James Van Der Beek is going to miss the Dawson's Creek reunion reading at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.
Dawson's Creek alums Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson will read the pilot script at the event Monday. Hamilton creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda will fill in for Van Der Beek.
"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," Van Der Beek wrote on Instagram Sunday evening. "So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach vires conspire to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment. 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."
"But I do have an understudy," he continued. "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. Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that's convenient. The role of Dawson, usually played by James Van Der Beek will be played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Can't believe I just got to type that."
The series, which premiered in 1998, aired through 2003.Jackson previously told Jennifer Hudson on The Jennifer Hudson Show that Der Beek's battle "brought the whole gang back together."
"We have a little group text going and last I heard, it's not really my story to tell, but the latest round of treatment was doing well," he said at the time.
