“The Great Gatsby: A New Musical” has officially reached Broadway after a brief stint at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse. The Broadway sensation is the newest in a string of musicals inspired by popular books. The book of the hour, “The Great Gatsby,” was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published in 1925 during the Jazz Age, which is evident by the choices made throughout the show.
The musical follows Nick Carraway as he tells the story of his summer spent in New York in 1922. Upon moving to the fictional West Egg, a bustling area of Long Island, he meets Jay Gatsby, a rather eccentric millionaire known for throwing large parties for all who enter his lavish mansion. However, Gatsby is harboring a massive secret. He is in love with Daisy Buchanan, a married woman who lives across the bay and, through happenstance, is Carraway’s cousin. A cautionary tale regarding the American Dream combined with the dangers of obsession takes the story off from there, filled to the brim with magnificent songs and thrilling dance numbers.
The best songs of the cast album are definitely “For Her” and “New Money.” The song, “For Her,” effectively captures Gatsby’s devotion to, and borderline obsession with, Daisy. “New Money” is the most recognizable in my opinion. The scene in which this song shines is during one of Gatsby’s parties, where we are given a glimpse into the lives of the “nouveau riche.” A few honorable mentions include “One-Way Road,” “For Her (Reprise)” and “For Better or Worse.” I was genuinely surprised by “One-Way Road” and the way it humanized Myrtle Wilson, who is seen throughout the show having an affair with Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s adulterous husband. The power ballad also sheds light on the similarities between Myrtle and Daisy.
The titular characters of Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan are portrayed by the fantastic Noah J. Ricketts and seasoned Broadway stars Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada. The powerful voice of Jeremy Jordan is encased tenfold within Gatsby as he commands the stage. Eva Noblezada of “Hadestown” and “Miss Saigon” fame is a force to be reckoned with in this new musical adaptation of one of America’s greatest pieces of literature.
“The Great Gatsby: A New Musical” has subverted expectations and given new life to the original source material. If you are a fan of musicals or love when Jeremy Jordan brings yet another phenomenal character to life on stage, then this is the album for you!
