WJPS 11th and 12th graders recently had the opportunity to go see The Great Gatsby on Broadway. This production is an adaptation of the novella by F. Scott Fitzgerald– a book that was read in Ms. Marks AP Literature class.

WJPS teacher Ms. Marks said, “It’s amazing for our AP Lit class to see a book they read and it’s great for the other classes to be introduced to an interesting adaptation.”

The musical excels at bringing Gatsby’s vibrant parties to life, with the glamour being ripped straight out of the pages.

However, the production takes the liberties to change certain aspects of the book and as a result scenes are played out differently.

These scene changes do not impact the plot, but they do lead to the romantic themes of the novella to become the center focus of the musical, hence other themes that were present in the book are not properly explored.

WJPS 12th grader Victoria Aguasvivas said, “I prefer the novel, but the show on its own is very good and certain aspects had to be changed because it was for a Broadway audience.”

Still, the musical is worth the watch for anybody who has read the book.