You're invited to the most lavish party on Broadway

It was a time unlike any other, in a place unlike any other. Every night was a lavish party, and every day was topped off with luscious luxuries. The finest touches were never too opulent and the chicest fashion was never too stylish. In short, life was like a musical extravaganza.

For the first time ever, that coveted-by-all, attainable-by-few lifestyle has turned into just that: a brand new show, The Great Gatsby—the most razzle dazzle and bedazzled stage spectacular to debut on Broadway in decades.

A Classic Broadway Extravaganza 

Eight times a week, The Broadway Theatre, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year, dials back the clock a century to its origins, transforming into the ultimate Roaring 20s party. 

We're talking an overflowing champagne tower, a thrilling casino craps table, a full-sized shiny yellow car, and bubbles floating through it all—and that's just in a single song, "New Money." The grand musical number even ends with dazzling sparklers and fireworks. Yes, on the stage inside the theater—that's the level of grandeur this new rendition of the classic reaches.

It’s a refreshing take on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved 1925 novel, so iconic that its titular character, Jay Gatsby’s last name has become an adjective—and the bachelor’s nouveau riche habits are draped in opulence throughout this two-and-a-half hour spectacle.

While this kind of thrill used to be the very essence of a Broadway show, in recent decades, there's been a trend of scaling back. Black box stages with minimal staging have risen in popularity, often with smaller casts and even smaller orchestras. So often, theatergoers step out of a show wondering what they actually paid for. 

But The Great Gatsby flips the trend, going all out—and making sure you get every bang for your buck, in that kind of spectacle of song and dance you expect at the theater. It's a true visual treat, harkening back to the heyday of Broadway, from the impressiveness of its props (two different cars appear on stage!) to the tiniest elements of the wardrobe (from that extra gleam on Gatsby's shoes to the fine detailing on Daisy's dresses). It's no surprise that the show's costume designer Linda Cho even won her third Tony Award (Best Costume Design, Musical) for the fine fashioning of the bygone era.

The scale of the entire production—with 28 company members illuminating the stage with choreographed numbers so stunning it often seems like a cast of hundreds—is not just bigger, but brighter. Every setting, from the luxurious mansion parties and charming garden cottages to the rustic gas station feel so very authentic, making it truly feel like a journey through the lives and drama of Gatsby and Daisy.

This Immersive Party is For Everyone

Even before the curtains lift, the party has begun. In fact, going through the theater entrance process here feels less like going to a show and more like heading into a Met Ball-level affair you've scored an invite to. In a true immersion, some audience members even dress to the nines in Gatsby era fashion, from sleek suits topped with savvy hats to flapper-style dresses with an accent on sparkles.

All around the theater, there's a buzz of anticipation doused with a festive atmosphere. But the beauty is in the wide range of audience members. During one afternoon matinee, there was a mix of longtime theatergoing couples, excited to catch an entirely new show based on a story they already knew well, as well as several high school groups, not just seeing their required school reading come to life, but also experiencing live theater for the first time.

Then there were the Gatsby fans with an extra dose of hoot and holler, the fans of the two stars, Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada. Pairing these two buzzy Broadway talents together is true dream casting. When we look back at the great generations of stage stars, we'll be talking about Patti Lupone and Mandy Patakin, then Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, and now Jordan and Noblezada.

Jordan has quietly grown into one of the biggest names on Broadway. First making waves for originating the lead role in the fan favorite Newsies— which earned him a Tony nomination—and also putting his trademark stamp on Waitress, American Son and Bonnie & Clyde. TV roles like Smash and Supergirl have stretched his reach, and earning him nearly 725,000 Instagram followers, more than a few of whom were clearly in the audience, based on the reaction when he first stepped on stage. 

Noblezada's journey to the stage is a true fairytale. She flew to NYC for a high school theater awards program in 2013, and less than a year later, she was starring in the lead role in Miss Saigon in London's West End. Since then, she's amassed two Tonys nominations, and a diehard fanbase, especially during her nearly four-year run in Hadestown as Eurydice. Here as Daisy, a palpable excitement spread throughout the theater during her first entrance.

Each individually compelling, putting them together in a show—as the iconic Gatsby and Daisy no less—no doubt is the kind of combination that theater fans will be bragging about having seen decades from now.

Gatsby is a Distinctly New York City Show

As a lifelong Broadway fan, I’ve made some funny choices—like seeing Jersey Boys in London instead of in my home state where it originates. I originally wondered if I journeyed out to the Paper Mill Playhouse, in Millburn, New Jersey, last fall, to catch the very first pre-Broadway performance of The Great Gatsby might feel the same way.

Even in the suburbs, I was immediately swept up in the magic of this new musical with a book by Kait Kerrigan, music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Nathan Tysen, produced by Chunsoo Shin, and directed by Marc Bruni. But every element was elevated when I then saw it on Broadway. 

After all, sitting there in the theater on 53rd and Broadway, I was just six blocks south and two avenues over from one of the locations in the musical, The Plaza Hotel. As iconic today as it was then, there's an inherent excitement about actually being in the setting brought to life in front of you. 

On top of that, the mansions that inspired the story are all just to the east of the city in Long Island, so close that the characters talk about walking to the city. In real life, you can also complement your Gatsby show with an actual visit to the homes of that era, now appropriately known as the Gatsby Gold Coast Mansions (though a drive is wiser—no spoiler alerts!). In fact, the two leads even filmed this music video for "For Her/My Green Light" at one of the era's finest, de Seversky Mansion, which was built in 1916 by architect Thomas Hastings for businessman and inventor Alfred I. du Pont and later became part of the New York Institute of Technology in 1972.

But more than anything, seeing Jordan and Noblezada, back where they belong on a Broadway stage—fittingly at one of the handful of theaters with an actual Broadway street address—makes The Great Gatsby shine more than ever. 

When Jordan belted out "For Her" on this stage, so filled with heartbreaking lovelorn, chills ran through my body with every longing note. By the end of the song, I found myself wiping away a tear drawn out by the emotional beauty of his voice. That tremendous reaction was matched by Noblezada in the "Beautiful Little Fool," capturing every innuendo of Daisy's complex feelings in the purest of performances. Plus the fact that the Mexican-Filipina superstar has been cast in a historically white role also made me feel more seen as an Asian American, and I hope others of diverse backgrounds will as well.

The Gatsby cast is rounded out by the most delightful mix of talents, from the enchanting Noah J. Ricketts as Nick Carraway and the sassy Samantha Pauly as Jordan Baker to the whimsical Sara Chase as Myrtle Wilson to the compelling John Zdrojeski as Tom Buchanan, among a whole cast of sparkling talents.

A throwback stage spectacular with the draw of the alluring 1920s elevated with theater magic of today and topped off with the most enthralling performances. This is one invite you can't turn down. Gatsby is waiting.

Ready to go? Find tickets for The Great Gatsby on Broadway.