Jonathan Groff receives surprise on Broadway from Lancaster County mentor
By Baylee Martin
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LANCASTER COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — Sue Fisher kept a promise to Lancaster County native and Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff by attending his Broadway show and surprising him on stage with his honorary doctorate. Fisher has been following Groff’s career for 26 years since middle school, and she recently joined him on stage after the curtain call of “Just in Time.”
“I had the honor of presenting him with his diploma from his honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from F&M and his hood right there on stage,” Fisher said.
Groff was awarded the honorary doctorate from Franklin & Marshall College in the spring, and Fisher accepted the degree on his behalf, an experience she described as unforgettable.
“That’s all I could focus on, just thinking about him and how much he deserved the honor of this degree, but also how much he deserved all of that applause and the accolades. And we just coming out of that audience. And I was just so incredibly proud,” Fisher said.
Groff, who performed the lead role in Mrs. Fisher’s eighth-grade play, has since thanked her on the Tony Awards stage for her encouragement.
“You’ve got a talent that is unlike anything I’ve seen. You need to pursue this,” Fisher told Groff.
Groff has gone on to star in movies and shows like “Frozen” and “Glee,” and on Broadway in “Spring Awakening,” “Hamilton,” and now “Just in Time.” Fisher reflected on Groff’s journey from a boy with a dream to a celebrated performer.
“That’s the way it has always been. You can never get enough of watching him on stage,” Fisher said.
Jonathan Groff emphasized the importance of teachers in helping students understand where their dreams can lead them.
“Jonathan followed his dream,” said Fisher. “But that’s what we’re here to do. Help kids understand what their dreams can, where their dreams can lead them.”
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