Groff also starred in the Off-Broadway world premiere of the play "The Submission" by Jeff Talbott with MCC Theater. The production was directed by Walter Bobbie and performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre from September 8 to October 22, 2011. He portrayed Danny Larsen, a white playwright who submits his play under the pen name of an African American woman, alongside Rutina Wesley, who played an actress he hires to pose as the writer. The production was met with mostly positive reviews, with "The New York Times" praising the script for its "self-awareness" but also finding it "too theatrical" and lacking "real emotions". Groff's acting was widely praised, however, with critics calling his performance "exceptional", "deft", and "disarming".