Gatsby or Merrily?

Normally I see four shows when I'm in New York but for this trip I can only see three.

I have tickets to Enemy of the People. I confess I got it because I enjoyed the tv show and want to see him on stage. I enjoy seeing people in different roles and observing the differences in their styles in different roles.

Suffs has also been selected because I have seen some of the actors in Come from Away and If/Then and liked them. Plus, this show didn't seem to get as many mixed reviews as the others.

This brings me to the 3rd show. I liked Jeremy Jordan when I saw him in Newsies and I think he was ok in American Son. I also like that Gatsby appears to have big numbers kind of like 42nd street. However, the reviews don't appear good and it didn't get nominations in many of the big categories.

Merrily We Roll Along has a nice book and I like Sondheim. I saw Lifespan of a Fact and Equus (but not Harry Potter movies) and didn't think Daniel was bad. He wasn't spectacular but he wasn't bad. I liked Lindsay's tv show but she wasn't the reason I watched it.

In contrast to Gatsby, Merrily did get many nominations in the main categories.

Having said all of this, which show would people select between Gatsby and Merrily? I truly cannot remember a season when there were so many shows that so many people thought were mediocre.

Merrily without question.

I haven’t seen or heard a single note of Gatsby and I can predict the right answer!

Merrily was not eligible for Tony nominations for book and music, because it is a revival. Its sets and costumes are appropriate for the show, if not Tony nominations.

On the other hand, I expect Merrily to win more Tony’s than any other musical this season, including all three leads (two of whom will likely win supporting honors). It will either win the most Tonys this season or, more likely come in second after Stereophonic). Only an idiot would choose Gatsby over Merrily, unless the ticket prices are a factor in your decision.

I’ve seen both and I can easily say HANDS DOWN…

Merrily!

Gatsby was terrible!

Lindsay Mendez will NOT win the Tony. The race has come down between Nikki m James and Bebe

The correct answer is STEREOPHONIC!


Yes, MERRILY is the show not to miss before it closes. HOWEVER... on our trip to NYC a week ago, MERRILY left me a little underwhelmed, even with the full cast on. Sure the actors are all doing their damndest to sell the story, and sure the best songs in the score are among the best ever written, but I just couldn't forgive the deadly libretto about a central guy who everyone loves even though he's a f**k-up and a s**tty friend and a worse husband. I walked out thinking--what was all that for?

And after the bare-bones production of MERRILY (and ILLINOISE and STEREOPHONIC), I knew I'd need to see one damn show with big sets, costumes and spectacle. And you know what? THE GREAT GATSBY gave me that. Knowing I was seeing a Vegas production of the story, I was perfectly well entertained by Act I. (Act II was all downhill unfortunately.) See? There IS someone to recommend GATSBY for at least some show-goers out there.

“ kind of like 42nd street”



not at all 🤣

220Basswood said: "Thanks everyone. I will log on and get tickets now. Having seen Bebe in various shows, I am sure she will win instead of Lindsay even though I haven't seen the current version of Cabaret. I was going to get tickets to Cabaret because I really liked the show whenAlan Cumming was in it but the promos for the current version changed my mind. Thanks again."

To echo everyone else, Merrily is most definitely THE show to see. To quote the NT review - "It has never been this good, and will never be this good again".

However, since you mentioned it, i'd absolutely see Gatsby again over this version of Cabaret

I’m happy back to the future and Gatsby are making money. Shubert and Nederlander jointly produced both of them and clearly know what they’re doing, despite the theatre snobs

Broadway Flash said: "Lindsay Mendez will NOT win the Tony. The race has come down between Nikki m James and Bebe"

Just like The Great Gatsby is a huge hit. There. Is only one person on this board who I have found as annoying as you. It was 6-7 years ago and he was a young know-it-all…have you come back under a different name???

Broadway Flash said: "Lindsay Mendez will NOT win the Tony. The race has come down between Nikki m James and Bebe"

you just love to hear yourself say ridiculous things.

There is no world where Nikki is in the top two for that award.