How the GROUNDHOG DAY Cast Nail Their Unbelievable Quick Changes Again (and Again)

On a recent episode of Broadway Bartender, host Anthony Caporale welcomed Michael Fatica, Travis Waldschmidt, and Vishal Vaidya from the musical GROUNDHOG DAY to the bar.

Of all the crazy aspects of the show, one that is most shocking is the amount of costume changes, and how quickly they happen. The cast confirmed to Anthony that there are 300 costume changes in the show! Travis Waldschmidt, who plays Jeff, has 29 changes alone, with one being done in 5 seconds!

Waldschmidt explains, "One of the big things in our show is that we have to turn like that in a day. So since the next day is going to happen really quickly, we have to run off stage and in the next 10 seconds you're back as a different character. So I personally do 29 costume changes in the show, which is the most. One has 5 seconds! I run off in a full parka and hat and I come on as a band member with a trombone, and it happens in 5 seconds."

Vaidya went on to talk about how crazy it gets for the dressers backstage, saying, "They are running around! So, with the day starting at the top of the day over and over again, it's not like you just discard things and that's it like in most shows; you have to start back over again. The crew and the wardrobe team and hair team is running around resetting everything so as soon as we discard something, they have to track it back across stage so it can be in the same spot!"

Check out the rest of the episode here.

Based on the iconic film, Groundhog Day is re-imagined by the award-winning creators of the international hit Matilda The Musical-including director Matthew Warchus and songwriter Tim Minchin-with a book by original screenwriter Danny Rubin. Starring Olivier Award winner and three-time Tony Award nominee Andy Karl, Groundhog Day is the new musical comedy about living life to the fullest, one day at a time.