Since opening in April of 2025, Just in Time — the new musical looking at the life and loves of legendary crooner Bobby Darin — has become a Broadway hit, attracting passionate repeat audiences at least in part thanks to the Tony-nominated, powerhouse performance of its original leading man, Jonathan Groff.
But since Groff’s departure from the role of Darin on March 29, enthusiasm for Just In Time has not flagged — and has evolved along with its cast. A new, extremely-beloved Broadway regular has stepped into Darin’s form-fitting suits: Jeremy Jordan, most recently Tony-nominated for playing the title role in Floyd Collins, started as Bobby on April 21. And shortly before, The Pitt‘s Isa Briones (herself no stranger to Broadway, having done a stint as Eurydice in Hadestown) took over the role of Connie Francis (originated by Lawrence’s Gracie Lawrence), Darin’s one-time collaborator and romantic interest.
The audience response to Jordan and Briones has been overwhelming — and in kind, Just In Time will release today on Atlantic Records four brand new singles showcasing the two stars: their duet “First Real Love,” Jordan on “Dream Lover” and “Mack the Knife,” and Briones on “Who’s Sorry Now.”
Briones and Jordan had never met before being cast, but say they’re continuously enjoying developing Bobby and Connie’s onstage chemistry. “Jeremy is such a fun person to act with,” says Briones. “He’s always playing and trying new things — it keeps you on yoru toes and means you can get gems out of the most unexpected moments.” Jordan says that while the two are still “figuring out our show and our chemistry,” he loves “never 100% solidifying the choices, so it always feels fresh, there’s always room for discovery, and Isa’s really leaning into that with me — which I thank her greatly for, because it’s my favorite way to perform. She has great charisma, a great voice, and the second she walks onstage we lock eyes and we’re in.”
A video of Briones singing “Who’s Sorry Now” recently went viral, generating 9 million views across platforms. Seeing how that performance was received, along with clips of the other tracks, on social media inspired these single releases — even though its original cast recording has already been released (Just In Time‘s was Grammy-nominated).
“It was so exciting to see how well it was received,” says Briones, “and I think it just made sense to release them as full tracks. As a fan of theater, one of my favorite things is when I get to experience new actors and singers in shows I love … I’m so happy to be part of that experience for fans of this show.” Adds Jordan, “It’s kinda cool that at least a few of these songs will be immortalized on streaming.”
Isa Briones and Jeremy Jordan of Just In Time recording ‘My First Real Love’ (Photo credit: Michaelah Reynolds)
Among the tracks, Briones calls out “First Real Love” as particularly meaningful, as the recording occurred before she and Jordan even started performing together onstage. “It was the first time I really got to hear how we sound together, and I think our voices blend so well,” she says. “It was also a pinch-me moment for the musical theater nerd in me, the teen who used to fangirl over Jeremy.” For his part, Jordan says that the first time he heard Briones sing her part of the song, “I was on the floor.”
Jordan also recorded an iconic Darin track, “Mack the Knife,” very early in the rehearsal process — right after he learned it. “Me doing this recording was very exploratory and actually really helped me find some of the choices I ended up using in the show,” he says. “It forced me to look ahead and think about how bold I can make it.”
Billboard exclusively previews all four tracks before their May 4 release here.
