The Great Gatsby: Rollicking, Opulent, and Tuneful (But What Would Fitzgerald Think?)

This is not The Great Gatsby you might have read, supplemented by four weeks of classroom discussion, in high school. This is not The Great Gatsby you read on summer vacation willing to submit to a poetic narrative while curled up under a rainy-day blanket or shady tree in the backyard. This is not The Great Gatsby you read out of shame of ignorance because you had heard F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel was the quintessential American novel whose lessons of lust and longing spoke of an era of greater prosperity you’d wish you’d known.

This Great Gatsby, now a touring production presented by PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh is at the Benedum through May 31. It is an in-your-face adaptation, filled with amazing sets, song and dance, and a none-too-subtle escapade of nouveau riche relationships that end in sudden tragedy. I don’t doubt that F. Scott Fitzgerald would be delighted to have his tale reimagined as a staged musical, but I have to think he would want to distance himself from this extravaganza.

On a much smaller scale than Baz Luhrmann and Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2013 film adaptation with a cast of thousands hip-hopping poolside, this stage musical––with book by Kait Kerrigan, music by Jason Howland, and lyrics by Nathan Tysen––offers much of the same bombast. There is nothing subtle in this production. Half of the intrigue Fitzgerald slowly paces in his novel is learning where Gatsby has earned his wealth. Other symbolic elements, teased on Fitzgerald’s pages, are here made blatantly obvious and, consequently, distracting. The logistics of illicit bootlegging, the green light from across the bay, the optometrist’s billboard overlooking a single-pump gas station are each addressed early and in song. There seems little time to contend with mystery.

But, hey, let’s be real; this is a musical. And The Great Gatsby––whether speaking of the book, the films, or the character––is to most American audiences symbolic of privileged wealth and “showing it off.” So, yes, this show features opulent sets, syncopated video projections, real pyrotechnics, and many, many dazzling costumes (I’m guessing the ensemble has at least eight changes in the first act alone.) And the music is full, uplifting and plentiful. The production even opens with an overture. And the first number “Roaring On,” in which Nick Carraway arrives on the island of West Egg, sets both the exposition and pace for all that follows. 

Here’s the set-up. Nick (Joshua Grosso) is high-spirited after returning from WWI to earn success as a New York City bonds salesman. He has moved to an affordable cottage on Long Island where his second cousin, Daisy (Senzel Ahmady) lives lavishly with her boorish husband Tom Buchanan (Will Branner), their colicky baby, and best friend Jordan Baker (Leanne Robinson) live in extravagant comfort nearby. He visits his cousin to learn from Jordan that Tom is cheating on his wife, Daisy, and that Jay Gatsby (Jake David Smith) is Nick’s neighbor who hosts incredibly wild parties the multimillionaire seems never to attend himself. He’s a man of mystery, but it turns out that Jay Gatsby has had an unrequited fascination for Daisy from before the war, and wants her for himself. Meanwhile, we learn that Tom is sneaking up to Harlem often with blonde Myrtle (Lila Coogan), the wife of the gas station manager, George Wilson (Tally Sessions), who is also being snookered by the mobster, Meyer Wolfsheim (Edward Staudenmayer). And just to complicate the story, Nick falls in love with Jordan.

In the course of the musical, it seems every character gets his or her own “this is me” song. Aforementioned, Joshua Grosso’s Nick Carraway gives his all in the song “Roaring On.” Jake David Smith’s Gatsby lets loose with “For Her,” perhaps the best torch song of the show, but the lyrics for which divulge much too much info about a character who is meant to be coy if not introverted. Senzel Ahmady’s Daisy has a nice turn with “For Better or Worse.” 

The musical offers a splash of comedy here and there. Two schticks are worth your attention.  When Nick needs to escape a crowded bordello, he must climb down the back of a couch sideways. It’s a great gag done with amazing physicality. The other bit involves Gatsby and Nick awaiting the arrival of Daisy and Jordan for tea. The men are anything but macho when the ladies clearly want something more than just finger sandwiches. 

The Great Gatsby is lively, opulent, and lyrical, delivering rollicking choreography as befits the Roaring 20s era, but without the obvious Charleston or Lindy-hop steps. We experience some “uptown-funk” moves from the ensemble and, yes, there is a surprising tap dance routine that even gets Gatsby involved. Choreographer Dominique Kelley’s art is a stand-out as are the scenic and projection designs by Paul Tate dePoo III. Marc Bruni directed the broadway production, now on the road.

Even if the musical’s book betrays the intrigue of the original novel, or that characters appear here that are barely whispered in the original, The Great Gatsby has every element of a great Broadway musical. For this reason, if you haven’t already, I recommend you NOT read Fitzgerald’s classic tragedy; that is, before seeing this production. Besides which, you’ll want to take your time lingering over Fitzgerald’s poetic phrasing, dire intrigue, and sordid descriptions all while sitting under your shade tree or snuggling a warm blanket. 

Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.jpg

C. Prentiss Orr is a Pittsburgh-based writer who covers theater and other topics for Entertainment Central. He is the author of the books The Surveyor and the Silversmith and Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred.

Share on Social Media