Corbin Bleu Was First Asked to Do THE GREAT GATSBY on Broadway: Why He Chose London
The Broadway alum sat down with his co-star, Amber Davies, on her podcast to discuss making his West End debut in the hit musical.
By: Michael Major Aug. 28, 2025
Corbin Bleu has revealed that he was originally approached to do The Great Gatsby on Broadway, but he decided to take the production across the pond to the West End. Bleu – who currently stars as Nick Carraway in the London production – sat down with his co-star, Amber Davies, on her podcast to discuss making his West End debut in the hit musical.
In the interview, Bleu revealed that producers initially approached him to play the role on Broadway, but he found the idea of originating it in the West End more enticing.
"When they initially approached me for this, they wanted me to do it in New York," he revealed. "At this point, I really want to be very specific on which shows I go back in to replace versus originating. I have not done a show out here in the West End and it just so happened that I knew that they were developing it out here as well."
After conversations with director Marc Bruni – who he worked on Singin' in the Rain at the Muny with – he ended up being brought in for the London production.
"I was so grateful for that because they are different teams and I know that there were discussions that were had and, ultimately, they came to the decision that they wanted to bring me out here and I'm so, so happy that that was the case because I feel like I am so lucky with this cast."
Now in its final weeks, the new musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's landmark novel began previews at the London Coliseum on Friday, April 11 and will play until Sunday, September 7.
Jamie Muscato (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) stars as Jay Gatsby, alongside Frances Mayli McCann as Daisy Buchanan, Joel Montague (Hamilton) as George Wilson, John Owen-Jones (Les Misérables) as Meyer Wolfsheim, Jon Robyns (Phantom of the Opera) as Tom Buchanan and Rachel Tucker (Wicked) as Myrtle Wilson.
Completing the cast are George Crawford (Waitress), Jordan Crouch (Anything Goes), Kiara Dario (Miss Saigon), Frances Dee (Matilda), Aimée Fisher (Waitress), Tom Andrew Hargreaves (Pretty Woman), Alyn Hawke (Come From Away), Ediz Mahmut. (Hadestown), Jamel Matthias (Why Am I So Single?), Nevé McGuiness-Dyce (Starlight Express), Rose Ouellette (The Wizard of Oz), Sophie Pourret (Guys and Dolls), Will Richardson (Les Misérables) and Lily Wang (Burlesque) as ensemble. As well as swings Liv Alexander (Cabaret), Taylor Alman (Greatest Days), Lauren Hampton (Mamma Mia!), Jared Irving (Aladdin), Samuel John-Humphreys (Sister Act) and Millie Mayhew (Wicked).
Meet mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby. He entertains the rich and famous with riotous parties at his Long Island mansion yet never joins in. Gatsby longs instead to reunite with his former flame Daisy Buchanan, but Daisy comes from another lifetime, long before the money…
The show features book by Jonathan Larson Grant winner Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones), music and lyrics by Tony Award nominees Jason Howland (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square) and is directed by award-winning Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) with choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), Outer Critics Circle Award winning scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III (Spamalot, Tommy at The Kennedy Center) and Tony Award®-winning costume design by Linda Cho (Anastasia, A Gentleman's Guide...).
