The SXU Drama Club is hosting 2 performances of The Great Gatsby, a student-adapted stage play of the novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Posted on the Den, the performances are taking place on Fri., April 8, at 7:30 p.m. and Sat., April 9, at 7 p.m. in McGuire Hall. Giuliana Islas, the Vice President of the Drama Club, emphasizes that it is recommended “that attendees arrive 30 minutes before each showtime” to get tickets and seating.
Islas continued, “We picked The Great Gatsby because it is a timeless tale that people still love even years after its initial release. The book is also in the public domain, which means we did not need to pay a licensing fee, which is great, since we did not have a lot of money as a new RSO!”. The RSO was established in the fall 2021 semester.
Some members of the cast were asked which parts of the show they were most excited for the audience to see, they answered:
Lola(LJ) Shoemaker, who is playing Jay Gatsby in the production, stated that “Mine and Tom’s big fight scene but if I had to pick another it would be when Nick and I describe Jay’s life story”.
Shealyn Scott, who is playing Daisy Buchanan, reveals that “There’s one certain scene with a member of our ensemble that never fails to make us all laugh during rehearsals. I’m very excited to see how the audience receives her deadpan humor and a little worried that they’ll hear our offstage giggles”.
Kayla Krull, who is playing Tom Buchanan, stated that “It’s a mix between me and Gatsby’s fight scene (my personal favorite) and the scene where Gatsby and Daisy reunite (I just feel like this scene is played so we’ll be the actors and I just love the scene itself)”.
Myah Bawadi, who is playing Jordan Baker, stated that “I am most excited for attendees to see the ending of the show for sure. The end of Gatsby, specifically the last line, is-in my opinion-one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of literature that has ever been written”.
Giuliana Islas, who is playing Myrtle Wilson stated, “I am most excited for attendees to see the chemistry the actors have built with each other on stage. It’s so great when you can tell the actors are enjoying what they’re doing and having fun with their scenes”.
The cast is composed of both people with and without prior acting experience, for many members of the cast this is their first time acting on stage.
To get tickets, students can RSVP on the Den and show their event pass on the night of, and faculty and community members can purchase tickets for $10 at the door prior to the show. To guarantee tickets, faculty and community members can email “dramaclub@mymail.sxu.edu”.