Review: THE GREAT GATSBY Presented by Broadway Across America at Kentucky Performing Arts

The idea of a Great Gatsby musical has been circulating for years, many thinking the story’s opulence and deeper themes would be ripe for a musical stage adaptation. When the book finally entered the public domain, The Great Gatsby’s Broadway premiere wasn’t far off. This production opened on Broadway in spring of 2024 and has proven to be quite the success! It spawned this current tour, a West End Transfer, and even a South Korean production, all while still playing to enthusiastic audiences in New York. The tour is still in its infancy, and Louisville is one of the lucky cities that gets to see it first.

The story itself focuses on Nick Carraway (Joshua Grosso) who has moved to New York after the war and is reunited with his cousin Daisy (Senzel Ahmady) and her husband Tom Buchanan (Will Branner). Nick gets a great deal on rent living in a cottage just across the bay, living next to the mysterious and looming Jay Gatsby (Jake David Smith). Relationships intertwine when it’s revealed that Daisy and Gatsby were once lovers before he was sent away to the war and Tom is having an affair with a woman named Myrtle (Lila Coogan). This once in a lifetime chance reuniting rekindles their deeply passionate romance.

This is a big, bold, and splashy Broadway musical. It promises spectacle and delivers in spades. This touring production looks lavish from its scenic and projection design (by Paul Tate DePoo) to its gorgeous Tony award winning costumes (by Linda Cho). 

The cast here is one of the strongest I’ve seen on tour as of late. This show requires vocal acrobatics from all involved, and boy do they deliver! Smith’s Gatsby boasts a strong and youthful tenor voice that fills the theatre gloriously, while Ahmady’s Daisy finds beautiful moments to reign in her vocal abilities.  Even more impressive, she knows exactly when to sing all out for maximum dramatic effect: her nuance is impresive. Coogan’s Myrtle is spunky and fun - I quite enjoyed her numbers, particularly her her Act 1 lament of lower class woes “Second-Hand Suit”. Leanne Robinson boasts swagger and confidence a plenty with her portrayal of Jordan Baker. Robinson is a vocal powerhouse and vigorously leads what might be arguably the most showstopping number “New Money”.

When it comes to adaptations, this show isn’t technically the most faithful to the book in which it’s based, however when you view it on its own it really is a sight to behold. This is a crowd pleasing show for everyone, and I am so happy Louisville gets to attend this party so soon after the tour’s launch. 

THE GREAT GATSBY

Running Now - February 15th

Whitney Hall at Kentucky Performing Arts