Justin Townsend
Video: NYC Public School Students Sing 'Beyond the Sea' For Jonathan Groff (Feb 26, 2026)
Video: Matthew Morrison Talks 'Homecoming' to Broadway After Ten-Year Hiatus (Feb 24, 2026)
Matthew Morrison Will Return to Broadway in JUST IN TIME (Feb 19, 2026)
BIO
Justin Townsend received a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award Honour for his work on Moulin Rouge! The Musical. His Broadway credits include Jagged Little Pill, Saint Joan, Present Laughter, The Little Foxes, The Humans (Tony nomination), American Psycho (Tony nomination), Fool for Love, Casa Valentina, A Night with Janis Joplin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Other Place, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. He served as Creative Director for Drake’s “Boy Meets World” European Tour and OVO Fest 2017. He previously worked with Alex Timbers on Here Lies Love. He is an associate professor at Brooklyn College.
Photos
Productions
Awards and Nominations
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
Justin Townsend, Here Lies Love
winner
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!
winner
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!
winner
Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!
Justin Townsend, The Little Foxes
winner
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
winner
Justin Townsend, The Humans
winner
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Justin Townsend, The Humans
winner
Justin Townsend
winner
Justin Townsend, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
winner
Justin Townsend, Here Lies Love
Justin Townsend, Here Lies Love
Justin TownsendOne Night with Janis Joplin
Justin Townsend, Unnatural Acts
Justin TownsendHamlet
Justin Townsend, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Videos
Video: NYC Public School Students Sing 'Beyond the Sea' For Jonathan Groff
by Michael Major - 2026-02-26 16:36:07
Video: Matthew Morrison Talks 'Homecoming' to Broadway After Ten-Year Hiatus
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-02-24 13:46:00
Video: First Look At Jasmine Amy Rogers, Jelani Alladin And Jordan Donica In THE WILD PARTY
by A.A. Cristi - 2026-02-18 22:28:42
Video: How JUST IN TIME Was Redesigned For Its Relaxed Performance
by Michael Major - 2026-02-09 12:49:57
Video: Watch Jonathan Groff Perform 'Beyond the Sea' From JUST IN TIME
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-02-05 10:14:27
Video: Sarah Hyland Recalls Mishap During First Performance of JUST IN TIME
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-12-03 15:10:55
Videos: Inside Rehearsals For BAT BOY at New York City Center
by Michael Major - 2025-10-21 12:00:05
Video: Taylor Trensch & Gabi Carrubba Sing 'Mine, All Mine' from BAT BOY
by Nicole Rosky - 2025-10-16 16:39:23
Video: Andrew Resnick Unpacks the Music of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
by Nicole Rosky - 2025-10-07 15:15:40
Video: Jonathan Groff Performs 'Mack The Knife' From JUST IN TIME on THE TONIGHT SHOW
by Stephi Wild - 2025-09-19 06:17:05
Video: Jonathan Groff Recalls Seven-Year Journey to JUST IN TIME on THE LATE SHOW
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-04-01 10:33:46
Video: Solea Pfeiffer Performs 'Firework' From MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-02-18 15:13:31
Video: Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard & More in DEATH BECOMES HER
by Chloe Rabinowitz - 2024-11-20 10:46:23
Video: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL Celebrates 5 Years on Broadway
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-07-27 14:19:42
Video: MOULIN ROUGE! 5th Anniversary Performance Curtain Call Speech
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-07-26 06:42:58
Video/Photos: Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Michelle Williams & More in DEATH BECOMES HER
by Joshua Wright - 2024-05-18 23:39:44
News
by Michael Major - Feb 26, 2026
Students from New York City Public Schools serenaded Just In Time star Jonathan Groff with a rendition of Bobby Darin's 'Beyond the Sea.' Watch a video of their performance at Circle in the Square!
by Josh Sharpe - Feb 24, 2026
After a ten-year hiatus, Matthew Morrison is returning to the Great White Way. Having last been seen on Broadway in Finding Neverland, Morrison will take over as Bobby Darrin in the hit musical Just in Time this April. He visited TODAY on Tuesday to chat all about it. Watch the interview now.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 19, 2026
Screen Actors Guild Award winner and Tony Award, Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Matthew Morrison will star as Bobby Darin in the Broadway musical JUST IN TIME.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 19, 2026
Go behind the scenes of ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY, starring Jasmine Amy Rogers (BOOP!), Jelani Alladin (Frozen), and Jordan Donica (Camelot) as City Center releases a new look at the stars during their first cast photo shoot. Watch the video!
