Just In Time: A Nostalgic Dive into the Complex Lives of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee
Hold onto your hats, Broadway aficionados! Strap in for “Just in Time,” the new musical that promises to whisk audiences away into an intimate nightclub setting, where 16 performers will conjure the life of legendary crooner Bobby Darin and his whirlwind romance with silver screen goddess Sandra Dee. Daring, right? Jonathan Groff, fresh from his Tony win, leads this star-studded production directed by the illustrious Alex Timbers, known for his innovative storytelling techniques. Unlike your typical bio-musicals—which have seemingly become a Broadway cliché, shaming us with tales of Motown legends and pop icons—”Just in Time” aims to make you feel like you’re in the front row as Darin turns it up on stage. As Groff himself described it, they’re tapping into Darin’s “live magic” from the ’50s and ’60s, a time when the performer basked in the spotlight and had audiences weak in the knees.
Erika Henningsen, back on Broadway as the sunny teen idol Sandra Dee, emphasizes the show’s unique immersive quality, promising that this isn’t just another proscenium-style snooze fest. Instead, expect a staged escapade that puts you right in the middle of the action—almost too close for comfort, like an awkward family gathering at the Copacabana. Henningsen, who previously dazzled as Cady Heron in “Mean Girls,” likens Bobby and Sandra’s dynamic to an intense living room experience that dips into their authentic, if tumultuous, relationship.
Let’s not forget the backstory. Bobby and Sandra’s romance kicked off in 1960 on the set of the film “Come September” in Italy, leading to a whirlwind marriage that gave Dee the freedom to break from her overbearing mother. The couple soon discovered that paradise comes with its share of storm clouds, and by 1967, their marriage unraveled amidst pressures that would make even the strongest pairs crack. So if you’re in the mood for nostalgia mixed with a side of turmoil and a whole lot of ’70s glamour, grab your tickets. “Just in Time” will offer a raw and intimate look at icons who lived larger than life — even if their love story was more of a dramatic rollercoaster than a fairy tale.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and People Magazine, The Broadway Show, Variety
