PHOTO BY EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHY MADE
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an acknowledged classic from 1925, offering a harsh criticism of the American dream. Its message is that wealth, materialism and status lead to moral decay and tragedy. That makes it an unlikely subject for musical theater. Of course, it’s also a story of a misguided love affair during a glamorous period of American history, which is what the creators of the 2024 Broadway show, The Great Gatsby: A New Musical were drawn to. And that’s what they have created: a spectacular physical production offering scenery with tons of Art Deco details and chic “flapper” costumes that squarely place the tale in the “Roaring Twenties.” In fact, the show’s opening number is a song-and-dance number, “Roaring On.”
The touring version of the new musical is presently onstage at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center through September 27. It’s a dazzling show with a talented cast of more than 30, especially an ensemble of adept dancers who are almost constantly in motion. While I admired the cast’s performances on opening night — fine singers and beautiful people to fill the key roles — they are saddled with a score that’s not particularly memorable. It requires the leading performers to belt out every number as if their lives depended on it. The melodies created by composer Jason Howland with lyrics by Nathan Tysen are not particularly memorable beyond their evocation of the era.
The number “For Her,” sung passionately (and reprised) by Jake David Smith as Gatsby, comes closest to a melody that might be remembered, but it’s not enough. The second act opener, the “Shady,” by the unprincipled gangster Meyer Wolfsheim (Edward Staudenmayer), surrounded by sinister dancers wearing trench coats with flowing tails, reflects some of the corruption that drives the story, but it feels like a one-off that isn’t sufficiently developed.
As Nick Carraway, the story’s naive narrator who eventually sees through the veil of wealth, decadence and dissipation, is played with worthy innocence by Joshua Grosso. He sings the central line of “Roaring On,” reveling in what ultimately fuels Gatsby’s downfall. He has a great voice, but he has to push the melody in a way that belies his character’s sensitive nature. Senzel Ahmady has a lovely voice for Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby’s old flame now married to an abusive husband Tom (Will Branner). She sings several numbers beautifully (“For Better or Worse,” “Beautiful Little Fool”), but Daisy’s quick abandonment of her marriage, drawn to Gatsby’s wealthy aura, lacks the musical support to make her believable. Leanne Robinson playing Jordan Baker, Daisy’s golf pro friend, has the production’s best voice (“New Money,” “Made to Last”), but her character’s on-again, off-again affair with Nick trickles away without a satisfactory explanation.
The musical faithfully follows the plot of Fitzgerald’s novel, but the score really doesn’t support it. That being said, a lot of this production is simply enjoyable for the showmanship with which it’s presented. Paul Tate DePoo III has designed a gorgeous, rapidly changing Art Deco set backed by some of the most striking projected realistic images I’ve seen at the Aronoff Center. Even the front curtain — an image across the bay with the beckoning green light that draws Gatsby’s attention — is stunning. As previously noted, the dancing ensemble is excellent, and the featured number, “La Dee Dah With You,” fronted by Joann Gilliam as band singer Gilda Gray, really captures electrifying hyper charged energy — culminating with projected fireworks and more stage action. Scenes such as this are the best moments of this touring production, and likely what many in the audience will remember.
This musical version of Fitzgerald’s great novel isn’t a truly faithful representation of his dark message. But it is entertaining to watch and hear. It features a fine orchestra of a dozen or so musicians, some on tour and augmented by more talented local professionals. A lot of audience members came in costume for the show in Twenties attire. They were having a great time. Maybe that’s the best way to enjoy The Great Gatsby — pretending to be a part of the “Roaring” fun.