That far shore doesn’t seem too far for Jonathan Groff!
The We roll happily star won Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 musical at the 2024 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16.
After taking the stage to accept his first Tony Award, Groff, 39, thanked his family for “always letting my queer flag fly without making me feel weird.”
Through tears, the actor addressed his family Happy actors Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, saying, “You’re more than just old friends — you’re soul mates. And I look forward to watching each other change for the rest of our lives.”
Groff, whose previous credits include roles in glee, the Frozen franchise and Mind hunterhe has already been nominated for two Tonys — in 2007 for Spring awakening and in 2015 for his portrayal of King George III in the original Broadway production Hamilton — but Sunday marked his first victory.
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IN We roll happilyGroff, born in Pennsylvania, plays music composer Franklin Shepard, who pursues his theatrical dreams with two lifelong friends and creative companions.
Set over nearly two decades and told in reverse chronological order, the musical begins with Groff as an emotionally unfulfilled Broadway composer and follows the career moves he makes to trade his idealism for empty commercial success.
The revival first opened for a two-month run off-Broadway in November 2022, with stellar billing that included a similar Harry PotterRadcliffe, 34, and Tony winner Mendez, 41. In September 2023, the theater veterans brought the play to the Broadway stage when the production transferred to the Hudson Theatre, where it will continue to play through July 7.
Earlier that night, Radcliffe also won his first Tony Award for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical, alongside Groff and Mendez, the latter of whom is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.
We roll happilyDaniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez in New York on October 8, 2023.
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
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In its first week of previews at the Hudson Theatre, Happy grossed a whopping $1.3 million, breaking the record of six home runs, according to Deadline. The musical also received excellent reviews, with The New York Times calling Groff’s performance “thrillingly fierce” and the production “the first convincing revival of the iconic Sondheim musical flop.”
The play is helmed by first-time director Maria Friedman, a longtime friend of the late Sondheim, who died in November 2021. Friedman’s latest effort marks the first time the play has returned to Broadway since its inception more than 40 years ago.
Groff is also starring in a rom-com this year Nice Indian opposite comedian Karan Soni, which premiered at South by Southwest in March but doesn’t have a wide release date yet. The actor also had a guest appearance in a recent episode A doctor who is.
Tickets for We roll happily they are on sale now at merrilyonbroadway.com.
The 77th Tony Awards aired live on CBS and Paramount+.
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Source: HIS Education