The creative team who will be adapting F. Scott Fitzgerald’s landmark novel The Great Gatsby into a Broadway-bound stage musical have been announced.
Formed and led by Chunsoo Shin, one of the most influential musical producers in Korea’s theatre industry, the team of dynamic theatre talent features music & lyrics by Tony Award nominees Nathan Tysen & Jason Howland, a book by Jonathan Larson Grant winner Kait Kerrigan, with direction by Marc Bruni.
A private industry reading will take place this month, and a regional bow is being planned for the 2023-2024 season.
Fitzgerald’s timeless, seminal novel The Great Gatsby continues to entice legions of fans worldwide with its elegant, fiery, and soul-stirring tale. Set in the Roaring Twenties, eccentric millionaire Jay Gatsby will stop at nothing in his tragic pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman who he loved in his youth. Surrounded by characters with incredibly complex and nuanced inner lives, passions and longings boil, and then erupt – spurring the unimaginable fates that befall them. A novel destined to sing, this world premiere musical adaptation will roar into the 21st century through an electrifying jazz and pop-infused score.
This is not really a team that inspires confidence in adapting a novel that is… notoriously difficult to adapt.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/20
What happened to Florence Welch?
BCfitasafiddle said: "What happened to Florence Welch?"
That is a whole OTHER Broadway-bound Gatsby musical. Two more wild parties. 😉
Public domain, baby.
What a supremely boring creative team. Youbcant get much plainer than that.
Looks like according to a casting notice, this version of Gatsby will have a pre-Broadway run at Paper Mill Playhouse this fall (9/5-11/12) with an aim for a Spring 2024 opening on Broadway.
https://www.playbill.com/job/the-great-gatsby-nyc-epa-03-31-23/f4a3a935-5fa2-4fe4-b171-23da6c364970
They seem to want to cut the other Gatsby musical off at the pass, which is probably their only choice, considering the other’s team is stacked with Grammy, Tony, and Pulitzer winners. Their producer must have money to burn, because I really cannot see this turning out particularly well.
jacobsnchz14 said: "Looks like according to a casting notice, this version of Gatsby will have a pre-Broadway run at Paper Mill Playhouse this fall (9/5-11/12) with an aim for a Spring 2024 opening on Broadway.
https://www.playbill.com/job/the-great-gatsby-nyc-epa-03-31-23/f4a3a935-5fa2-4fe4-b171-23da6c364970"
Feuding Gatsby musicals? Let me grab the popcorn!
Kad said: "They seem to want to cut the other Gatsby musical off at the pass, which is probably their only choice, considering the other’s team is stacked with Grammy, Tony, and Pulitzer winners. Their producer must have money to burn, because I really cannot see this turning out particularly well."
This has Korean money behind it (which actually has quite a robust theatrical market) and could frankly be a loss-leader for international productions in countries where English is not the primary language.
Of course the key will be getting a theatre, if Shubert or Nederlander or Roundabout will give them one. Jordan Roth is producing the other GATSBY musical, which has the billionaire oligarch Len Blavatnik behind it. It's not a great situation for the A.R.T. GATSBY. Even though its team is more high-profile, nothing is a guaranteed hit and opening on the heels of a (presumed) flop GATSBY adaptation isn't great.
Yes, if this Gatsby does come to Broadway, it definitely muddies the waters for the ART production, regardless of whether this flops or succeeds. If it flops, it tarnishes the other by being in close proximity. And if it’s a hit, who would want to produce a rival?
Its good they have Korean producers behind it, because based solely on creative teams, I cannot imagine many American investors choosing to back this.
I've no ties to the Tysen/Howland The Great Gatsby, but was invited to a reading a few months ago by a general manager who is handling it. I would not underestimate it at all. I thought the score was especially strong and was surprised that for a novel that has proven so difficult to adapt, they did so well with it. Anything can happen on the way to the stage, but the material is there.
