Jonathan Groff was the main draw for ‘Just in Time,’ a jukebox musical recycling mostly forgotten ’50s standards. But celebrity these days is not enough to ensure an enduring theater hit — a gimmick was built into the production to ensure word of mouth. During each show, Groff tends to pluck a member of the audience for a cameo during the curtain call. “Will you dance with me?” he asks. Then he twirls her and passes the sequin-encrusted microphone so she can sing a line from “Dream Lover.” Within months of the show’s opening, Redditors and Facebook members were strategizing about how to land the dance for themselves. Fans realized that they had a better chance of being chosen if they dressed the part. Women bought retro dresses and had their hair blown out Jackie Kennedy style. They paid for professional makeup sessions. Groffies — hard-core Jonathan Groff fans going to great lengths to see their guy do his thing — are not onetime ticket buyers. Some go eight, 16, even 20 times. They are not legion, but they make up something of a critical mass, at least by Broadway standards. They skew female and middle-aged. They know Groff is openly gay, and they do not mind. “It doesn’t matter that he likes boys,” one 39-year-old married woman posted on Reddit. “56 and same,” another responded. “Could not care less if he’s gay and I am convinced we’d be BFFs.” Peggy Russell, a 68-year-old professor in the Bay Area, has seen ‘Just in Time,’ nine times and is planning on coming back for Groff’s last outing on March 29. Catherine Gunn, a 59-year-old retired tech worker based in Gloucester, Massachusetts, commissioned a headband that read “Please Dance with Me,” then paid $1,500 for one of Groff’s bowties in an auction after her first time seeing the production. Alexandra Starr reports on Jonathan Groff’s adoring fan base who are spending small fortunes to see his performances: nymag.visitlink.me/oJZYuM
