'Gatsby' producer Shin Chun-soo reflects on Broadway debut and future of the 'K-musical'
Published: 01 May. 2024, 14:28
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- LEE JIAN
- lee.jian@joongang.co.kr
![Producer Shin Chun-soo at the Korean Cultural Center in New York ahead of the press conference about the musical "The Great Gatsby" [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/74f5afc1-8039-4973-9551-21d1bdd743b5.jpg)
Producer Shin Chun-soo at the Korean Cultural Center in New York ahead of the press conference about the musical "The Great Gatsby" [OD COMPANY]
New York, United States — Glittery dresses, feathered headpieces and top hats filled The Broadway Theatre on the opening night of the musical "The Great Gatsby."
Show producer Shin Chun-soo looked dapper with round spectacles and a bow tie but didn't mingle with the crowd. He greeted people with a nervous smile while giving out light hugs, and quickly made his way to his seat with his family.
"There was a moment that night when I just couldn't believe all this was happening," Shin told the press Friday at the Korean Cultural Center in New York. "I felt dizzy the entire night and finally recovered my composure the next morning!"
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/d4b9014b-e7f3-494b-beb8-70c1400d07c8.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
A Broadway outsider dreaming of being inside the world’s most coveted theater community, the Korean producer mirrors the show's protagonist Jay Gatsby as he relentlessly reaches for the "green light," symbolic of his faraway dreams. Shin finally clinched his own light on Thursday as the first Korean lead producer of a Broadway musical.
“I am realizing what a happy person I am,” he said. “There were many obstacles along the way, and as the only Korean, I was very lonely throughout this production process," he said. "But now in the end, I am incredibly happy to be doing what I love, and I truly feel like I grew into a better producer because of this experience.”
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/54d6306a-8790-45da-8942-2a0f6df02864.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
The musical, "The Great Gatsby," is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 book of the same title about a mysterious “nouveau riche” man in the 1920s named Jay Gatsby. The character is determined to win back his young love, socialite Daisy Buchanan, who married a brutish man from money, Tom. The production stars Jeremy Jordan as Gatsby and Eva Noblezada as Daisy.
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/fd6e0db2-1d10-4af0-90ab-6f39c4c1efe9.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
Staging a successful show on Broadway has been Shin’s long-held dream, ever since he gave up on becoming a movie director and opened the musical production company, OD, over 20 years ago.
“After discovering musical theater, I made it my goal to make an artistic, well-made musical with my name on it,” he said. Broadway was always his final destination.
Shin has had his fair share of failures at home and abroad, including Broadway productions of “Dream Girls” in 2009 and “Doctor Zhivago” in 2015. But Shin has never been too discouraged, and his sense of adventure and hope kicked in once more upon discovering in 2019 that “The Great Gatsby” story was about to enter the public domain.
Shin contacted composer Jason Howland, with whom he had worked previously in Korea, asking him to write music for the production. Howland brought the rest of the team — director Marc Bruni, writer Kait Kerrigan and lyricist Nathan Tyson — on board for the show.
“It’s been a great collaborative process,” said Shin.
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/9ca6c996-0d16-485a-94d0-9adc002ac232.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
But adapting such an iconic piece of literature into a musical wasn't an easy task. One common thing that everyone could agree on, however, was the story's luxurious parties. Recreating the lavish vibe of the Roaring 20s, thus, became a central focus of the musical.
“Shin gave us the freedom to create this piece and give it the kind of scale and scope that we could never have dreamed of,” Bruni told the press, also on Friday. “This was beyond our imagination when we began work on this. He even encouraged us to look for ways to make the show even more grand and opulent.”
!["The Great Gatsby" director Marc Bruni talks to the press on Friday at the Korean Cultural Center in New York. [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/5d0a96f1-7cdc-4a12-bf24-1695e5c98fc0.jpg)
"The Great Gatsby" director Marc Bruni talks to the press on Friday at the Korean Cultural Center in New York. [OD COMPANY]
Shin reportedly put half of OD Company’s capital, as well as some additional investment, into both the Broadway production and the pre-Broadway Paper Mill Playhouse production in Millburn, New Jersey, which ran a few months prior.
It remains to be seen whether the show will make it on the street commercially; Its ticket sales are strong so far but critics' reviews are lacking enthusiasm. Many have criticized the show for its poor handling of Fitzgerald’s heavier social commentary regarding the lavish parties.
But Shin remains optimistic.
“My daughter is 11 years old now, and I hope the show will run until she becomes a high school student!” he said with a big smile. “But more realistically, I call it a success if we can recover the production costs.”
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/96fc405e-1967-4c8e-ad03-1f6e0cda8ad4.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
He also has plans to bring the show to Korea and take it on a North American and global tour.
“Everything is on the table.”
“The Great Gatsby” is also another beginning for Shin, as he hopes that the success of the show will pave the way for him to stage some of his homegrown Korean musicals on Broadway.
“Until now, Korea has imported Broadway musicals but in the future, I hope to export some of our Korean shows,” he said.
![A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/01/3c34cd1d-4738-4a07-8995-e8fa49948e14.jpg)
A scene from the musical "The Great Gatsby" playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York [OD COMPANY]
Shin’s OD has an extensive portfolio of new musicals. The most recent and arguably the most impressive addition to its list is the ongoing “Il Tenore.” The book, by Will Aronson and Hue Park, is about the tragedy of young, passionate individuals during the Japanese colonial period (1910-45), inspired by Korea's first-ever Italian opera and the country’s pioneering tenor Lee In-seon (1906-60).
“I want to open the era of the ‘K-Musical’ on Broadway with quality shows that carry a universal message.”
BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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