Synopsis
Sides and monologues are available upon request by emailing admin@11hrcreative.com.
After the Great War, Nick Carraway arrives in Long Island’s West Egg and settles beside the mansion of Jay Gatsby, a man whispered about in half truths and spectacle, whose nights glow with music, champagne, and unanswered questions. Drawn into this world of money and longing, Nick reconnects with his cousin Daisy Buchanan, endures her domineering husband Tom, and becomes entangled with the cool, alluring Jordan Baker. Desire lingers in every room, secrets slip between cocktails, and beneath the silk and jazz of the 1920s, a dangerous hunger for love, status, and reinvention begins to surface.
Character Breakdown
Jay Gatsby (early 30s, male, any ethnicity)
A polished, intimidating businessman whose wealth is evident in every detail of his appearance. Beneath the surface, he is a soft-spoken romantic, driven less by money than by an unshakable devotion to his dreams, which quietly overtake his ambitions.
Tom Buchanan (30s, male, white, not exclusively)
A physical embodiment of old money and entitlement. Aggressive, careless, and deeply insecure, Tom treats power as birthright and discards people as easily as he wields them.
Meyer Wolfsheim (30s–40s, male, any ethnicity)
A shadowy, well-connected gangster with a quiet grip on Gatsby’s past. He holds answers Nick seeks but reveals them only on his own terms.
Mrs. McKee (20s–40s, female, any ethnicity)
An eccentric model drawn to glamour and performance, married to Mr. McKee and eager to be seen.
Additional non-speaking and dance ensemble roles may be available.
Nick Carraway (20s–30s, male, any ethnicity)
An observant, idealistic narrator who guides the story through his own perceptions and quiet biases. Slightly out of place in the world of wealth and excess, he is a small fish navigating an unforgiving, glittering pond.
Myrtle Wilson (30s–40s, female, any ethnicity)
Loud, yearning, and desperate to escape her circumstances. When presented with a glimpse of luxury and status, she seizes it recklessly, aware it may be her only chance to feel secure and seen.
Catherine (30s–40s, female, any ethnicity)
Myrtle’s sister. If Myrtle is shrill, Catherine is louder, sharper, and unapologetically invasive.
Mr. Gatz (50s–60s, male, any ethnicity)
Gatsby’s father, a weary and broken man shaped by loss and quiet pride in the son he never truly knew.
Mr. McKee (20s–40s, male, any ethnicity)
An eccentric photographer with artistic ambitions and a keen eye for social spectacle. Married to Mrs. McKee.
The Woman / The Dream (any age, any gender, any ethnicity)
A living embodiment of the American Dream, elusive and intangible. This role is pure atmosphere, presence, and longing.
Daisy Buchanan (20s–30s, female, any ethnicity)
Sharp, intelligent, and carefully refined, Daisy has learned how to soften herself to survive high society. She is charming and luminous, fluttering through rooms with the grace of something both beautiful and dangerously fragile.
Jordan Baker (30s, female, any ethnicity)
Blunt, poised, and athletic, Jordan moves through elite circles with practiced ease. She is loyal to Daisy and intrigued by Nick, whose sincerity sets him apart from the world she has grown weary of.
George Wilson (40s, male, any ethnicity)
A subdued, defeated man trapped in the Valley of Ashes. Conditioned to accept less than he deserves, his despair grows quietly until it is pushed beyond its limits.