Fans of the iconic 90s drama Dawson’s Creek were eagerly awaiting the much-anticipated stage reunion, but lead star James Van Der Beek was unable to attend due to illness. The charity event, held on September 22 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, aimed to raise funds for both F Cancer and Van Der Beek himself, who is currently undergoing treatment for Stage 3 colorectal cancer, a diagnosis he first revealed in late 2023.
The actor shared on Instagram that he had been struck by two stomach viruses, forcing him to withdraw from the one-night-only performance. He admitted it was the event he had been looking forward to the most since co-star Michelle Williams began organizing it earlier this year. “You can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out,” Van Der Beek wrote.
In a surprising twist, Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, stepped in to fill Van Der Beek’s shoes for the live reading of the show’s pilot episode. Van Der Beek called Miranda an “overqualified understudy,” joking that even his children saw the Tony-winning star as an upgrade. The replacement also carried symbolic weight, since the reunion took place in the very theater where Hamilton continues to run.
The reunion brought together original Dawson’s Creek cast members including Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, and Busy Philipps, who delighted fans by revisiting the show’s 1998 beginnings.
Though absent from the stage, Van Der Beek sent love to his fans from Austin and expressed gratitude to Miranda for stepping in. As he continues treatment, the night stood as a powerful reminder of the show’s legacy, the strength of its fan community, and the ongoing fight against cancer.