The reading features Jay Armstrong Johnson (On the Town) in the titular role of Jay Gatsby, and Noah J. Ricketts (Frozen), Phoenix Best (Dear Evan Hansen), Alysha Umphress (On the Town), John Behlmann(Tootsie), Eric Anderson (Moulin Rouge!), Paul Whitty(Come from Away), and Grace Yoo (Hadestown), with an ensemble featuring Milo Alosi, Tyrone Davis Jr., Victoria Huston-Elem, Danny Kornfeld, Elena Ricardo, Housso Semon, Yasmeen Sulieman, and Daniel Torres.
^^ Here was the intended cast of the reading. I believe JAJ had an understudy who did the reading.
Kad said: "Yes, if this Gatsby does come to Broadway, it definitely muddies the waters for the ART production, regardless of whether this flops or succeeds. If it flops, it tarnishes the other by being in close proximity. And if it’s a hit, who would want to produce a rival?"
Exactly. Whether this production is good, bad, or otherwise, it could set that production back 5+ years. Messy! But that's the peril of adapting a Public Domain work.
Reminds me of 2018 when there were rumors of the Ian McKellen KING LEAR coming to Broadway, Rudin usurped that by doing an early announcement of the Glenda Jackson production before a director was even signed on. So naturally the McKellen didn't come in. (In hindsight, wish we had got the McKellen instead of the Jackson.)
Smaxie said: "I've no ties to the Tysen/Howland The Great Gatsby, but was invited to a reading a few months ago by a general manager who is handling it. I would not underestimate it at all. I thought the score was especially strong and was surprised that for a novel that has proven so difficult to adapt, they did so well with it. Anything can happen on the way to the stage, but the material is there."
that’s good, if surprising, to hear, Smaxie. I will say, having attended presentations of other Tysen works, that his stuff tends to present well, but seems to lose its way in production.
Paper mill will be announcing their next season soon. I hear they’re finally doing Aida.
I love the score to Amelie so I could see this being good.
RippedMan said: "I love the score to Amelie so I could see this being good."
Do you love the lyrics to Amelie divorced from the music? Tysen is only doing the lyrics (as he did for Paradise Square, also written with Jason Howland).
Oh copy that. Consider my excitement less.
Reminiscent of the time there were two WILD PARTY musicals in 2000, though one was on Broadway and the other off at MTC.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/THE-GREAT-GATSBY-World-Premiere-More-Set-for-Paper-Mill-Playhouse-2023-24-Season-20230327
October 12-November 12, 2023
Book by Kait Kerrigan
Music by Jason Howland
Lyrics by Nathan Tysen
Based on the Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Music Direction by Daniel Edmonds
Choreographed by Dominique Kelley
Directed by Marc Bruni
A soul-stirring, glamourous, and sizzling world premiere musical. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is one of the most beloved tales of all time, having sold over 30 million novels and adapted to an acclaimed blockbuster film. Set in the Roaring Twenties, the story follows eccentric and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, who will stop at nothing in the pursuit of the lost love of his youth, Daisy Buchanan. Through its fascinatingly nuanced characters, driven by complex inner lives-with passions and longings that boil, and then erupt-The Great Gatsby has always been destined to sing. Featuring an electrifying jazz and pop-infused score written by Tony Award nominees Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square) & Jason Howland (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - Grammy Award winner), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones), and direction by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this world premiere musical is set to roar The Great Gatsby into the 21st century.
By special arrangement with Chunsoo Shin - award-winning Korean theatre producer and OD Company president.
Interesting...may the best GATSBY land on Broadway
Florence Welch Wrote a Great Gatsby Musical
Gatsby, A New Musical will have its world premiere next year.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a36292374/great-gatsby-musical-florence-welch/
GATSBY A.R.T.
https://americanrepertorytheater.org/gatsby/
^We know, hence why it was discussed earlier in this thread.
The book is a classic. All three film adaptations were deemed subpar (I did like the last 2, though). I’d love to see a Broadway production work.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/20
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