James Van Der Beek may have been physically unable to attend the Dawson’s Creek reunion, but Dawson Leery’s presence was felt when Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and company gathered at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway.
The Monday, September 22, event kicked off with Williams, 45, Holmes, 46, and Jackson, 47, taking the stage to read their respective roles as Jen Lindley, Joey Potter and Pacey Witter, the audience screamed in excitement. The theater then paused to play a video from Van Der Beek, who sent a special message of appreciation to fans.
“I can’t believe I’m not there,” the actor, 48, began. “I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my castmates, my beautiful cast, in person, and I just wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight — from the cast to the crew to everybody who donated their time and has been so generous. And especially every single last one of you. You’re the best fans in the world. Thank you for coming.”
Van Der Beek then pivoted to who would be taking over his role of protagonist Dawson Leery during the reading. “Now, obviously on Dawson’s Creek, I didn’t have an understudy. But this is Broadway,” he said, adding that he wanted to find someone his kids would “consider an upgrade” from their own dad. “Somebody who basically you would never believe we got to do it.”
Jokingly referring to him as a “new up and comer,” Van Der Beek then introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda to the stage, sparking roaring applause from the audience.
Van Der Beek was sure to soak in the experience any way he could. In the hours leading up to the event, his wife, Kimberly, was seen taking videos of fans in line, telling them, “This is for James!”
Van Der Beek — who is battling stage III colon cancer — announced on Sunday, September 21, that he wouldn’t be in attendance on Monday because he’s ill. Broadway vet Miranda would be stepping in for the reading of the Dawson’s Creek pilot.
“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January… So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment,” the actor, 48, wrote via Instagram. “Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most.”
He went on to gush about Miranda.
“But I DO have an understudy. A ridiculously overqualified replacement who would have been #1 on my wishlist (had I ever dreamed he’d be available). Someone my kids would definitely consider an upgrade over me…” he continued. “Everyone please enjoy all the love in that room. Shine some on my family. I will be beaming and receiving from afar in a bed in Austin.”
Kimberly later confirmed in several social media comments that she will be there with their kids. The couple share daughters Olivia, 14, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, and Gwendolyn, 6, and sons Joshua, 12, and Jeremiah, 3.
Williams, Holmes and Jackson were joined by Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps to raise money for F Cancer on Monday.
“The first phone call I got was from James himself,” Humes revealed in Us Weekly’s Dawson’s Creek cover story earlier this month. “He told me that Michelle was spearheading this, and it was a way for us to actually have a reunion, all of us together, and celebrate James’ life. Because he’s dealing with a very difficult situation; very optimistic, but a difficult situation. Together as a TV family, we just thought we needed to be there for him and rally around him.”
Tickets for the long-awaited Dawson’s Creek cast reunion sold out in just 12 minutes on Friday, August 22. Dawson’s Creek fans jumped at their chance to attend the “Class Reunion” with original cast members James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson when tickets went on sale via Broadway Direct. The event […]
Philipps, for her part, told Us that she has been helping BFF Williams with the planning. “I’ve been helping organize it. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s so exciting to bring everyone together for James,” she said. “It’s going to be amazing.”
