Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Matt Doyle, Senzel Ahmady to lead ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Korea
Matt Doyle, left, and Senzel Ahmady will lead "The Great Gatsby" in Seoul starting in August. Courtesy of OD Company
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The Seoul production of the Broadway hit musical “The Great Gatsby” revealed its star-studded cast Wednesday, with Tony Award winner Matt Doyle and rising musical theater talent Senzel Ahmady set to lead the show, ahead of its August premiere at GS Arts Center in southern Seoul.
Doyle, who won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in “Company,” will take on the role of the enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby. Known for his emotionally rich performances and exceptional vocal ability, Doyle has built a solid resume on Broadway with appearances in “Spring Awakening,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “War Horse” and “The Book of Mormon.”
Starring opposite Doyle as Daisy Buchanan is Senzel Ahmady, a breakout star best known for her two-year run as Jasmine in the North American tour of “Aladdin.”
The production brings a roster of Broadway talent to Seoul, featuring Gerald Caesar as Nick Carraway, Amber Ardolino as Jordan Baker, Jeanna De Waal as Myrtle Wilson, Wes Williams as Tom Buchanan, Tally Sessions as George Wilson and Ed Staudenmayer as Meyer Wolfsheim.
Ryan McCartan, left, as Jay Gatsby and Sarah Hyland as Daisy Buchanan in the Broadway production of "The Great Gatsby" / Courtesy of Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, “The Great Gatsby” musical premiered on Broadway in April 2024 under the helm of Korean producer Shin Chun-soo of OD Company, the first Asian lead producer on Broadway. The show has since made waves in both New York and London, dazzling audiences with a jazz-infused score composed by Jason Howland, high-energy choreography by Dominique Kelly and its Art Deco-inspired sets and costumes.
The Seoul staging will mark the third leg of a rare three-country simultaneous run for an original production by a Korean producer.
“I wanted to deliver the full scale and performance of the original production of ‘The Great Gatsby’ to Korean audiences just as it is. This is not a touring production — it is an original production tailored exclusively for Korean audiences, developed by adopting and further advancing the Broadway system,” Shin said in a statement. “To preserve the emotional essence of the original work, we will first present the show in English with Korean subtitles and plan to follow up with a Korean-language version featuring Korean actors next year.”
“The Great Gatsby” in Seoul will begin previews on Aug. 1 ahead of its official opening on Aug. 8, with tickets available starting May 20.