“Glee”'s Jonathan Groff and Matthew Morrison Share a Dance in Broadway's “Just in Time”

Dave QuinnFri, April 17, 2026 at 9:52 PM UTC

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Matthew Morrison and Jonathan Groff at 'Just in Time' on BroadwayCredit: Just In Time on Broadway/Instagram -

Matthew Morrison replaced Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin in Broadway's Just in Time starting April 1

Groff, who helped develop the show over eight years, attended Morrison's performance and joined him onstage for a dance

The musical explores Bobby Darin's rise to fame and his determination to live fully despite a fatal diagnosis in childhood

Before Matthew Morrison stepped into the role of Bobby Darin in Broadway's Just in Time, he went to see the show with Jonathan Groff, who first brought the "Beyond the Sea" crooner to the stage.

On Thursday, April 16, Groff returned the favor, sitting in the audience at the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York City to watch his former Glee costar play the part.

Cameras captured Groff, 41, in the crowd during one of the moments in the show where the actor playing Darin pulls someone from their seat for a dance.

Groff is familiar with the bit, which is modeled off of how Darin regularly did the same with concertgoers attending his nightclub acts. During Groff's celebrated run in the musical, the Tony winner danced with everyone from his Spring Awakening costar and longtime BFF Lea Michele to Bernadette Peters, Jane Krakowski, Kristin Chenoweth, Cynthia Erivo, Today weatherman Al Roker and even Bowen Yang (on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade).

This time, he was on the other side of the fold, as Morrison pulled him out of his seat. "The one, the only, Jonathan Groff," Morrison, 47, said, before the two twirled around. They ended their dance with an embrace.

"Bobby 🤝 Bobby," the show's official account wrote, posting the video on Instagram.

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Conceived and directed by Tony winner Alex Timbers, Just in Time explores Darin's meteoric rise to fame from teen idol to global star, and all the turbulence that came with it.

The singer — known for hits like "Splish Splash," "Dream Lover" and "Mack the Knife" — defied a fatal childhood diagnosis to become a chart-topping, genre-hopping showman with two Grammys and an Oscar nomination. His whirlwind life included a doomed romance with Connie Francis, a high-profile marriage to Sandra Dee and clashes with the Rat Pack.

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But on December 20, 1973, at the young age of just 37, Darin died from complications of heart surgery. He had been fearful of death his whole life, and it finally caught up with him.

"His life is operatic," Groff previously told PEOPLE of Darin. "He was told he was going to die by the time he was 16 when he was 8. And the way we're kind of weaponizing his story in our show is: He accomplished a lot in a short period of time because he had this ticking clock. What we're hoping to give the audience is this message: Life is short. Live it to the fullest while you can.”

Groff has been with Just in Time since the beginning, heavily involved in its development over an eight-year period. In addition to starring in the musical, which opened in April 2025 to great acclaim, he also produces.

The actor played his final performance in the role on March 29, passing the fedora on to Morrison on April 1. The actor, who returned to the stage for the first time in a decade for Just in Time, will remain in the production through April 19.

Jeremy Jordan is stepping into Darin's shoes after Morrison's turn, beginning an open run of performances on April 21.

Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of his debut, Morrison opened up about the lasting impact Groff left on Just in Time. "It's such a great part, and Jonathan just really put his stamp on it," Morrison said. "I'm excited to take the reins with love and grace and gratitude for him."

While Groff didn't give Morrison any tips for the role, Morrison explained the real advice is "what Jonathan put into the show."

"He put the work in. Replacing anyone is tricky, but Jonathan set the bar so incredibly high in the best way," Morrison shared. "From everything that I've seen, he leads with so much kindness and joy in that building. My goal is to honor that energy and bring my own truth to it."

Tickets for Just in Time are on sale now.

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