Exclusive: See Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff Coach Kids on Celebrity Substitute

It's a Glee reunion on the digital series that brings stars to NYC classrooms to impart their wisdom on talented young kids.

March 03, 2026 By Meg Masseron

Real-life besties Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff are the latest "substitute teachers" on Celebrity Substitute, a digital series bringing stars all across film, television, music, and the stage to NYC public school classrooms to coach and impart their wisdom on talented young kids. And Playbill has an exclusive look!

Watch the clip above to see Tony winner Groff teach a youngster about the importance of humor in performance, even decking one student out in a costume akin to King George III in Hamilton for a performance of "You'll Be Back."

Then in the clip below, Groff former Spring Awakening costar Michele help students learn how to work through audition nerves.

Groff is currently starring in the hit Bobby Darin biomusical Just in Time, originating the lead role; he will perform until March 29. Michele is currently starring as Florence Vassy in the Broadway revival of Chess, performing at the Imperial Theatre through June 14. Groff and Michele notoriously share a decades-long friendship offstage, first in the original cast of Spring Awakening on Broadway and then playing a couple on the television show Glee.

Hosted by Julian Shapiro-Barnum, past guest stars on Celebrity Substitute include A$AP Rocky, Kehlani, Becky G, Cynthia Erivo, Florence Pugh, Andrew Garfield, Renee Rapp, Role Model, Rauw Alejandro, FKA Twigs, Billie Eilish, and more. The series is executive produced by EGOT winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul via their Ampersand production banner.