It’s the Roaring Twenties in Houston! “The Great Gatsby” transports the Hobby Center to the best party thrown in town, now through March 8.
The broadway musical based on the beloved classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald, of the same name, is a story of the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his endless pursuit of his lost love from his youth, Daisy Buchanan. The musical is a journey filled with love, longing, wealth and tragedy with a story brought to life with a jazz- and pop-influenced original score, an extravagant set design and choreography.
The musical brings the classic to a new generation of audiences and while it is not a faithful adaptation, the musical captures the heart of the novel by Fitzgerald. The characters have their own journey brought to life with energy and solo numbers giving the audience a look at their multifaceted characters.
The show’s score and choreography captures the extravagance and energy of the roaring twenties. The show flows easily as the audience learns more about each character from the musical, driven by their complex inner lives and as the musical progresses, the audience is able to get a glimpse at their movies and desires.
Jake David Smith played the titular character with a mixture of silliness and longing. Much like Gatsby himself, Smith’s playful and determined portrayal of the character shined bright in the musical through “Only Tea,” “For Her” and “Past is Catching Up to Me.”
Playing the role of the illusive and out of reach Daisy Buchanan, Senzel Ahmady, brought undeniable charm and grace to the role. Her character is essentially stuck in a box, torn between reality and desire, Daisy is demure but in a juxtaposition to her character, she almost yells the lyrics in an emotional performance of, “Beautiful Little Fool” and “For Better or Worse.”
The chemistry between Smith and Ahmady shined bright and gave the audience a glimpse into their love story with songs such as “My Green Light” and “Go.”
Playing the integral part of Nick Carraway, Joshua Grosso, brings a mixture of silly and serious to the stage, with “The Met” and “Only Tea.”
Perhaps the star who stole the show was the incredible set design. Every new song brought a new setting to the stage and each and every new design was breathtaking and eye popping.
The easy chemistry between the cast multiplied the energy in the ensemble songs such as “Roaring On,” “New Money” and “La Dee Dah With You.”
The musical is based on a book by Kait Kerrigan, features original score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen and is directed by Marc Bruni.
The musical offers an immersive and energetic look at the classic. Even those unfamiliar with the book will have no problem following along and learning the struggles and triumphs of the tragedy of Gatsby.
The stand-out cast and the stunning performances is well worth a visit to the theater. The Tony winning musical remains in Houston now through March 8 at the Hobby Center.
(Feature image by Evan Zimmerman)
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