The Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby comes to Providence Performing Arts Center for eight performances, November 3 through 8, bringing a Jazz Age story of love, wealth and tragedy to downtown Providence. The touring company includes ensemble member Daniel Fullerton, who is making his national tour debut and understudying Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan.
According to Providence Performing Arts Center, the show will play at PPAC in Providence for eight performances only, running November 3 through 8, 2026. The production is staged by director Marc Bruni, with choreography by Dominique Kelley blending 1920s jazz with modern dance movement, according to PPAC. The musical's costume design, created by Tony Award winner Linda Cho, won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Costume Design, PPAC notes.
Per the show's official site, Fullerton is thrilled to be making his national tour debut, joining the production as an ensemble member and understudy for Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. He has performed internationally on two tours, portraying Tony in West Side Story and Rolf in The Sound of Music, per the same listing.
A Jazz-Age Story With Modern Flourishes
The musical is set in the Roaring Twenties and tells what PPAC describes as an unforgettable journey of love, wealth and tragedy brought to life on stage. The production features a jazz- and pop-influenced original score, according to PPAC's event listing. Entertainment Weekly called the show a Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy, a review PPAC highlights on its site.
Not every critic has been as enthusiastic. A preview from Motif argues the musical sacrificed much of the novel's substance in favor of stage-worthy spectacle, trading traditional 1920s jazz for a more contemporary Broadway sound. The outlet points to massive, jaw-dropping sets that blend physical architecture with digital projections, along with costumes featuring shimmering fringe, sparkly flapper dresses and sharp tuxedos, as the show's visual centerpiece.
From Paper Mill Playhouse to a Nationwide Run
The Great Gatsby had its world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, on October 15, 2023, according to IBDB. The Broadway production began previews on March 29, 2024, and officially opened on April 25, 2024, per PPAC's announcement. Motif reports that Broadway's run has drawn more than 1.3 million attendees to date, with the national tour having launched this past January.
Providence's Touring Role and the Jazz Age Setting
PPAC says it has been the launch venue for 24 national tours since 2008. According to PPAC's history, the building opened as a Loew's movie palace on October 6, 1928. The Broadway League reported 17 million attendances to Broadway tours across the United States and Canada in the 2017–2018 season; that national figure does not establish the economic effect of this eight-show Providence engagement.
For historical context, HISTORY.com notes that national Prohibition began in January 1920, banning the manufacture and sale of alcohol during the era in which the musical is set.
The Providence engagement marks a milestone for Fullerton closer to home. According to The Providence Journal, Fullerton saw Wicked at PPAC at about age eight, an experience that influenced his ambitions.
Cast Member Reflects on the Story and Score
Gatsby's forbidden-love story has parallels with Romeo and Juliet. The number “Only Tea” explores Gatsby's anxiety.
Tickets for the Providence run are available at the PPAC box office, online, and by phone, per PPAC. Tickets went on sale August 7, 2026, at 10 a.m., the venue said in its announcement. The PPAC Box Office can be reached at 401-421-2787 for those looking to catch one of the eight scheduled performances.
