With less than a year on stage, The Great Gatsby musical has already gained major attention from Broadway enthusiasts and literary fans. This adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical and was nominated for four Outer Critics Circle Awards (including Outstanding New Broadway Musical). The Great Gatsby had its world premiere in 2023 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, starring Jeremy Jordan as Jay Gatsby and Eva Noblezada as Daisy Buchanan. Noblezada was nominated for the 2024 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance in The Great Gatsby. It is currently running at the Broadway Theatre in New York City. As a fan of both the novel as well as the movie (the Leonardo DiCaprio version…DUH), I was excited but also skeptical to see how it had been adapted into a musical. As a Broadway fan, the visuals were incredible, but as a fan of the book, I felt it fell short.
The Actors Â
The current production stars Ryan McCartan as Jay Gatsby. Broadway fans may recognize him as Fiyero in Wicked and Hans in Disney’s Frozen, but real fans know him as Diggy in Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie. I’ll admit, going in, I wondered about the ability of a Disney star to carry the role of Gatsby, but I was quickly humbled by his talent. McCartan delivered strong vocals, incredible acting skills, and an undeniable stage presence that shone. His performance of “For Her” in Act One earned roaring applause and essentially a standing ovation mid-show. However, his interpretation of Gatsby was less confident than the book and movie portrayed him. It took away from his facade of the new money, larger-than-life star that we are used to from the novel and film. It somewhat dulled the mystery of Jay Gatsby that defines the character.
Sarah Hyland (yes, Haley Dunphy from Modern Family) plays opposite him as Daisy Buchanan. Her vocal strength was clear, but the portrayal of Daisy was similar to her typical roles of being the ditzy and whimsical character. Although I felt like I was watching another episode of Modern Family, her charm and warmth were clear on stage. Â
The rest of the cast had strong vocals, with Michael Maliakel as the charismatic narrator, Nick Carraway. The role of Meyer Wolfsheim was played by Broadway veteran Terrence Mann, who left the audience laughing with his great comedic timing in this role.Â
The ProductionÂ
As a whole, the production was a visual masterpiece. It truly felt like we were transported back to the 1920s. This play is hosted at the Broadway Theatre, which is only one of three Broadway venues actually located on the same-named street. When you walk into the theatre, the huge chandeliers and art deco decor make you feel like you’ve been partying in the Gatsby mansion all night. Â
The set design is incredibly immersive. The front edge of the stage mimics the edge of Gatsby’s pool, complete with ladders leading up to the stage. The towering, motorized doors take up the vertical space of the stage, making it truly look like a mansion with tall ceilings. Furniture glides in and out seamlessly, and real cars were driven across the stage, adding to a sense of richness in the production. The lights are blue and green (of course) to showcase both the allure and mystery of Gatsby’s world. During the party scenes, complete with giant sparklers, the dancing never stops and is so extravagant that you don’t know where to look but somehow, it adds to the production.Â
The Adaptation
While the musical nails the glamour, I feel this adaptation left out some of the most important themes and changed the characters. As I mentioned before, Gatsby was portrayed as being a bit timid and insecure, which took away from his facade. Part of his tragedy in the novel comes from how convincing his “new money” persona is, and his confidence faltered too much to truly see that. More than that, his shady dealings were barely explored or explained to the audience. Â
As for Jordan Baker, there have been theories that she is potentially LGBTQ+ in the book, but the musical made it abundantly clear that she is straight. This flattens some of the emotional complexity of her character. Further, a huge plot change — Nick proposes to Jordan (spoiler!) in the musical. In the novel, it felt more like a causal and fleeting relationship, which aligns with Fitzgerald’s themes of disillusionment. Giving them this deep relationship felt forced and took away from Nick’s role as the narrator, putting him truly into the world of Gatsby and Daisy. Â
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, “The Great Gatsby” musical was a visual and musical success, but may leave some Fitzgerald fans a bit disappointed. It is a very dazzling and entertaining show, but it sacrifices some of the novel’s deep themes on wealth, the American Dream, and illusion for romance and glamour. However, whether you are a Broadway fan or a literature fan, it is a wonderful show.
Would I see it again? Definitely. Would I recommend reading the book first? Also, definitely.Â