Groff won the Tony for this performance, and the staging is the sell: Circle in the Square is dressed as a supper club, the band is onstage, and Darin's songbook is delivered inches from the front tables like a real Copacabana set. It's the closest Broadway gets to a great Vegas residency with an actual story underneath — Darin died at 37, and the show earns its poignancy. Music lovers who resist 'jukebox bio-musicals' tend to make an exception here.
What to expect
An in-the-round nightclub staging with some patrons seated at cabaret tables on the floor. Around 2.5 hours with intermission, heavy on live big-band swing. Saturday matinee and evening performances.
Good to know
- Circle in the Square is on 50th west of Broadway, under the Paramount Plaza
- On-stage cabaret table seats are a splurge but a genuinely different experience
- Great pick for parents and grandparents who know the songbook — and converts younger skeptics
- Saturday 2pm & 8pm; Sunday matinee too
- Rush and lottery available most performances
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Common questions
Is Jonathan Groff still in it?
Groff originated the role and won the Tony; check the current casting calendar for scheduled absences before buying premium seats.
Do I need to know Bobby Darin?
No — the show is built as an introduction, and the songs ('Mack the Knife,' 'Beyond the Sea') are more familiar than his name.
