Dueling Gatsbys?

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Alysha-Umphress-Jay-Armstrong-Johnson-More-to-Star-in-Reading-of-THE-GREAT-GATSBY-New-Musical-Adaptation-20220519

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/28/florence-welch-to-adapt-great-gatsby-broadway-musical-thomas-bartlett-martyna-majok

I guess there was a mad dash when the book went into public domain. Which one will get a full production first? Will we have another Wild Party situation on our hands?

Incidentally - I have nothing against Jay Armstrong Johnson, but he strikes me as more of a Nick than a Gatsby.

Updated On: 5/19/22 at 05:55 PM

If modern commercial Broadway has taught us anything, the only way to settle this is reality talent show.

BrodyFosse123 said: "Neither will find itself anywhere near Broadway. For decades there have many attempts on a stage adaptation of THE GREAT GATSBY. We’ll see this the same season Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway musical adaptation of DEATH BECOMES HER lands on Broadway, too. "

That makes me sad. I was actually wondering the other a month or so ago why Gatsby hasn’t been adapted into a musical. The story feels so easily to make into a hit show.

EDSOSLO858 said: "I have higher hopes for the Welch version compared to Howland’s."



Yes. Not enthused about "bringing Gatsby into the 21st Century". Looking forward to how they handle "the green light at the end of the dock" musically.

Updated On: 5/19/22 at 07:14 PM

I've taught the book countless times in my career and have seem most of the movie adaptations as well as the dreadful opera. I truly feel that THE GREAT GATSBY's only home is on the printed page.

I feel like this is an Alice in Wonderland type thing where it's less plot based and more of a "vibe" which is hard to translate to another medium.

RippedMan said: "I feel like this is an Alice in Wonderland type thing where it's less plot based and more of a "vibe" which is hard to translate to another medium."

I'm not sure if this is the solution, but I did hear about a Great Gatsby-inspired immersive experience which opened in Sydney recently. Maybe something like that would better capture the 'vibe'.

https://explorehidden.com/event/details/the-great-gatsby-an-immersive-theatrical-production-sydney-1552090