Just in Time's Gracie Lawrence on Portraying Connie Francis; Music Legend Has Died at 87

Connie Francis, the perky-voiced ‘50s and ‘60s pop singer and one of the biggest selling female recording artists of all time—currently portrayed by Gracie Lawrence in the Bobby Darin biomusical Just in Time on Broadway—has died at 87. 

“RIP Connie Francis,” Lawrence said in a tribute on Instagram. “Thank you for your voice and your resilience, which as you hoped, will absolutely be your legacy.”

Lawrence, a recording artist in her own right with the band Lawrence, was familiar with the bubbly “Stupid Cupid” singer but was not overly familiar with her life story. As part of her research, Lawrence read Francis’ memoir, watched every YouTube interview she could find and plunged deep into her discography—all in an effort to piece together an idea of what Francis was like behind the scenes. “As a musician, I’m obsessed with learning about female musicians and their stories,” she told Broadway.com. “Getting the opportunity to be paid to read about Connie Francis has been a real luxury.” In another interview, Lawrence elaborated, "I'm so honored to tell another woman in music’s story. I feel like it's a very connected, meta and almost spiritual experience. So that's how I'm kind of viewing this moment of my life."

Lawrence and Jonathan Groff, who plays Darin in the show, both received signed photographs from Francis as opening-night gifts.

Earlier this year, Francis’ 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” went viral, reaching No. 1 on TikTok’s Viral 50 and Top 50 charts. Speaking to People.com about the phenomenon, Francis, living in South Florida, said she also looked forward to traveling to New York—once she recovered from a hip injury that left her wheelchair-bound—to see Just in Time.

As depicted in the musical, Francis met Bobby Darin, then an up-and-coming songwriter, in 1956. Their musical collaboration, "My First Real Love,” written by Darin and Don Kirshner, was one of Francis’ early flops, but Francis and Darin embarked on a love affair. As also depicted in the show, the pair hung out at Hanson's Drugstore on 51st and 7th Avenue near 1650 Broadway, a music industry landmark connected to the Brill Building. At Hanson’s, Darin would wax lyrical to Francis about the future of pop music. 

Francis' overly protective father eventually drew a gun on Darin, bringing a premature end to the relationship, but Francis would always say he was the love of her life. 

Born December 12, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey, Concetta Rosemarie Franconero’s career took off at the age of 10, when she was one of the talented child performers featured on the television show Starchild—playing accordion, which she had done since the age of three. The show’s host Arthur Godfrey, struggling with pronouncing her surname, suggested the name change. 

Francis signed a record contract with MGM when she was 16—it helped that her demo featured a song named “Freddy,” the name of the MGM president’s son. In 1957, on what was meant to be her last session at MGM after a series of flop singles—she intended to quit singing and go to New York University—she recorded “Who’s Sorry Now?,” a song she disliked, in one take. It was the first in a string of huge hits for the singer. In 1960, Francis became the first woman to top the Billboard singles chart. By 1967, in a career encompassing pop, country and rock’n’roll, she had amassed 35 U.S. Top 40 hits including several number ones.