Gatz
James Gatz — that was really, or at least legally, his name.One morning in the shabby office of a mysterious small business, an employee finds a copy of The Great Gatsby in the clutter on his desk. He starts to read it out loud and doesn’t stop. At first his coworkers hardly notice. But after a series of strange coincidences, it’s no longer clear whether he’s reading the book or the book is transforming him.
8 hours long and with a cast of 13, Gatz is by far ERS’s most ambitious endeavor yet — not a retelling of the Gatsby story but an enactment of the novel itself. Fitzgerald’s American masterpiece is delivered word for word, startlingly brought to life by a low-rent office staff in the midst of their inscrutable business operations.
The most remarkable achievement in theater not only of this year but also of this decade.
—Ben Brantley, The New York Times
A strangely seductive, often revelatory, and altogether ingenious production…
—Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
…One of the few ovations for which I have unreservedly stood.
—Larry Ryan, The Independent
Press
San Francisco Chronicle February 14, 2020
Review: ‘The Great Gatsby’ shines anew in this 8-hour (plus) staging
The Times of London May 10, 2012
The Show That Made Gatsby Even Greater
The New York Times December 16, 2010
Hath Not A Year Highlights? Even This One?
The New Yorker September 27, 2010
Putting 'The Great Gatsby' - Every Word Of It - Onstage
New York Magazine October 6, 2010
A Spellbinding Six-Hour Gatz
The New York Times October 6, 2010
Borne Back Ceaselessly Into The Past
The New York Times February 5, 2010
A Novel 'Gatsby': Stamina Required
The Boston Globe May 15, 2009
'The Great Gatsby' Meets 'The Office'
The Sydney Morning Herald December 28, 2009
Stage Provides Rich Pickings As Market Went Belly Up
The Sydney Morning Herald May 19, 2009
Mesmerising Take On Gatsby
The Chicago Tribune November 17, 2008
At Six-Plus Hours, Stage Take On 'Gatsby' A Great One Indeed
Time Out Chicago November 13-19, 2008
Fitz Of Passion
Chicago Sun-Times November 15, 2008
Baring The Heart, Soul, Of 'Gatsby'
The Irish Times October 4, 2008
'Gatz' Is Great, But 'Metamorphosis' Has Altered Too Much
The Independent October 3, 2008
Observations: A Joyful Day In The Company Of The Great Gatsby
Irish Times September 29, 2008
Review Of 'Gatz' At The Project
ArtForum: Best of 2007 December 1, 2007
On The Ground: New York
The New York Times Magazine December 9, 2007
The Unadapted Theatrical Adaptation
The New York Times September 16, 2007
This Week Ahead: September 16-22
The Village Voice September 12-18, 2007
Avant-Garde, PA
The Bulletin September 4, 2007
Technical, Classical Brilliance Opens Festival
Publico July 4, 2007
The Great Gatsby In The Theatre: A Brilliant Marathon
Die Presse June 17, 2007
A Triumph Of Literature Over Time
Klassekampen December 12, 2006
The Novel As Novel
Variety October 1, 2006
Gatz
Neue Zürcher Zeitung August 28, 2006
A Slice Of Happiness In The Tristesse Of The Roaring Twenties
Landboote August 28, 2006
Under The Spell Of A Novel
Tages-Anzeiger August 28, 2006
Textual Fidelity Reborn Through The Medium Of Soap Opera
The New York Times July 16, 2006
Is This Town Big Enough For Two Gatsbys? Maybe Not
Het Parool June 16,2006
Seven Hours Of Tremendous Theater
8Weekly June 16, 2006
Gatz - Elevator Repair Service
Trouw June 16, 2006
Wonderfully Intoxicated By The Sober Language Of Fitzgerald
Walker Art Center interview June 8, 2006
Elevator Repair Service's Gatz
NRC Handelsblad June 2, 2006
She Only Loves Me
De Volkskrant May 29, 2006
Gatsby-Marathon: Reading It Out Loud
Le Soir May 24, 2006
A Very Digestible Brick
Yale Alumni Magazine November/December 2005
Gatsby, Every Last Word Of It, On Stage
Ensemble
- Nick Scott Shepherd (also Ben Williams)
- Jim Jim Fletcher
- Lucille Kate Scelsa (also Maggie Hoffman)
- Jordan Susie Sokol (also Sibyl Kempson or Annie McNamara or April Matthis)
- Daisy Victoria Vazquez (also Lucy Taylor or Annie McNamara)
- Tom Robert Cucuzza (also Gary Wilmes or Ben Williams or Pete Simpson)
- Chester Vin Knight (also Greig Sargeant or John Collins)
- George Aaron Landsman (also Frank Boyd)
- Catherine Annie McNamara (also Kristen Sieh or Lindsay Hockaday)
- Michaelis Ben Williams (also Matt Tierney)
- Myrtle Laurena Allan
- Ewing Mike Iveson (also Gavin Price)
- Henry C. Gatz Ross Fletcher
The role of Nick was created by Scott Shepherd, Catherine by Annie McNamara, Daisy by Tory Vazquez, Tom by Robert Cucuzza, Chester by Vin Knight, Ewing by Ethan Lipton, George by Aaron Landsman, Lucille by Kate Scelsa.
- Director John Collins
- Associate Director Steve Bodow
- Set Designer Louisa Thompson
- Lighting Designer Mark Barton
- Associate Lighting Designer Dans Maree Sheehan
- Assistant Lighting Designer Christopher Brown
- Sound Designer Ben Williams
- Sound Engineer Jason Sebastian
- Costume Designer Colleen Werthmann
- Assistant Costume Designers Campbell Ringel, Ana Schumacher, Alice Tavener
- Stage Manager Maurina Lioce
- Production Manager Liz Nielsen
- Technical Director Aaron Amodt
- Producer Ariana Smart Truman
- Associate Producer & Company Manager Lindsay Hockaday