Broadway star Jonathan Groff celebrates his third Tony lecture for his role in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's “Merrily We Roll Along.” The musical has been nominated for seven Tony Awardsincluding 'Best Musical Revival'.
But in 1981, the musical was not initially one of Sondheim's biggest hits. It was only on Broadway for 16 performances.
Groff, who plays composer Frank Shepard along with actors Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, performs a version remade by award-winning actor and director Maria Friedman.
“It's now been more than 40 years before we got back to Broadway and the miracle, one of the many miracles of this production, is that it's a hit after more than 40 years,” he said.
Groff spoke on “CBS Mornings” about the show's unique style as it begins in the 1970s and goes back 20 years.
“I think one of the things that moves people is at the end of the show. We see our characters, 18 years old, full of hope, full of promise and I think it reminds people of the passion that we all had,” said Gross.
He attributes its success to its ability to connect with people's everyday lives.
“Even though the plot of the show and the story of the show is about show business, at its core it is about friendship and life and how people change over the years and how we accept or not accept that change. , both in our as in the people around us.”
Off-screen, Groff and his co-stars are close. He officiated Mendez's wedding in April.
“It was a beautiful, intimate ceremony in Central Park,” he said. “Dan Radcliffe was the ring bearer for the ceremony. Lindsay's three-year-old daughter was there, the flower girl. It was adorable.”
The Tony Awards airs Sunday, June 16 on CBS.
