The Great Gatsby: A New Musical Touring Reviews

Senzel Ahmady and Jake David Smith, as Daisy and Jay Gatsby, both have outstanding voices and a beautiful elegance. Lila Coogan as Myrtle and Talley Sessions as George bring just the right amount of grit to their roles. Leanne Robinson pairs hard edg...

Senzel Ahmady and Jake David Smith, as Daisy and Jay Gatsby, both have outstanding voices and a beautiful elegance. Lila Coogan as Myrtle and Talley Sessions as George bring just the right amount of grit to their roles. Leanne Robinson pairs hard edges with the voice of an angel as Jordan. Will Branner is appropriately smarmy as Tom Buchanan, and Edward Staudenmayer nails the shady bootlegger Meyer Wolfsheim.

“Spectacle over substance” is a frequent cry of theatre critics as technology increases. Audiences, however, will always enjoy the spectacle of musical theatre as a break from the problems of their daily lives and the world. “The Great Gatsby�...

“Spectacle over substance” is a frequent cry of theatre critics as technology increases. Audiences, however, will always enjoy the spectacle of musical theatre as a break from the problems of their daily lives and the world. “The Great Gatsby” provides romantic comedy, melodrama, and a good story along with stunning visual effects of sound, light, and scenery. While it may not emphasize all the themes of the novel, it is a very enjoyable presentation of an important era of our American social history.

This production exemplifies the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties in a way only the stage can. With jazzy musical numbers, lovable characters with questionable motives, and a riotously fun background, The Great Gatsby will transport audiences...

This production exemplifies the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties in a way only the stage can. With jazzy musical numbers, lovable characters with questionable motives, and a riotously fun background, The Great Gatsby will transport audiences in great style, old sport!

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...

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 show did have some high-energy musical numbers but overall, the novel’s complex themes of class were rendered inert by a proliferation of slow, reflective ballads, particularly in the second half. No complaints on the voices that performed thes...

The show did have some high-energy musical numbers but overall, the novel’s complex themes of class were rendered inert by a proliferation of slow, reflective ballads, particularly in the second half. No complaints on the voices that performed these songs, but the numbers drained any momentum the show had to offer. With lush Jazz Age vibes, any electric energy was disappointingly absent. Gatsby often felt languid and mistook melancholy for depth. The high production values did not overcompensate for the mid-level songs.

The book is full of mysteries, unspoken judgements, and a vicious sense of classism mixed with ruthless self-preservation, and there is not a lot of this present in this interpretation, brought to life by Kait Kerrigan's book, Jason Howland's music, ...

The book is full of mysteries, unspoken judgements, and a vicious sense of classism mixed with ruthless self-preservation, and there is not a lot of this present in this interpretation, brought to life by Kait Kerrigan's book, Jason Howland's music, and Fitzgerald-inspired lyrics by Nathan Tysen.

This musical’s script by Kait Kerrigan and lyrics by Nathan Tysen don’t stray too far from the 1925 book, but they dramatize things that go untold in Fitzgerald’s more nuanced novel. What the writers and the director, Marc Bruni, accomplish, ho...

This musical’s script by Kait Kerrigan and lyrics by Nathan Tysen don’t stray too far from the 1925 book, but they dramatize things that go untold in Fitzgerald’s more nuanced novel. What the writers and the director, Marc Bruni, accomplish, however, is a sustained sense of impending doom that faces all these characters. At times, they brush up against the fatalism that underlies Fitzgerald’s picture of American classes in brutal contact.

The touring cast delivers strong, professional performances that complement the spectacle. Beneath the splashy visuals, they elevate the emotional core of the story, honing in on the darker themes that give it depth. Even amid the glitter, we are rem...

The touring cast delivers strong, professional performances that complement the spectacle. Beneath the splashy visuals, they elevate the emotional core of the story, honing in on the darker themes that give it depth. Even amid the glitter, we are reminded of the story’s central question: the cost of pursuing the American Dream. Each sequin reflects themes of wealth, class, recklessness, and consequence.

What makes this adaptation particularly compelling is how it handles narration. Rather than relying heavily on a single observer figure, the production distributes perspective through ensemble storytelling, allowing characters like Gatsby and Daisy t...

What makes this adaptation particularly compelling is how it handles narration. Rather than relying heavily on a single observer figure, the production distributes perspective through ensemble storytelling, allowing characters like Gatsby and Daisy to step out of the haze of Nick’s recollection and into fully realized emotional arcs. Gatsby’s yearning is no longer just described, it’s embodied. Daisy, often interpreted as distant or elusive, is given added dimensionality through motifs that reflect both her charm and her entrapment.

But the musical flattens the story’s ironies and paradoxes into a standard-issue tragic romance, one that doesn’t do justice to either Jay or Daisy, despite charismatic performances from Jake David Smith and Senzel Ahmady, respectively. The songs...

But the musical flattens the story’s ironies and paradoxes into a standard-issue tragic romance, one that doesn’t do justice to either Jay or Daisy, despite charismatic performances from Jake David Smith and Senzel Ahmady, respectively. The songs, oddly lacking in period influences, have a certain kind of sameness to them, and though the costumes by Linda Cho and the scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III burst with glamour and color, it all feels overproduced—like a Roaring Twenties theme party crossed with a Las Vegas extravaganza.

I can’t, in all honesty, say that this cut-down tour, notwithstanding an excellent ensemble of actors, comes close to re-creating the huge production values of its New York origins. We are alas past the days when producers like Cameron Mackintosh w...

I can’t, in all honesty, say that this cut-down tour, notwithstanding an excellent ensemble of actors, comes close to re-creating the huge production values of its New York origins. We are alas past the days when producers like Cameron Mackintosh would pride themselves on exact touring replications of London and Gotham spectacles. But it suffices. Just. Those around me certainly had a good time with Jake David Smith’s brooding Jay and Senzel Ahmady’s rather invulnerable Daisy, not that I saw many sparks of passion between the two of them. I saw more in the row in front. Good for them.

The cast is superb, but the star is primarily Paul Tate DePoo III’s intricate sets and projections as well as Cory Pattak’s light design. The stage is framed with towering Art Deco-inspired arches. The shimmering waters of the bay, the jaw-droppi...

The cast is superb, but the star is primarily Paul Tate DePoo III’s intricate sets and projections as well as Cory Pattak’s light design. The stage is framed with towering Art Deco-inspired arches. The shimmering waters of the bay, the jaw-dropping opulence of Gatsby’s mansion and grounds, the dust of the Valley of Ashes, the crumbling ophthalmologist billboard filled with an unsettling pair of all-seeing eyes, the Harlem apartment where an orgy breaks out and bones get broken — all are rendered in gorgeous, cinematic detail.

Jake David Smith handles the number beautifully — he captures Gatsby’s simultaneous air of mystery and awkward loneliness. Smith also makes good choices with his speaking voice for Gatsby — he has a slight hint of a British accent as a nod to t...

Jake David Smith handles the number beautifully — he captures Gatsby’s simultaneous air of mystery and awkward loneliness. Smith also makes good choices with his speaking voice for Gatsby — he has a slight hint of a British accent as a nod to the character’s brief Oxford stint, but he’s easy to understand. And his delivery of Gatsby’s catchphrase “old sport” is wry and pleasing. He’s also terrific in “Only Tea,” which delightfully captures the character’s anxiety at the prospect of seeing Daisy again after five years...at a tea of his own devices. This song again has real emotional and structural integrity.

Although if I were giving notes to book writer Kait Kerrigan during the development process, this is what I’d suggest. Take a page out of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita and Sunset Boulevard. Mainly in how both musicals start at the very end, create ...

Although if I were giving notes to book writer Kait Kerrigan during the development process, this is what I’d suggest. Take a page out of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita and Sunset Boulevard. Mainly in how both musicals start at the very end, create intrigue for the audience regarding what happened, and have a singular narrator (which in this case, would be Nick) take the story back to the beginning. To me, that would’ve made for a more fascinating way in for this musical. Fans of the source material may not be entirely on board with that approach, but the novel will always be around. It’s not like the creative team would be erasing it from existence or anything like that at all.

Jake David Smith’s portrayal of the mysterious central character, Jay Gatsby, starts tentatively but builds in mesmerizing power as the second act occurs. Mr. Smith uses subtle craftsmanship by developing his character’s secretive nature slowly b...

Jake David Smith’s portrayal of the mysterious central character, Jay Gatsby, starts tentatively but builds in mesmerizing power as the second act occurs. Mr. Smith uses subtle craftsmanship by developing his character’s secretive nature slowly by increments. Mr. Smith constantly keeps one guessing as to what he will do next and this is the secret of his amazing performance. Mr. Smith soars in his rendition of the song of his love for Daisy –“For Her” and the transporting ensemble number “Past is Catching Up to Me.”

The heart of the show is the title character, and this production is blessed with Jake David Smith as Jay Gatsby. A quadruple threat, Smith is equally excellent as a dancer (including tap), singer, actor, and comedian. In fact, his endearing awkwardn...

The heart of the show is the title character, and this production is blessed with Jake David Smith as Jay Gatsby. A quadruple threat, Smith is equally excellent as a dancer (including tap), singer, actor, and comedian. In fact, his endearing awkwardness in trying to impress Nick or quailing at the prospect of finally meeting the love of his life at long last is the source of much of the comedy. His voice is especially fine, combining power and depth with delicacy and a lilting, upper range. He even has the aplomb to maintain his dignity while stripping down to his boxers during his solo at the climax of the show (which may be one of the few directorial missteps). He is a worthy and sympathetic Gatsby.

This stage adaptation — with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and book by Kait Kerrigan — manages a semi-successful CliffsNotes of the novel, but the very fact of it being a musical spectacle misses the point of “Gatsby,” a nove...

This stage adaptation — with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and book by Kait Kerrigan — manages a semi-successful CliffsNotes of the novel, but the very fact of it being a musical spectacle misses the point of “Gatsby,” a novel that was at its heart a critique of empty flash and spectacle.

The cast was excellent from beginning to end. Jake David Smith brought both confidence and vulnerability to Jay Gatsby, making him more than just a mysterious millionaire. Senzel Ahmady gave a strong performance as Daisy Buchanan, and the chemistry b...

The cast was excellent from beginning to end. Jake David Smith brought both confidence and vulnerability to Jay Gatsby, making him more than just a mysterious millionaire. Senzel Ahmady gave a strong performance as Daisy Buchanan, and the chemistry between the two leads helped make their complicated relationship believable.

As Jay Gatsby, Jake David Smith struggles to command the stage, projecting a presence nearly as faint as the famous green light that symbolizes Gatsby’s longing. The central romance — the engine that drives the story’s tragedy — never generat...

As Jay Gatsby, Jake David Smith struggles to command the stage, projecting a presence nearly as faint as the famous green light that symbolizes Gatsby’s longing. The central romance — the engine that drives the story’s tragedy — never generates enough chemistry or emotional weight to justify the spectacle surrounding it.

As improbable as it may sound, this take on “The Great Gatsby” presents itself as a sort of slapstick romcom. It may well be the first adaptation of what’s widely considered to be one of the great American novels that can be accurately describe...

As improbable as it may sound, this take on “The Great Gatsby” presents itself as a sort of slapstick romcom. It may well be the first adaptation of what’s widely considered to be one of the great American novels that can be accurately described as a madcap romp — until the second act.

The Tony Award-winning period costumes by Linda Cho are, unsurprisingly, exquisite, but it’s the scenic design by Paul Tate dePoo III — sumptuously lit by Cory Pattak — that most delights the eyes. All of the sets are beautiful, but none compar...

The Tony Award-winning period costumes by Linda Cho are, unsurprisingly, exquisite, but it’s the scenic design by Paul Tate dePoo III — sumptuously lit by Cory Pattak — that most delights the eyes. All of the sets are beautiful, but none compare to those that represent Gatsby’s opulent home, dePoo implementing a stunning brass-and-glass approach that is both gorgeous and, with the hard lines throughout the design, can be seen as cage-like, a commentary on the character of Gatsby.

Purists may scoff at how Fitzgerald’s novel has been reimagined as a spectacle-driven musical about forbidden love. Everyone else is likely to have a great time. “The Great Gatsby” delivers exactly what its title character spends the entire sto...

Purists may scoff at how Fitzgerald’s novel has been reimagined as a spectacle-driven musical about forbidden love. Everyone else is likely to have a great time. “The Great Gatsby” delivers exactly what its title character spends the entire story chasing: a dream worth believing in.

While there are many very fine voices in this company, the score is top heavy with mostly undistinguished pop that swamps the proceedings. A few exceptions, however, include the scene-setting opener “Roaring On,” with Grosso leading the company, ...

While there are many very fine voices in this company, the score is top heavy with mostly undistinguished pop that swamps the proceedings. A few exceptions, however, include the scene-setting opener “Roaring On,” with Grosso leading the company, “New Money,” performed by Grosso, Robinson, and the company, and the act-two duet “Better Hold Tight,” also sung by Grosso and Robinson.

The musical numbers are consistently loud and monotonous, in the sense that they are generally alike and lacking in emotional range. Despite being set in a musically rich era—the Jazz Age—the music evokes the blandest and least memorable producti...

The musical numbers are consistently loud and monotonous, in the sense that they are generally alike and lacking in emotional range. Despite being set in a musically rich era—the Jazz Age—the music evokes the blandest and least memorable productions of late-1950s and early-1960s Broadway. I was waiting to hear the influence of musical greats such as Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, or Ma Rainey, but as far as this show was concerned, they did not exist.