Korean-Made 'The Great Gatsby'... Coming to New York Broadway This Spring

The musical "The Great Gatsby," produced by Korean musical production company Odi Company, will take the stage on Broadway in New York this spring. Prior to this, the production received critical acclaim and sold out all seats during its 'try-out' performances, the final hurdle before challenging Broadway.

Image provided by Odee Company Co., Ltd., Photo by Jeremy Daniel

According to Playbill on the 16th (local time), Shin Chunsu, CEO of Odi Company, who participated as the sole lead producer, announced that the musical The Great Gatsby will officially open on April 25 at a Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York. Preview performances will begin on March 29. Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same name, the production is characterized by its depiction of love, desire, and dreams set against the glamorous backdrop of 1920s New York, an era dominated by materialism.

Jeremy Jordan, who has appeared in popular musicals such as "Newsies" and "Bonnie & Clyde," plays the role of Jay Gatsby. Eva Noblezada, familiar to Korean musical fandom for her appearance alongside Hong Kwang-ho in the 25th anniversary special stage of the West End's "Miss Saigon," stars as Daisy Buchanan. The music is composed by Jason Howland, a Grammy and Emmy Award winner, and the direction is by Tony Award nominee Mark Bruni.

Shin Chunsu, the first Korean to become a full member of the Broadway League, led the entire production process from planning to development as the sole lead producer of this work. In a statement, Shin said, "I am very pleased to present a timeless and captivating work on Broadway."

As a novel representing America is adapted into a musical on Broadway, local interest is high. The try-out performances held in New Jersey last October and November were sold out, lighting the path to Broadway success. The try-out, a trial performance, is regarded as the final checkpoint to confirm the potential before stepping onto the dream stage of Broadway.

Local media such as The Hollywood Reporter highlighted that "The Great Gatsby" set the record for the highest ticket sales ever at the Paper Mill Playhouse, a theater known for hosting try-outs of major productions. Originally, CEO Shin and Odi Company planned to enter Broadway around June, but following the critical and investor acclaim during the try-out performances, they decided to officially open before the Tony Awards season at the end of April.

In particular, the success of the musical "The Great Gatsby" draws attention as it marks a Korean producer's challenge on Broadway. The New York Times (NYT) introduced Shin, a leading Korean musical producer, noting his previous Broadway attempts with "Holler If You Hear Me" and "Doctor Zhivago," and expressed interest in the success of this production. Including other works that stopped at the try-out stage, this marks Shin's third attempt in four tries to break into Broadway. After last year's try-out performances, Shin stated in an interview that his goal is not just to enter Broadway but to "create a long-running production."

Meanwhile, another musical titled "Gatsby" will premiere in May at Harvard University's theater in Massachusetts. This is due to the expiration of the copyright for the novel The Great Gatsby in 2021, which has allowed free reuse and adaptation. This musical, also aiming for Broadway, is adapted by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martina Maech.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.