Derek Klena Will Take the Title Role in Broadway's The Great Gatsby
Derek Klena Will Take the Title Role in Broadway's The Great Gatsby
Derek Klena will star in the title role of The Great Gatsby at the Broadway Theatre beginning December 5, producer Chunsoo Shin announced. The musical is now in its third year on Broadway.
The show's current star, Ryan McCartan, will play his final performance on December 4. Klena's Broadway engagement is set to end on March 14, 2027.
Klena is a familiar face on Broadway. He earned a Tony nomination for originating the role of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill, and he played Fiyero in Wicked. He is also a pitcher and singer for the Savannah Bananas, a baseball team, and he will return to the club for its 2027 season after his Broadway run ends.
Tickets for The Great Gatsby are on sale through June 6, 2027. That date is the furthest point the show is currently selling performances to, so anyone planning a visit after the Klena run can already buy seats. Tickets already sold for future performances are what theater people call the advance.
The show began previews on March 29, 2024. Previews are the performances held before the official opening, when a production is still being fine-tuned for audiences. The Great Gatsby opened on April 25, 2024, and has sold more than one million tickets since then.
The musical has music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, and the book was adapted for the stage by Kait Kerrigan. Marc Bruni directed the production, and Dominique Kelley choreographed it. Several cast members will continue alongside Klena: China Anne McClain, Corbin Bleu, Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Max Monnig, Linedy Genao, Charlie Pollock and Eric Anderson.
The show has also been staged outside New York. Productions have launched in London's West End, in Seoul, South Korea, and on a U.S. national tour. Each of those companies has its own cast, crew and schedule, and each runs on its own calendar.
For anyone who has never followed a show closely, a lead change like this one is a normal part of Broadway life. A new star brings a new name to the marquee, while the set, the costumes and most of the company stay put. The show keeps running, eight times a week, while the cast changes around it.
