Laurena Allan, Gary Wilmes, Scott Shepherd, Annie McNamara, Kate Scelsa, Vin Knight. Photo by Mark Barton


Scott Shepherd. Photo by Paula Court

Susie Sokol, Scott Shepherd, Gary Wilmes, Jim Fletcher, Tory Vazquez. Photo by Paula Court

Victoria Vazquez, Jim Fletcher. Photo by Paula Court

Scott Shepherd, Annie McNamara. Photo by Mark Barton

Victoria Vazquez, Jim Fletcher. Photo by Paula Court

Susie Sokol, Gary Wilmes. Photo by Paula Court

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
Daya Wolterstorff was the original Stage Manager, followed by Ariana Smart Truman, then Sarah Hughes (who also played Jordan once). Additional artists who contributed to the creation of Gatz (1999 – 2006): Paul Boocock, Sue Dennis, Rinne Groff, James Hannaham, Leah Rudick, Jay Smith, James Urbaniak, and B.D. White.