Newly Shaped 'Great Gatsby' Sheds Insight Into Life Today: 'Theater Is As Important As It's Ever Been'

SOUTHAMPTON, NYm— An iconic classic is set to be reborn soon in Southampton, as "The Great Gatsby" unfolds at Center Stage at the Southampton Arts Center.

The Roaring 20s was never more pointedly and poignantly defined than in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” a prescient tale of love, longing, and loss.

And now, that timeless work will be reimagined at Center Stage in a stunning performance too compelling to miss.

The show unveils a glimpse into an era thinly veiled in glitz, glamour and jazz while deftly hiding a tumultuous country on the brink of ruination. At the center is a man, a myth — a creation of his own design — whose desires pull him back to a love he once felt unworthy of obtaining.

The show will be directed by the incomparable Michael Disher. Performances will be held Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m., Saturday, October 24 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m.

Beneath this romantic underscoring lie deeper themes of socio-economic unrest, poverty, deception, and organized crime — and a scathing look at power and privilege among the affluent.

"Let’s be blunt: 'The Great Gatsby' is an American tragedy. Love is tenuous and tentative. Lives are expendable. Jazz was as intoxicating as bootleg gin. And the decade was as elusive as the American Dream," Disher said.

Based on Joe Landry’s radio version of “Gatsby”, Disher and Landry, frequent collaborators, took a new approach to the material. Part play, part radio presentation — as radio was quite available in the 1920s — Disher and Landry went back to the book and its brilliant prose to create a thorough presentation of the story’s glamour, grit and gravitas.

"There was so much we wanted to include. And so much that could be included. Many versions focus on the party. And the party is a key factor here, but the end of the party, the era is so much more heart-wrenching," said Disher.

And the music underscores, literally and figuratively, the decade’s heights — and depths, he said.

Speaking with Patch, Disher explained that "Gatsby" was supposed to be presented back in May.

"But Joe and I realized that if we incorporated much of the prose from the actual book that there was no way that it could be pulled off in the short amount of rehearsal time between 'Dear Jack, Dear Louise' and the first of May. So, 'The Great Gatsby' was postponed until October of this year."

Reflecting on his interpretation of arguably one of the greatest works in American fiction, Disher said: "I’ve watched many versions of 'The Great Gatsby' and was always stymied that the focus was always on the parties. I wanted to expose the many layers of the book, the subtext, the challenges, the sociological commentary of the decade that was thinly disguised in indulgences and frivolity."

And the piece is a seamless fit for the Southampton stage, he said.

"I was surprised that there were so many references to Long Island — locations and specific areas, some actual, some fictionalized. But what specifically has drawn me to the piece is a fascination with the extremes that people will go to to either disguise, create or reinvent themselves."

Having explored radio plays in many productions, Disher explained why "Gatsby" was a natural piece to transform to the dramatic medium.

"The first radio play, 'A Comedy of Danger', first aired in 1924. One year later, Fitzgerald wrote 'Gatsby'. It makes perfect sense to combine the two," he said.

When asked why he chose this particular piece, at this singular moment in time, Disher said the show's central themes resonate in a deeply moving way, now more than ever.

"I love literature, that’s no surprise. And I find that the older I get the more I am drawn to pieces I enjoyed in my youth. I want to revisit them and to a degree revision with new eyes. They are like old friends," he said.

And, Disher added: "One of the main themes in Gatsby is uncontrollable and reckless affluence. Privilege and entitlement do not allow individuals to do and behave as they wish. One might be able to draw parallels to today."

Life, onstage and off, is marked by embellishment, Disher said. "We know this, but too often personal fiction overtakes the facts of who we are, what we have done, and what we can become."

Audiences at this new iteration of "Gatsby" will see the show through a fresh and innovative lens, Disher said.

"This may not be the 'Gatsby' people know and expect. This is the 'Gatsby' story that needs to be told. if an audience member finds a passage or message here that strikes a chord within them, not only have we done our job in the theater, but as storytellers presenting the power of Fitzgerald’s words penned 100 years ago."

For Disher, the process of shaping a new "Gatsby" interpretation has been colored with joy and insight.

"With great scrutiny, one can always discover more, learn more and be bettered by the knowledge," Disher said. "This journey has particularly been an interesting chapter in my book of theatrical productions. The prose is beautiful, yes, we know this — but I hope that its purpose and prescient nature resonates long after audiences leave the theater."

The show sends a critical message, a life lesson to be embraced, he said.

"I love learning and I don’t think I’ll ever stop. I believe critical thinking is essential today. Of course, common sense doesn't hurt, either. I don’t know. Perhaps I’m a little too pragmatic, but I just feel that if you have the opportunity to learn anything, well, everyone should seize that opportunity."

The power of theater as an art form and as a vessel for social metamorphosis should never be underestimated, Disher said.

"You know, I’m usually very blunt and honest, but I find what we do in the theater is as important now as it’s ever been," he said. "Yes, I could get on my soapbox and lecture the world about the values of theater, but without question, the theater has always been a mirror for the sociological advances and challenges of the day. We in the theater comment upon life. We present worlds that exist — worlds that we wish existed. We are analytical creatures. Let’s look at the world. Let’s look at what is happening. And let’s voice in equal parts truth and opinion what we see."

“The Great Gatsby” cast includes Patty Greene Brockman, Susan Cincotta, Thom D’Angelo, Tim Ferris, Vincenzo James Harty, Alyssa Kelly, Michael Ponella, Jack Seabury, Michaal Lyn Schepps, Elizabeth Wyld, Franco Pistritto, and Tom Gregory as Jay Gatsby.

Along with Disher’s direction, Jack Seabury musically directs. Lighting and sound are presented by Ken Blessing, with set design by Joey Giovingo, projections by Joe Landry and Ken Blessing, and production photography by Dane DuPuis.

Tickets cost $25 for general admission and $20 for SAC members. Student and group rates are available. For tickets, call 631-283-0967 or click here.

.Center Stage at Southampton Arts Center is located at 25 Jobs Lane in Southampton.

For additional information, click here.