The Great Gatsby (musical)

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The Great Gatsby
A New Musical
TheGreatGatsbyBwayPoster.jpg
Broadway Promotional Poster
Music Jason Howland
Lyrics Nathan Tysen
Book Kait Kerrigan
Basis The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
PremiereOctober 12, 2023: Paper Mill Playhouse
Productions2023 Paper Mill Playhouse
2024 Broadway

The Great Gatsby is a 2023 stage musical with music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, and a book by Kait Kerrigan. It is based on the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Contents

The show started its Broadway previews on March 29, 2024, at the Broadway Theatre and officially opened on April 25, 2024. [1] [2] [3]

Production history

New Jersey (2023)

The show received its world premiere in Millburn, New Jersey, at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Previews began on October 12, 2023, with an official opening night on October 22. It played for a limited engagement through November 12. It starred Jeremy Jordan, Eva Noblezada, Noah J. Ricketts, and Stanley Wayne Mathis as Jay, Daisy, Nick, and Wolfsheim respectively. [4] It was directed by Marc Bruni and choreographed by Dominique Kelly.

Broadway (2024)

In January 2024, it was announced that the Paper Mill production would transfer to Broadway in the spring of 2024. Jeremy Jordan, Eva Noblezada, and Noah J. Ricketts reprised their roles as Jay, Daisy, and Nick respectively. Eric Anderson joined the cast as Wolfsheim, replacing Stanley Wayne Mathis. The show is directed by Marc Bruni with set design by Paul Tate dePoo III. The show started previews on March 29, 2024, at the Broadway Theatre, and officially opened on April 25, 2024. [5] [6]

Cast and characters

CharacterMillburn [7] Broadway [8]
20232024
Jay Gatsby Jeremy Jordan
Daisy Buchanan Eva Noblezada
Nick Carraway Noah J. Ricketts
Jordan BakerSamantha Pauly
Myrtle Wilson Sara Chase
Tom BuchananJohn Zdrojeski
George WilsonPaul Whitty
Meyer Wolfsheim Stanley Wayne Mathis Eric Anderson

Musical numbers

Paper Mill Playhouse

Broadway

Reception

The Guardian described the original Broadway performance as an 'underwhelming transfer to stage in a bombastic yet misfiring new production' criticizing the plays comedic direction stating it 'thins by the musical's second act' and the focus on the 'love story' instead of the 'rigorous analysis of class or the American dream' prevalent in the source material. [9]

The New York Times stated that 'This musical adaptation, now on Broadway, is a lot of Jazz Age fun. But it forgot that Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel endures because it is a tragedy.' Criticizing the 'underwhelming' nature and inability to take characters such as Myrtle 'seriously', but praised the sets and technical affects. [10]

Entertainment Weekly summarised the Broadway adaption as 'A glitzy take on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel that values spectacle over substance', stating the 'tone swings wildly back and forth'. However they also praised the casts multidimensional performances and Cho's period costumes. [11]

The Washington Post criticized the shows lack of 'subtlety' and shedding of important themes to become 'a rom-com that nose-dives into overwrought melodrama', describing the play's second act as a 'a rapid succession of false ends' where the play is 'blinded' by capitalism. However, they praised Ricketts performance as Nick Carraway and the set and costumes. [12]

Variety Magazine praised the set, costumes, and visuals, but stated the show traded 'the novel’s soul for flashy visuals' and criticized plot changes such as making Nick and Jordan explicitly heterosexual, rushing plot points, removing Daisy's 'morally bankrupt and selfish' aspects, and that 'most egregiously the musical completely omits Gatsby's backstory'. [13]

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2024 Drama League Awards [14] Distinguished Performance Eva Noblezada Pending
Outer Critics Circle Awards [15] Outstanding New Broadway MusicalNominated
Outstanding Scenic DesignPaul Tate dePoo IIIWon
Outstanding Video/ProjectionsNominated
Outstanding Costume DesignLinda ChoWon
Tony Awards Best Costume Design in a Musical Linda ChoPending

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The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan.

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References

  1. Wild, Stephi. "Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada Will Lead THE GREAT GATSBY Musical on Broadway This Spring". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  2. "Noah J. Ricketts, Samantha Pauly, Eric Anderson, and More Join the Cast of THE GREAT GATSBY on Broadway". Archived from the original on 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  3. Collins-Hughes, Laura (April 25, 2024). "Review: A New 'Great Gatsby' Leads With Comedy and Romance - This musical adaptation, now on Broadway, is a lot of Jazz Age fun. But it forgot that Fitzgerald's 1925 novel endures because it is a tragedy". The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  4. Gans, Andrew (July 24, 2023). "Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada Will Star in The Great Gatsby Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse". Playbill. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  5. Wild, Stephi. "Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada Will Lead THE GREAT GATSBY Musical on Broadway This Spring". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  6. "Noah J. Ricketts, Samantha Pauly, Eric Anderson, and More Join the Cast of THE GREAT GATSBY on Broadway". Archived from the original on 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  7. Gans, Andrew (2023-07-23). "Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada Will Star in The Great Gatsby Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  8. "'Great Gatsby' musical completes casting for Broadway bow". Broadway News. 2024-02-20. Archived from the original on 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  9. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/apr/25/great-gatsby-broadway-review
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/theater/the-great-gatsby-review-noblezada-jordan.html
  11. https://ew.com/the-great-gatsby-review-musical-broadway-8637932
  12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater/2024/04/25/great-gatsby-musical-broadway-review/
  13. https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/the-great-gatsby-review-broadway-musical-jeremy-jordan-1235981841/
  14. Rosky, Nicole. "MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, CABARET & More Lead in Nominations for 2024 Drama League Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  15. Culwell-Block, Logan (2024-05-13). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-05-13.