The Glee actor will play Jacob opposite Shucked’s Isabelle McCalla as Marlena.
Broadway is about to get a little flashier.
Gustin will star as Jacob opposite Isabelle McCalla (The Prom, Shucked) as Marlena.
Grant Gustin.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
“This was my original dream as a kid,” Gustin tells EW of making his Broadway debut.
It’s very surreal and exciting and terrifying and all the appropriate emotions.
I’m beyond thrilled to join the company.
I can’t wait to start rehearsals and meet everybody and get on stage again."
“The circus artistry is astounding and the score by Pig Pen Theatre Co. is electric.
It’s the role of a lifetime!”
Previews forWater for Elephantsbegin Feb. 24 before opening night on March 21 at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre.
Watch the music video of “Wild” from the show above and read more from Gustin below.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You’re making your Broadway debut.
Is there something about this rolethat made it worth the wait?
There were opportunities that were really tempting.
And this is something I feel like I never could have dreamed of.
It really is a pinch me moment, and it doesn’t really feel real to me yet.
I haven’t even jumped into rehearsals.
Many of your fans first were introduced to you as a singer.
Has it been second nature getting back into it, or has there been a learning curve?
Honestly, a bit of a learning curve.
It had been 13 years, basically.
And I was always a dancer that sang.
Is the score vocally challenging?
Everyone is really putting a lot of trust into me and making me feel really supported so far.
It’s unlike other shows that are on Broadway right now or that I’ve ever seen on Broadway.
I feel really lucky to be able to sing this music by PigPen.
Coming into the project, had you read the Sara Gruen novel or seen the 2011 film?
How familiar were you with it?
I’m finishing re-reading it now.
I love the book.
They’ve really tried to stay true to the book here.
How much do you think Jacob is alike or different from some of your more famous characters?
What do you have left?
He has lost everything that was important to him and his whole foundation in life.
He’s deciding, “Do I pick everything up and continue?
Or do I let this consume me?”
He decides to live his life and fight and move forward and go on this journey.
There’s some similarity there between the characters for sure.
You’ve had romances in your work before, but this seems your most deeply romantic role.
Would you agree, and is that part of what makes this an exciting new thing to tackle?
It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.
Probably super vocal powers of never getting tired.
That’s going to be, as it is for every Broadway performer, challenging.
You have to be disciplined.
But it was coming home and memorizing nine pages every night to go back to work.
You have to take care of yourself, take care of your body.
But I want some super human vocal healing and recovery abilities during this run for sure.
