Immersive Everywhere's interactive production of The Great Gatsby is giving Playbill readers an exclusive first look at its New York cast. Set in the Park Central Hotel New York's 16,000-square-foot ballroom, which is being transformed into The Gatsby Mansion, previews will now begin June 6 ahead of its June 25 opening night.
Adapted and directed by Alexander Wright, the interactive production invites audience members into the world of the jazz-age F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, bringing to life one of Jay Gatsby's infamous parties. A 1920s dress code is encouraged, but not required, for theatregoers as they roam the mansion, dancing, and gossiping with the characters from the classic tale. The upcoming New York run arrives after The Great Gatsby played seven years of sold-out performances in London.
Starring will be Joel Acosta (Aloha Boricua) as Jay Gatsby, Rob Brinkmann (Oklahoma) as Nick Carraway, Jillian Anne Abaya (Asleep, Awake) as Daisy Buchanan, Shahzeb Hussain (Tammany Hall) as Tom Buchanan, Stephanie Rocío (Hurts to Hate You A Little) as Jordan Baker, Keivon Akbari (Tosca Tehran) as George Wilson, Claire Saunders (Importance of Being Earnest) as Myrtle Wilson, Nicholas Caycedo (Good Morning New York) as Joey, Kiki Burns (Legally Blonde) as Lucille, Charlie Marcus (A Bronx Tale The Musical) as Meyer Wolfsheim, Jeremiah Ginn (Murder For Two) as Owl Eyes, and Stephanie Cha (Mr. Holland’s Opus) as Kitty Klipspringer, musical artist Anika Braganza of The Braganza Sisters as Gilda, and Mya Rosado-Tran making an Off-Broadway debut as Charlie McKee.
Take a look at the cast below.
This production is one of three The Great Gatsby works currently making headlines. A musical adaptation titled Gatsby featuring music by Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine, lyrics by Thomas Bartlett, and a book by Martyna Majok is set to premiere in 2024 at Massachusetts' American Repertory Theatre. Tony Award-winning Hadestown director Rachel Chavkin and Tony-winning Moulin Rouge! The Musical choreographer Sonya Tayeh recently signed onto the Broadway-aimed Gatsby musical. Another musical adaptation titled The Great Gatsby is set to make its own world premiere later this year at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse. It features a book by Kait Kerrigan, music by Jason Howland, and lyrics by Nathan Tysen.
Wright and producer Brian Hook conceived the immersive adaptation in 2015 in York at The Fleeting Arms. It made its London premiere as part of the VAULT festival in 2019 and has subsequently played Dublin, Brussels, and Seoul. The original score was composed and produced by Glen Andrew Brown and Tendai Humphrey Sitima, with arrangements and additional composition by David Sims.
Joining Wright on the creative tam will be choreographer Holly Beasley-Garrigan, set designer Casey Jay Andrews, art director Shoko Kambara, lighting designer Jeff Croiter, sound designers Phil Grainger and Peter Fitzgerald, costume designer Vanessa Leuck, fight director Tom Schall, and music director Claire McKenzie. Kristin Dwyer is production stage manager with assistant stage managers Emily Venezia and Rachael Wilkin. Casting is by The Casting Collaborative's Jason Styres and Gregory Jafari Van Acker
The original production was produced by the Guild of Misrule and created by Beasley-Garrigan, Amie Burns Walker, Hannah Davies, Phil Grainger, Michael Lambourne, Thomas Maller, and Oliver Tilney.
Olivier-winning producers Hook and Louis Hartshorn launched Immersive Everywhere in 2019. The New York production is produced by Immersive Everywhere, Hartshorn-Hook Productions and Broadway International Group, and executive produced by Louis Hartshorn, Brian Hook, Marc Routh and Simone Genatt. Co-producers include Naoya Kinoshita, VCM AGM, Gavin Kalin, Hunter Arnold, Bruce Robert Harris, and Jack W. Batman, among others.
Visit ImmersiveGatsby.com.
