Jonathan Groff Receives Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts

Jonathan Groff, currently in Just in Time on Broadway, has received his honorary doctorate of fine arts! The doctorate was given by Franklin and Marshall College after a performance at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

Jonathan is a graduate of Conestoga Valley High School and took part in many community productions in Lancaster, including several plays at the Fulton Theater and the Ephrata Performing Arts Center. At 17, he directed and starred in the production of 'You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown' that won the highest honor at an annual high school theater festival at the Fulton.

Sue Fisher, Groff's first drama teacher, was the one to present the award to him. When he received the award, Groff said, "This is a total surprise. I’m so honored, I’m so thrilled, and I just want to say before we go, that teachers are everything." 

Jonathan has collaborated with F&M students, alumni and faculty, especially those associated with the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House. He has joined them virtually, to answer questions about the theater, and participated in a recent panel discussion organized by the Writers House in New York City. The panel was moderated by James Lapine, a 1971 Franklin & Marshall graduate and a three-time Tony Award winning director, playwright and screenwriter.

Watch the full video:

About Jonathan Groff 

Jonathan Groff (Franklin) is a talented Emmy and two-time Tony Award nominee. Groff recently co-starred opposite Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix Resurrections. The film, written and directed by Lana Wachowski, released in theaters and on HBO Max on Wednesday December 22nd. 

On Monday November 15, 2021, Groff reunited with the entire original Broadway cast and band of Spring Awakening for a one-night-only, sold-out, 15th anniversary reunion concert, which benefitted The Actors Fund. The reunion concert was the subject of the HBO documentary, "Spring Awakening: Those You've Known," produced by Groff, his castmate Lauren Pritchard and Radical Media. The documentary is available to stream on HBO Max.

In the summer of 2015, Groff originated the role as King George III in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Pulitzer Prize-winning production of Hamilton on Broadway. The musical, which began Off-Broadway and tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, won 11 Tony Awards in 2016, including “Best Musical." Groff also received a Tony Award nomination for his performance, and the cast won a Grammy Award and Billboard Music Award for the original cast recording. The Emmy Award-winning film adaptation of the Broadway musical is currently streaming on Disney+. Groff also received an individual Emmy Award nomination for his performance in this film.

Jonathan Groff received his honorary doctorate of fine arts by Franklin & Marshall College tonight
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