SYNOPSIS
F.Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is the quintessential novel of our time. It is the tragic telling of a man who reinvents himself to prove himself worthy of the love of one woman, the beautiful, selfish and manipulative Daisy Fay Buchanan. The jazz age of the roaring 1920's
is the backdrop for this setting where parties begin at sunset and continue uproariously beyond sunrise.
ACT ONE
"In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice which I've been turning over in my mind ever since." Nick acquaints us with himself and prepares us for the events that follow. The orchestra plays the rage. OVERTURE.
Nick is visiting with his cousin, Daisy and her husband, Tom Buchanan on A FINE SUMMER EVENING. Later, Daisy takes Nick aside and tells him how cynical she has gotten to feel about things. Her daughter, Pamela plays in the shadows as Daisy laments the best thing a girl can be in this world is a BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL.
Nick lives in a cottage beside the opulent mansion of Jay Gatsby. Nick notices the silhouette of a man staring out towards the blinking green light shining from across the bay.
This is Gatsby.
At the Valley of ashes... Sometime later, Tom and Nick are driving into New York. The pull into a run down gas station owned by George Wilson. Wilson wants to buy Tom's roadster, but Tom is only interested in Wilson's pretty wife, Myrtle. He keeps an apartment in New York and tells her to meet him there. Myrtle invites a few friends up for a social gathering.
Most of them have been to Gatsby's parties, so that monopolizes most of the conversation. When Myrtle mentions the name of Tom's wife, Daisy, the party sours. In anger, Tom strikes his mistress across her face. The guests leave her alone and she ponders WHY DO I LOVE HIM SO?
A lick of the piano mid song and the scene immediately becomes a party at Gatsby's in full swing. Myrtle is now telling partiers WHY DO I LOVE HIM SO? Jordan Baker, the professional golfer, meets up with Nick and together they stir up the festivities. THE GATSBY NEWS. Gatsby surprises Nick, who has not yet been introduced to the nouveau riche millionaire. They make plans to meet for lunch, then Gatsby is called away on a business call. The assorted guests spread rumors about the man with dark secrets, WEST EGG BUZZ.
Nick does not know it, but Gatsby wants him to set up a meeting between himself and Daisy. Gatsby enlists Jordan to make this request for him. Jordan informs Nick that Gatsby and Daisy were once sweethearts and that Daisy ought to have something in her life. Nick agrees to set up the meeting at his bungalow. Daisy, who believes that she is coming to see Nick gazes at Jay. "We haven't met for many years," she says. It is apparent that time has stood still for Gatsby. When they are alone, the declare OUR LOVE to each other. They waltz and tango as time passes.
On an extremely hot summer afternoon, Jordan, Daisy, Tom, Gatsby and Nick get together for an outing in New York. they are in a suite at the Plaza Hotel deciding
what they should do when Tom confronts Gatsby as to his intentions concerning Daisy. The situation turns raucous. THE CONFRONTATION AT THE PLAZA. (Confrontation At The Plaza:Bonus Version). Gatsby tries to force Daisy to admit that she never loved Tom. Daisy will leave Tom for Gatsby, but she is unable to say that she never loved Tom. Tom is very pleased with himself. He has exposed Gatsby as thug. Daisy drives off with Gatsby in his yellow Rolls. She is angry, hurt, desperate and frightened. Myrtle, believing that Tom is in the car, runs out in front of it as it careens out of control.
ACT TWO
After the collision in front of Wilson's garage, Tom pulls over to find out what the calamity is about. Witnesses tell the gruesome story of how the car swerved out of control, crushing Myrtle to death. YELLOW CAR OF DEATH. Tom concludes that it must have been Gatsby driving. "Son of a bitch didn't even stop his car" He tells a distraught Wilson to meet him at this house later. Wilson vows revenge towards the one who took his MYRTLEBIRD away from him.
Gatsby and Daisy arrive in front of the Buchanan residence. When he is assured that she will be alright, he leaves her alone. She is upset by the events of the evening. She has had a change of heart METATAMORPHASIS: A CHANGE OF HEART. She wants to leave the mess behind and she will tell Tom that she was a fool to say the things she said, so that they can leave together. Tom offers Nick supper when they return to the Buchanan mansion. Nick, feeling remorseful over what happened declines. Tom and Jordan go inside. Tom justifies his actions having told Wilson that Gatsby drove the yellow car. TOM'S REQUEST.
As Nick is heading to meet a taxi cab, he spots Gatsby. "Was she killed?" Gatsby wonders. Nick responds affirmatively as he begins to realize that Daisy must have been driving. Gatsby admits she was behind the wheel, but he will say that he was driving. He decides to wait below her balcony until she goes to sleep. Gatsby laments what his life would have been without DAISY IN MY LIFE.
The following morning, Nick goes over to Gatsby's before work. He feels there is something that needs to be said. They note the change of season coming upon them, A FINE SUMMER ENDING. Gatsby expects that Daisy should be calling him soon. Before leaving, Nick gestures to his friend that "He's worth the whole bunch put together." Gatsby decides to take one last swim in the pool before closing it for winter. A crazed George Wilson sneaks behind him packing his pistol and shoots Gatsby in the back before pointing the gun to himself.
As Nick takes certain care of Gatsby's affairs, he is distressed that few people are interested in paying respects to the man. He is especially disturbed that Tom and Daisy have elected to go overseas. He is extremely disappointed in the ways of CARELESS PEOPLE.
At Gatsby's now uninhabited mansion, Nick eulogizes the man he dubs THE GREAT GATSBY. Gatsby's ghost joins in as the twosome and ensemble croon that "Tomorrow we'll run faster and stretch our arms out farther."
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
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