Ronks native Jonathan Groff earned his third Tony Award nomination Tuesday morning.
Groff was nominated for lead actor in a musical for his role as film producer Franklin Shepard in the current Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Merrily We Roll Along.”
Also nominated in the lead actor in a musical category are Eddie Redmayne, for “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”; Brody Grant, for “The Outsiders”; Dorian Harewood, for “The Notebook”; and, Brian D’Arcy James from “Days of Wine and Roses.” James originated the role of King George III in the musical “Hamilton” off Broadway, a role Groff took over on Broadway and for which he was nominated for his second Tony.
Groff’s “Merrily” co-stars, “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe and previous Tony winner Lindsay Mendez, also received Tony nominations Tuesday, in featured performer categories. It’s Radcliffe’s first Tony nomination.
The “Merrily” production, which ran off Broadway in 2022 and opened on Broadway in the fall of 2023, was nominated for the Tony for best revival of a musical.
The show, which has been extended until July 7 at New York’s Hudson Theatre, earned a total of seven Tony nominations.
The Tony ceremony will be broadcast on CBS Sunday, June 16.
In addition to his previous Tony nod for his “Hamilton” role, Groff, a graduate of Conestoga Valley High School, was nominated for a lead-actor Tony for his role of Melchior Gabor in the musical “Spring Awakening.”
If Groff wins this year, he’ll be halfway to an awards “EGOT”; he shares a Grammy Award for cast album with the original Broadway cast of “Hamilton.”
Groff was also nominated for an Emmy award for the Disney+ streamed version of the “Hamilton” musical.
In other award news, on April 22, the Drama League announced Groff will receive its Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater award for 2024. Groff, Radcliffe and Mendez are all nominated for the Drama League’s distinguished performance award, and the show is up for best musical revival. Those prizes will be presented at a New York ceremony Friday, May 17.
In 2023, for playing Franklin Shepard in the off Broadway version of “Merrily,” Groff won the Outer Critics Circle award and was nominated for the Drama Desk award.
In reverse chronological order, “Merrily We Roll Along” music tells the story of the deteriorating friendship among three creatives.
Also on April 22, Groff officiated at the marriage of Mendez to her TV “All Rise” co-star J. Alex Brinson, Playbill.com reported, with Radcliffe as ring bearer.
Two other musicals featuring cast members with Lancaster County ties have recently been nominated for theater awards, as well.
“The Connector,” a limited-run off-Broadway musical about a reporter and copy editor at a news magazine, featured Lancaster native, McCaskey High School alumnus and Broadway actor Eliseo Roman in the role of Nestor Fineman. It was nominated for eight Drama Desk Awards Monday, April 29, including outstanding musical, and for three Outer Critics Circle Awards on April 23, including outstanding new off-Broadway musical.
The Broadway musical “Back to the Future,” featuring Nathaniel Hackmann, from Manheim Township, as Biff, earned two Tony nominations, along with five Outer Critics Circle nominations. Hackmann has also performed at the Fulton Theatre.
Groff, who performed on Lancaster County stages before moving to New York after high school, will appear in an unknown role in the new season of the long-running British science fiction show “Doctor Who,” to stream starting May 10 on Disney+.
Groff is also known for his TV performances in “Glee” and “Mindhunter,” and film roles including “Knock at the Cabin” and the Disney “Frozen” films. His latest film, the rom-com “A Nice Indian Boy,” recently premiered at the South By Southwest film festival.