by Nicole Rosky - Feb 18, 2026
Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff will play his final performance on Sunday, March 29, 2026. A replacement to cover performances between Groff and Jordan has not yet been announced, but the news will come tomorrow, February 19.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 12, 2026
The Tony Award-winning, record-breaking Broadway production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical will welcome recording artist and Broadway sensation Kelsie Watts in the role of “Satine” beginning Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 11, 2026
Moulin Rouge! The Musical will welcome Arianna Rosario in the role of “Satine” and Nicci Claspell joins the company during this period as the “Satine” Alternate. Learn more here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 10, 2026
The complete cast has been set for New York City Center Encores! The Wild Party. Original Broadway cast member Tonya Pinkins returns to the show, this time as Dolores Montoya.
by - Feb 10, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is February 10, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
by Michael Major - Feb 9, 2026
Lighting designer Justin Townsend is sharing how Just In Time became an 'all-access' experience for its recent relaxed performance for TDF. Watch a video of him explaining how they prepared for the show.
by Josh Sharpe - Feb 5, 2026
During a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, a segment was dedicated to the hit musical Just in Time, featuring a pre-recorded performance of Beyond the Sea from Jonathan Groff. Check it out now.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 3, 2026
The 1/52 Project has opened applications for its 2026 grant cycle supporting early-career theatre designers from historically excluded groups. Founded by Beowulf Boritt, the OBIE Award-winning program provides financial grants of up to $17,500.
by Nicole Rosky - Jan 22, 2026
Two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award nominee Jeremy Jordan will star as Bobby Darin in the record-breaking, award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated smash hit musical JUST IN TIME.
by Steve Murray - Dec 19, 2025
What did our critic think of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at Orpheum Theatre? The appeal, based on the audience, is the acknowledgment of the song snippets – an “I know that song” reward. But the conceit grows thin and becomes one big cheat.
by David Green - Dec 11, 2025
The Tony Winning Best Musical MOULIN ROUGE was the highly anticipated opener to the McCallum's Broadway Season and it brought an enthusiastic audience all the promised spectacle, glitz, excess, bawdiness and More, More, More!!! There is much to love about this thrill ride of a production -- but the real headliners of this jukebox musical are Justin Townsend's lighting, Derek McLane's scenic design and Sonya Teyah's Tony Winning choreography. They stole the show, even from the superbly talented cast!
by James Lindhorst - Dec 9, 2025
There is nothing like the holidays in New York City. Ice skating under the iconic Rockefeller Center Tree, watching the Rockettes high kick in Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular, eating your way through the Winter Village in Bryant Park, and admiring the decorated storefront windows on 5th Avenue is unforgettable. But for this regional theater critic, all the holiday hoopla (which I enjoyed) is secondary to attending live theater in Manhattan.
by Zach Wetzel - Dec 4, 2025
MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at Broadway in Tucson casts a poignant spell over Centennial Hall this December 2-7. A transcendent spectacle, MOULIN ROUGE is a feast for the senses and will give audiences plenty to talk about.
by Josh Sharpe - Dec 3, 2025
Following her run as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby earlier this year, Sarah Hyland is back treading the boards in Just in Time, taking on the role of the iconic Connie Francis.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 3, 2025
Comedian and writer, Sam Jay, is set to perform at the Claire Tow Theater where she begins performances of Sam Jay: We The People tonight.
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 3, 2025
The North American tour of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL will welcome new principal cast members this December. Gabriela Carrillo, Ryan Vasquez, and Adéa Michelle Sessoms will join the company beginning December 23 in San Francisco.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Outstanding Lighting Design (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Death Becomes Her, Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Death Becomes Her, Outstanding Lighting Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway) (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Here Lies Love, Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Moulin Rouge!, Outstanding Lighting Design (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Moulin Rouge!, Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Jagged Little Pill, Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Moulin Rouge!, Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Little Foxes, Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for American Psycho, Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for The Humans, Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for American Psycho, Outstanding Lighting Design (The Lortels) for The Humans, Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for American Psycho, Best Lighting Design of a Play (Tony Awards) for The Humans, Performance- Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design (Obie Awards), Hewes Design Award (The Hewes Awards) for Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, Outstanding Lighting Design (The Lortels) for Here Lies Love, Outstanding Lighting Design (Drama Desk Awards) for Here Lies Love, Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for One Night with Janis Joplin, Outstanding Lighting Design (The Lortels) for Unnatural Acts, Outstanding Lighting Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Hamlet and Outstanding Lighting Design (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.
Justin Townsend has won several prestigious awards for his lighting design work. He received the Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for Moulin Rouge! and also won Outstanding Lighting Design at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the same show. He earned the Best Lighting Design of a Musical Tony Award for Jagged Little Pill. Additionally, Townsend won Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for American Psycho, and Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for The Humans. He also secured Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for American Psycho. His sustained excellence in lighting design was recognized with the Performance - Sustained Excellence of Lighting Design Obie Award. Townsend won the Hewes Design Award from The Hewes Awards for Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, and Outstanding Lighting Design at The Lortels for Here Lies Love.
Videos