Tony Nominee Derek Klena to Star as Jay Gatsby in Broadway's The Great Gatsby

Tony Nominee Derek Klena to Star as Jay Gatsby in Broadway’s The Great Gatsby

by

A Broadway All-Star Swaps the Diamond for the Daisy

Pop the champagne! BroadwayWorld has just learned that Tony Award nominee Derek Klena will play Jay Gatsby in the smash hit musical The Great Gatsby beginning December 5, 2026. Klena makes his return to Broadway after a triumphant season pitching (and singing!) for the Savannah Bananas. It was announced that the actor will succeed current star Ryan McCartan, who will play his final performance in the titular role on December 4, 2026.

This move marks a pivot for Klena, a performer whose career has straddled the worlds of Broadway and modern spectacle. After his run in The Great Gatsby concludes on March 14, 2027, he will head back to the baseball field, rejoining the Savannah Bananas for the 2027 season. This dual-track career is a case study in the evolving nature of modern stardom, where the lines between stage, screen, and sports continue to blur.

The Gatsby Gambit: A High-Stakes Role Change

Klena’s arrival in the role of the enigmatic millionaire comes at a moment for the production. The musical has proven to be a significant commercial powerhouse, selling over 1 million tickets since its Broadway premiere on April 25, 2024. The show’s success extends beyond the Great White Way, with productions launched in London’s West End, Seoul, South Korea, and on a U.S. National Tour. This level of global reach demonstrates the immense brand equity of the F. Scott Fitzgerald intellectual property, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide since its 1925 release and continues to sell over 500,000 copies annually, as noted by BroadwayWorld.

The show’s producers, led by Chunsoo Shin, are betting on Klena’s star power to maintain this momentum. Klena earned a Tony nomination for originating the role of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill and has built a reputation on Broadway with leading roles in Moulin Rouge!, Wicked, and Anastasia. Klena won two Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards for his performances as Fiyero in Wicked and Christian in Moulin Rouge!, indicating a connection with theater audiences.

Derek Klena maintains a unique lifestyle that bridges two professional passions: He will be back on the Broadway musical stage in the coming month, even as his other position – as a pitcher (and singer) for the Savannah Bananas – enters its off season.

Derek Klena two-shot
Photo: Deadline

The Bananas Ball Phenomenon: Beyond the Stage Door

To understand the full scope of Klena’s appeal, one must look beyond the traditional theater circuit. In 2025, Klena started his role as an entertainment player and pitcher for the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition team famous for its “Banana Ball”—a style of play that blends baseball with theatrical flair, much like the Harlem Globetrotters did for basketball. While Klena might be best known to baseball fans for his work with the Bananas – actually, the team, an exhibition and touring competitor, plays “Banana Ball,” which is to baseball what the Harlem Globetrotters were to basketball – his stage work is well known to Broadway theatergoers.

The Cast Continues: A Stable of Broadway Veterans

Klena will step into a production that remains otherwise stable, with a cast of seasoned Broadway performers continuing their roles. China Anne McClain will reprise her performance as Daisy Buchanan, with Olivier nominee Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway, Naturi Naughton-Lewis as Jordan Baker, Max Monnig as Tom Buchanan, and Linedy Genao as Myrtle Wilson. The production also features Charlie Pollock as George Wilson and original cast member Eric Anderson as Meyer Wolfsheim. This consistency in the ensemble provides a foundation for the new lead, allowing the focus to be on Klena’s interpretation of the iconic character.

The musical itself, directed by Marc Bruni and choreographed by Dominique Kelley, is an adaptation of Fitzgerald’s classic. It features music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, and a book by Kait Kerrigan. The production has not only been a critical darling, winning the 2024 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, but also a financial juggernaut, proving that a classic American novel can be successfully transformed into a commercially viable, 21st-century theatrical event. Its ticket sales are currently extended through June 6, 2027.

There is no word yet on who will take over the Gatsby role when Klena’s contract concludes in March 2027.

Tony Nominee Derek Klena to Star as Jay Gatsby in Broadway's The Great Gatsby
Photo: Playbill

At its core, the story of Derek Klena’s return to Broadway is about more than just a casting change. It’s about the fluidity of modern celebrity, the enduring power of classic literature reimagined for the stage, and the innovative ways artists are building their careers in the 21st century. Klena is returning to Broadway in The Great Gatsby, where he will play Jay Gatsby, after his time with the Savannah Bananas.

Disclaimer: The cultural analyses and financial data presented in this article are based on available public records and industry metrics at the time of publication.

Keep reading

Read next