Mezzanine Musings: The Great Gatsby, A New Musical

If you love Jeremy Jordan, say “aye!”

If you didn’t say “aye” just now - what’s wrong with you? 

I’m kidding! (Mostly) But in the world of Broadway, J Jor. is a big deal. 

As a theater kid who doesn’t live in or near New York City, I have searched the internet far and wide for videos, pro shots, and the infamous slime tutorials (more on that later) of musicals so I can watch and learn about shows. I remember sitting on my couch after watching the Hollywood recording of Newsies on Disney+ with my Dad, and we were wondering what the star, Jeremy Jordan, was up to next. Wikipedia helpfully told us he was working on a new musical of the classic book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

No way I could have ever imagined I would get to go see him in it. 

The show premiered on March 29th, 2024 at the Broadway Theatre, one of five theaters actually located on Broadway Ave. It’s a beautiful location that seats more than 1,700, and has a lounge on the lower floor. The lower floor ladies room is pink, and the men's is green, which I felt necessary to report because it was very stylish, and also wicked-esque now that I’m looking back on it. 

Though some critics have pronounced it boring or uncreative, I found it to be fabulous. The music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen were great, with an entertaining book by Kait Kerrigen, and there were some amazing technical aspects. It is a very belty show, with big and bright dance numbers and tunes that will stay in your head for days. The costumes were beautiful - lots of gems and glitter and such, and the sets positively transported you.

Much of the staging was created with projections. The walls of the orchestra pit that the audience can see were lined with blue pool tiles, and it had pool ladders as well, which were used later on in the show. There were panels that reach from floor to ceiling that can slide across the stage, hiding and revealing characters.

Some of the technical wonders included cars that the actors could drive on and offstage, as well as a magical onstage costume change that had you wondering How did they DO that?

The scariest part was definitely whenever a gun was involved, purely because of sound. The shot was so startling that several people screamed audibly when it went off!

During one of the party scenes, members of the orchestra came and played onstage, posing as the hired band. That was cool! There was also a tap dance during that scene, the first tap I've seen live on Broadway! I learned from choreographers I’ve worked with in the past (thank you EP and LM!) that often during a tap scene, there are dancers offstage on mic’d boards, tapping along with the actors who the audience can see, and that's how the noise comes in so clear and loud. (But SSHHH, that's a Broadway secret, so you didn't hear it from me!)

It was a glamorous show, though that wasn’t the reason for the huge audience. What was drawing in these crowds? The cast.

With Jeremy Jordan as Jay Gatsby and Eva Noblezada as Daisy Buchanan, these were stars we needed to see. Jordan was incredible - he is famous for his portrayal of Jack Kelly in the Broadway Newsies, which is a musically demanding role, and Gatsby had some feats of vocal brilliance as well. He was also the funniest character in the whole show, and, well, he’s JEREMY JORDAN! I WAS STAR STRUCK!

Samantha Pauly took on the role of the sweet and spicy Jordan Baker, a golfer and Nick’s love interest. The actress is known for starring in Six, and she stole the show with her big song “New Money”, blowing me and the rest of the audience away with her killer vocals. 

Eva Noblezada won a Grammy and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance of Eurydice in Hadestown, and she did not disappoint in Gatsby either. She has a quiet power about her, and she played the soft Daisy Buchanan wonderfully. 

These stars were supported by an excellent cast including Noah J. Ricketts (very good and pure performance), John Zdrojeski (so kind to his fans), Sara Chase (excellent singing), Eric Anderson (his number was SO good), and a fabulous ensemble. I just feel like I can’t say enough about the choreography, it was so fun, and the dancers brought it to life!

Because it was a new show, the cast and crew was still finding their footing, and I did notice some minuscule mess-ups only the trained theater eye would spot, and then the saves the actors made to cover them up. For example, a soldier's hat falling off his head during a dance. During one low turning move, he scooped up his cap and tossed it to an ensemble woman who was standing off to the side by the bar. She deftly caught it, acted thrilled to have a soldier's hat thrown to her, and then tucked it under the bar before joining in the number. It was a tiny thing that no one would notice, but I was super impressed with their quick thinking!

The show also was nominated for and won a Tony Award for best costume design by Linda Cho, which in my humble opinion was well deserved. I also want to note that I sat in the front row of the mezzanine, next to a really nice mother and her son, who were also theater people. I hope they're doing well.

The coolest part of the whole experience was the stage door. I got to meet all the stars including the amazing Samantha Pauly, who was SO NICE, and then suddenly I heard the crowd screaming and there he was - J. Jor!!!! I’m serious when I tell you, everyone went crazy! I was so surprised he came out that I grabbed the arm of a random woman next to me, who was crying! 

He was so nice, and so calm, politely declining a picture when I asked (though we took a few anyway). Jeremy Jordan is just incredibly talented and I’ve grown up on Newsies, so it was a totally indescribable experience for me. I was so star struck that all I could say was “Wowie Zowie!” for the next five minutes, no joke.

So go! Listen to the soundtrack, and familiarize yourself with the story. It’s also a great book that leaves a lot up to your own interpretation, and I would totally recommend it. The show is still on Broadway, so if you have a chance to go see it, DO IT. This story is such an integral part of American literature!

Thank you so much for reading! Remember to stop and smell the roses, and curtain up! 

Rosie