ByRobert Massimi

“Just In Time” at Circle In The Square is the last Broadway show of the season and it turns out that it is the best. The story is about Bobby Darin (Johnathan Groff) who’s real name was Walden Robert Cassotto from East Harlem. Darin, who thought he would be dead by 16 because of complications at birth, lived his life hard. Along the way he would meet a woman who shaped his life: Connie Francis (Gracie Lawrence) who I saw warming up The Rolling Stones last year with her brother. Francis loved Darin, however, her Sicilian father did not think marrying Darin was such a good idea. Darin would go on to marry Sandra Dee (Erika Henningsen) and divorce a few short years later.

  What makes “Just In Time” such a great show is the chemistry between the actors, all of them. The staging by Derek McClane, the choreography by Shanon Lewis, the costumes by Catherine Zuber and direction by Alex Ambers are one of a kind on Broadway this year.Looking around the theater during the performance, all you saw was smiling faces… Broadway the way it used to be; no political statements, no wishy- washy DEI plot twists, just raw talent for two hours and twenty minutes!

 Circle In The Square was turned into a cabaret theater for this behemoth of a musical. If you were fortunate to be by the stage, or unfortunate (Groff has a spitting and sweating problem), the interaction with the audience by Groff and many of the characters is intimate. Groff makes all of the audience feel like part of the show. He chats up many of the audience members, as does most of the cast.

  With the Book by Leight and Oliver, it is based on the story by Ted Chapin; this is the must see musical of the year. The musical is upbeat, even though Darin had a very up and down personal life. From his tumultuous relationship With Sandy Dee, to his love-hate relationship with his brother-in-law Chris Maffia, Darin led his life the way he wanted to. He churned out movie after movie; song after song. Groff shows why he is a Tony contender again after winning the Tony last year for “Merrily We Roll Along” He sings with passion capturing the cadence, the movements and the personality of Darin perfectly.