musically and romantically, but then all of a sudden we get to a section of the show where multiple characters have the mantra of "Don't bet against Bobby!" Didn't you just spend the last hour and change telling us how he was such a failure? Why WOULDN'T I bet against Bobby?

Anyway, it's a perfectly innocuous night at the theatre, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who isn't a diehard Bobby Darin or Jonathan Groff fan (even though I think Erika's Sandra Dee was the highlight for me).

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 2:27pm

Is this just one of those shows where they never expect to let the understudy actually go on or do they have a plan for if Groff is out?  Would they be playing Groff playing Bobby Darin or get a separate opening of their own?

[Kad]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 2:28pm

JSquared2 said: "Kad said: "People are on a first-name basis with a performer who died in 1973?"

Why would you have a problem with that? Oh right -- you have a problem witheverything."

Shouldn't you be off in Kansas somewhere, trying to shove a farmgirl's dog into a basket?

[Penna2]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 3:53pm

chrishuyen said: "Is this just one of those shows where they never expect to let the understudy actually go on or do they have a plan for if Groff is out? Would they be playing Groff playing Bobby Darin or get a separate opening of their own?"

I was wondering that myself. 

[Lisalemann]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 5:05pm

chrishuyen said: "Is this just one of those shows where they never expect to let the understudy actually go on or do they have a plan for if Groff is out? Would they be playing Groff playing Bobby Darin or get a separate opening of their own?"

I don't see this until this summer - but from what I've been hearing - I think this would be handled similarly to how they handled Hugh Jackman in Boy from Oz - they would cancel the show for that night if he was out.  They haven't said that - but I feel that is what they would do.  He's the only real star in the show and it's built around him.

 

[binau]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 5:23pm

I mean, if Audra, Patti, Bernadette etc. all have understudies in Gypsy, if Nicole has an understudy in Sunset, if Bette Midler had an understudy in Dolly SURELY they can get an understudy for Jonathan? If I recall he didn't miss a single performance in "Merrily" so maybe they would never be needed. 

With strong box office the cost of cancelling a show will almost be certainly more than finding a solution to this problem though?

Updated On: 4/22/25 at 05:23 PM

[getatme]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 7:50pm

Groff has a standby and it's probably TBD what his pre-show monologue will entail, I assume there will be some acknowledgement that he's not Jonathan Groff. But it's probably worth mentioning Jonathan missed a total of 3 shows in Merrily and they were ones production pressured him to take ahead of Tony season. No reason to think he won't have similar remarkable attendance here.

[Love Theatre2]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 8:17pm

I understand that the musical is telling his life's story.  What I am saying is that in these clips, he isn't convincing me that he is attempting to be, theatrically speaking, Bobby Darin.  At all.  I am speaking regarding the acting in these songs in the clips.  (Think Audra McDonald portraying Billie Holiday)  She became Billie Holiday.  100%.   I am seeing, Jonathan Groff.  Not Bobby Darin.

Now don't get mad.  I am entitled to my opinion. 

[Love Theatre2]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 8:30pm

LOL!  (case and point!)

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 9:21pm

Love Theatre2 said: "I understand that the musical is telling his life's story. What I am saying is that in these clips, he isn't convincing me that he is attempting to be, theatrically speaking, Bobby Darin. At all. I am speaking regarding the acting in these songs in the clips. (Think Audra McDonald portraying Billie Holiday) She became Billie Holiday. 100%. I am seeing, Jonathan Groff. Not Bobby Darin.

Now don't get mad. I am entitled to my opinion."

I tend to agree with this. Based on the clips I've seen it really does look like "Jonathan Groff: One Night Only".

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/22/25 at 10:09pm

Matt Magnusson is the Bobby Darin standby: