‘The Great Gatsby’ Musical to Open on Broadway in April
The Great Gatsby musical, the highest grossing show in Off-Broadway theater Paper Mill Playhouse’s history, will be coming to Broadway this spring.
The musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed novel will debut at The Broadway Theatre on April 25, the show’s lead producer Chunsoo Shin announced on Tuesday. Directed by Marc Bruni, Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada are set to reprise their Off-Broadway roles as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, with previews beginning March 29.
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“I am passionate about producing this show because it provides a modern audience with the true essence of idealism that is expressed eloquently in the novel and now on stage,” said Shin in a statement. “The Great Gatsby is a masterpiece that grows and changes as it’s experienced by each new generation, in every culture, and people — and yet, still maintains its uniqueness, with its fascinating characters that burst with vitality.”
First published in 1925, the book has gone on to sell over 30 million copies, with 500,000 sales annually. The story of Gatsby, an eccentric, mysterious millionaire and his tragic pursuit of Buchanan, the woman he’s loved since he was young, has been translated into more than 42 languages, in addition to numerous TV, radio play, video game, and film adaptations.
For Shin, the musical’s entire team “is beyond thrilled to present this timeless, glamorous, and resplendent production” for Broadway, where audiences will see an “even more refined, resonant, and expressive” production following its world premiere run at Paper Mill Playhouse. During that production, which ran Oct. 12 to Nov. 12, The Great Gatsby broke the theater’s all-time record for ticket sales in a single day, while also selling out its entire run before its first performance.
Executive produced by Mark Shacket of Foresight Theatrical, the musical’s book comes from Kait Kerrigan, it’s jazz- and pop-influenced score from Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, with music and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Jason Howland, and choreography by Dominique Kelley. The Great Gatsby‘s scenic and projection design is by Paul Tate de Poo III; costume design by Linda Cho; lighting design by Cory Pattak; sound design by Brian Ronan; hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe and Rachael Geier.
Additionally, the musical’s arrangements are by Jason Howland, with orchestrations by Jason Howland and Kim Scharnberg, music direction by Daniel Edmonds. The show’s music producer is Grammy Award winner Billy Jay Stein for Strike Audio. Casting is by C12 Casting, and Brian Bogin serves as the Production Stage Manager.
The show will arrive on Broadway the same year another musical — based on Fitzgerald’s book about the roaring ’20s and featuring music by Florence Welch — will premiere. That show, Gatsby, is set to debut at the American Repertory Theater, and will be directed by Rachel Chavkin with music by Welch and Thomas Bartlett, lyrics by Welch and a book from Pultizer Prize winner Martyna Majok.
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