‘The Great Gatsby’ musical finds new resonance in Seoul with feminist twist
Writer Kait Kerrigan adds depth to Daisy, exploring themes of gender, class
Kait Kerrigan, book writer for the musical “The Great Gatsby,” poses with a wine glass prop at the GS Arts Center in southern Seoul, Aug. 7, during her visit for the Korean premiere of the Broadway production. Courtesy of Antonia Giordano
In a city where musicals are almost always sung in Korean, "The Great Gatsby" is a rarity — a full-scale, English-language production where a Korean producer, a Broadway dream team and an American classic converge on the Seoul stage.
The creative team, including book writer Kait Kerrigan, traveled to Seoul for the show’s glittering premiere on Aug. 8. “The Great Gatsby” may not be as ingrained in Korean culture as in English-speaking countries, but audiences have a well-known appetite for theatrical spectacles.
During her brief trip for the Seoul opening, Kerrigan sampled some Korean dishes like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and left wanting to spend more time in the country.
The novel’s enduring legacy, from numerous stage adaptations to Baz Luhrmann’s star-studded film, inspired Shin Chun-soo of OD Company to craft his own interpretation. Seeking to preserve the subtlety of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original, Shin enlisted an American creative team with a profound understanding of the source material. Composer Jason Howland, then collaborating with Nathan Tysen on “Paradise Square,” recommended bringing Tysen on board for lyrics and his wife Kerrigan for the book and adaptation.
With a multifaceted background as a writer, lyricist, director and actor, Kerrigan spoke of the serendipity in the collaboration.
“I had met my husband Nathan Tysen (a few years before) and we totally clicked and eventually fell in love and had children and all that of that,” she told The Korea Times.
Senzel Ahmady as Daisy performs "Absolute Rose" in a scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" at GS Arts Center in southern Seoul. Courtesy of OD Company
Though they both worked in theater on separate projects, she said they "never thought of writing with each other.”
She added with a laugh, “But when Jason tells you to do something, you can’t say no.”
After starting on “The Great Gatsby,” Kerrigan and Tysen found their rhythm quickly, based on their intuitive understanding of each other’s creative needs. Initially, Kerrigan was cautious about balancing the demanding project with their family life, but a poignant moment shifted her perspective, when she watched her baby daughter sitting beside Howland, softly playing the open notes of a song.
“It just felt right,” she said. “It was an absolute delight to work with Jason, who is an incredible collaborator.”
Beyond its English-language novelty, the production faced significant hurdles. After committing to the project in late 2018, the team’s momentum was interrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. With offices shuttered in Korea and New York City locked down, the production came to a near standstill. Gradually, as restrictions eased, the team resumed work, determined to bring their vision to the stage.
Kait Kerrigan, center, book writer of the musical "The Great Gatsby," speaks during a media event at GS Arts Center in southern Seoul, Aug. 6. Courtesy of OD Company
Illusion, disillusionment and social confines
Central to Kerrigan’s adaptation was an emphasis on the intersection of class and feminism — “bedrock” themes she felt could resonate universally with audiences worldwide, including Korea. Kerrigan also watched Korean films such as “Parasite” and read Han Kang’s book “The Vegetarian,” which helped her continue with these themes.
One of her primary creative goals was to reimagine the female characters, particularly Daisy Buchanan, who is often dismissed as vain or superficial in traditional interpretations.
“She has a famous monologue that is well-known but we [the reader] have no idea who she is. It felt ripe for adaptation,” Kerrigan explained.
Kait Kerrigan, book writer of the musical “The Great Gatsby,” poses at the GS Arts Center in southern Seoul, where the Korean premiere of the Broadway production is being staged in English. Courtesy of Antonia Giordano
The production started exploring the narrative perspective more deeply, and at some point Kerrigan suggested that the novel’s narrator, Nick Carraway, might misremember certain moments. This allowed her to move Daisy’s well-known quote, “I hope she'll be a fool — that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,” from its original place in Chapter 1 to the end of the musical, where it becomes a song.
This approach culminates in Daisy’s performance of “Beautiful Little Fool” in Act 2 — a poignant song for her daughter and an expression of disillusionment, advising her to be a “beautiful fool” just thinking of what’s beside her and not yearning for anything else.
While viewers may question Daisy’s choices, the staging invites empathy, revealing how the era's constraints of gender and class limit her, making the glittering world she inhabits feel like an illusion.
Kerrigan shared her particular fondness for a newly imagined scene where Daisy and Jordan play golf, a moment absent from the novel. They have a more relaxed, real conversation and for one moment can shed the pretense that life thrusts upon them. This helps the audience to “suddenly grow (their) perspective” for these women.
Amber Ardolino as Jordan, left, and Senzel Ahmady as Daisy perform in a scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" at GS Arts Center in southern Seoul. Courtesy of OD Company
Throughout the show, themes of illusion, disillusionment and classism play out vividly, not only in the female characters’ arcs but also in the portrayal of Myrtle and George, whose lives highlight exploitation and marginalization. Tom and Daisy, who are privileged, receive no punishment for the crimes they commit. Nick, as the witness to these dynamics, emerges as a figure who is both fascinated and then disenchanted by all the glamour that had surrounded him.
Kerrigan also praised the production’s visual and choreographic elements, crediting set and video designer Paul Tate dePoo III, Tony Award-winning costume designer Linda Cho and choreographer Dominique Kelley for their stunning contributions.
“The dance in the show is vivid and hip, and also completely of the period and so smart,” Kerrigan said.
The writer expressed hope the musical will be translated into Korean one day, adding she would be excited to see how a different cultural lens might reinterpret the story.
Offering advice to aspiring writers, she emphasized starting small, collaborating with friends, trusting one’s instincts and heeding the words of American radio personality Ira Glass: “Figure out what your taste is and make the distance between what your taste is and what you want to create smaller.”
Antonia Giordano is a freelance photographer and writer based in Seoul. Visit giordanoantonia.myportfolio.com and follow @antonia_creative_services on Instagram.