Theater Review: “The Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play” at Legacy

Stony Creek - The Legacy Theatre’s 2022 season continues with the professional premiere of a new work, “The Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play.” Joe Landry has adapted the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel for the stage and Kevin Connors contributed the original music that punctuated the WELI radio broadcast. The production runs through Oct. 1.

The play is set in the summer of 1942 in the WELI’s Satellite Studio at the Stony Creek Theatre and is performed without an intermission.

The live radio play format is probably a bit easier to follow for those familiar with the source material. Landry makes an effort to make the characters clear, but since all but two of the actors provide the voices for several roles, I had some trouble keeping track of the supporting characters that proved important to the plot.

The detailed period costumes were designed and sewn by the extremely talented Jimmy Johansmeyer. The costume designer appeared as an actor in “Just Desserts” at The Legacy Theatre and his designs have been in many area theaters. Johansmeyer’s costumes are always a feast for the eyes and accurately bring the audience to the correct era, right along with the scenic design and props.

Actor/musician David Bell (music director for “Just Desserts,” “Joan Joyce”) plays Nelson North in his first onstage appearance at Legacy and performs on the piano that is placed stage left. North covers the characters of George Wilson, a partygoer, Gatsby’s Butler, a policeman and Ewing Klipspringer. Bell is an accompanist and church organist/choir director.

Equity actor Erik Bloomquist plays the title role of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and is convincing in the part. Bloomquist has performed at Hartford Stage, Playhouse on Park, Capital Classics and Valley Shakespeare.

Dan Frye has a crushing amount of lines to memorize for his role as the narrator Nick Carraway, educated at Yale and Daisy Buchanan’s cousin. It could not be more different from his role of Snoopy in Legacy’s “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Frye makes the most of this leading role, dressed in a smart military uniform.

Skye Gillespie welcomes patrons to the theater as house manager Lana Sherwood, but before the broadcast begins she is drafted into covering for an absent voice actor. In her Legacy debut, she plays Jordan Baker, Myrtle Wilson, the Buchanan’s maid, a well-dressed woman and Gatsby’s Gardener. Gillespie is blessed with a Johansmeyer costume change when she gets to change from her house manager dress into a long dress for the broadcast.

Mary Mannix of Wallingford portrays Sally Applewhite, who professionally gives her voice to Daisy Buchanan, Catherine, a partygoer and Michaelis. Mannix, a founding member of Pantochino Productions in Milford, returns to the Legacy Theatre after debuting in last year’s world premiere of “Just Desserts.” She is stunning in a royal blue jacket and skirt gown lined in a floral print and a spectacular brunette wig.

Josiah Rowe plays the voice actor Freddie Filmore, who covers the roles of Nick’s father, Tom Buchanan, a train conductor, Owl Eyes, Meyer Wolfsheim and Henry C. Gatz. Rowe appeared in Landmark’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”

Kevin Michael Reed directed the talented cast, with Noah Golden serving as the assistant director. Castmember David Bell also served as the music director, while Landry himself was the assistant director and dramaturg. The charmingly accurate scenic and lighting design was the work of Jamie Burnett, with props designed by Erica Pajones that fill the large Foley table set up behind the microphones. There are also WELI posters decorating the walls of the theater. Sound design was perfectly done by Adam Jackson.

Attendees are presented with a modern printed program in the lobby, and the house manager distributes a vintage leaflet in character upon entering the theater.

Please be advised that this production contains loud noises, suggestions of violence, and the use of herbal cigarettes. The study guide for this play is at gatsbyradioplay.com/study-guide. For those who have not been fully vaccinated, face masks are required at all times.

The Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play has a runtime of 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/legacytheatrectcal/6430/?productionidlist=184954.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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