Hamilton: Jonathan Groff to return for filmed shows

He’ll be back: Jonathan Groff will return for two Hamilton shows before creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda leaves the Broadway smash.

Groff, who played King George III as part of the production’s original Broadway cast, will participate in the two shows that will be taped prior to Miranda and costars Phillipa Soo and Leslie Odom, Jr. departing the musical after July 9.

Miranda announced the news during a Periscope chat with fans on Twitter.

“I mentioned to reporters last week: we are going to get an archival recording of our original cast performing Hamilton,” Miranda said. “And I’m happy to report that Jonathan Groff — Groffsauce, you love him, I love him — moved around his TV production schedule, and we’re going to get him. He’s going to perform in the performances we’re taping, which I’m really excited about.”

Currently, Rory O’Malley is playing King George III, but he’ll move aside for Groff to return. “I have to give a shoutout to Rory O’Malley, who in addition to being an amazing king is a prince,” Miranda said. “He’ll be sitting those shows out.”

The taped performances are one of a number of Hamilton projects in the works, including a PBS documentary (which Miranda said will debut in October) and the Hamilton mixtape (which Miranda pegged for November). As of now, it’s unclear when the performance footage will be released.

“We don’t know what we’re doing with that footage,” Miranda said. “We’re going to film it as best we can in the highest quality thing that exists, and then we’re going to put it away. I want you to rest easy knowing that I’m leaving, Pipa’s leaving, Leslie’s leaving, but this thing is going to exist. We’ve been working it for months to make it happen.”

For more from Miranda, watch his full Periscope chat here.