Andy Karl, the Star of ʻGroundhog Day,ʼ to Perform on Opening Night

NEW YORK (AP) — "Groundhog Day" will open as scheduled Monday night, as the show's star, Andy Karl, declared himself fit to perform days after a knee injury.

Karl will be wearing a knee brace, and may limp a bit, but should be otherwise fine, according to a spokesman for the show, Adrian Bryan-Brown.

An hour before curtain, Karl offered the first detailed explanation of his injury, which he said had been diagnosed as a torn anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. He said it could be treated with physical therapy.

Karl's performance Monday night comes at a crucial time for the production, which needs to open before April 27 to maintain its eligibility for Tony awards, and for him, because actors must perform on opening night to be eligible for a Tony award nomination. Karl must also continue to perform after the opening -- the rules require that he appear enough times to allow the approximately 850 Tony voters, to assess his performance.

The actor was injured Friday night during one of the last scheduled previews, before a crowd that included multiple journalists invited to attend as they prepared to write reviews.

The production canceled the Saturday matinee and deployed an understudy, Andrew Call, on Saturday night. On Sunday, there were no performances scheduled, so no adjustment was needed.

The musical, with a score by Tim Minchin and a book by Danny Rubin, is adapted from the 1993 film starring Bill Murray, about a weatherman who relives the same day over and over again. The musical was presented last year at the Old Vic Theater in London, also with Karl in the lead role, and last week it won Olivier awards for best new musical and for Karl's performance.

The show, directed by Matthew Warchus and produced by Whistle Pig, Columbia Live Stage and the Dodgers, is one of the most expensive of the current theater season. It was capitalized for up to $17.5 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.