Broadway's Jonathan Groff Shines in 'Taking Woodstock'

(AP Photo/Public Theatre Press Department Joan Marcus) Groff as Dionysus_

Broadway star Jonathan Groff turns in an amazing performance in the new movie, Taking Woodstock, that opened last weekend. The former star of Spring Awakening and Hair in the Park lit up the screen with his portrayal of Michael Lang who was one of the co-creators of the concert at Woodstock in 1969.

The first time Groff appears, he emerges from a helicopter onto the dilapidated motel property of Elliot Teichberg, the main character of the movie. Groff playing Lang is just outright beautiful on camera. There is no other way to describe him. His portrayal of a young man who has a vision of what the upcoming concert can become is played to perfection. He also shows that very confident side of the character as he stresses that things will work out, things will be fine, we’ll get it together in a way that would reassure an Elliot that all was well. And in a sense, it was all well until Lang predicts at the end, “we’ll probably all sue each other” which is exactly what ended up happening in real life.

Last summer, Groff appeared as lead character Claude in the Public Theatre production of Hair in Central Park.  Maybe that gave him that sense of peace that he installs into his character in Taking Woodstock, because he certainly is very believable. In fact, he told the Huffington Post in an August 28th article that he was rehearsing for Taking Woodstock while performing in Hair.

And then I was performing Hair at night, getting in a white van that drove me to upstate New York to rehearse with Ang, and then the van would drive me back the next morning and I would get up, go to rehearsal and then do Hair at night. That was back and forth for a while. And then I left Hair on a Saturday night and started shooting Taking Woodstock on Monday. So it was literally those two projects back to back.

I did it for about a month. it was a really intense time. It was completely joyful and exhausting at the same time.

Taking Woodstock opened to mixed reviews. Some were disappointed that the music and the concert were not shown. If viewers go in to see this movie realizing that this is a story of the events that were in the background of the music, they will be pleased with what they see. There are a few slow moments that could have been cut, but all in all, it’s a good portrayal of how the concert actually came to be and how some of the local people were able to be a part of it.

And for those who are Jonathan Groff fans, well, prepare to be dazzled. This is a man who lights up the screen with an appearance and an energy not often seen. Theater, movies, or both? That might become a question he will have to decide on very soon.