On October 28th, 29th, and 30th, the Lincoln Way Central Drama Group put on a production of The Great Gatsby. I was lucky enough to be part of the cast, as both part of the ensemble and as the understudy for Jordan (played by the talented Maddy Filipiak). This was my first show at LWC, and I was absolutely blown away by the dedication exhibited by the cast and crew. From the sets to the lights to the acting, the hard work put in by everyone made for a truly unforgettable show.

I first read The Great Gatsby the summer before 9th grade. I remember I just couldn’t put the book down. It’s the kind of story that you just fall in love with. Even though most people read The Great Gatsby in high school, it tends to stick with them for the rest of their lives. I think a lot of people feel a very real connection to the story and its characters because they’re so deeply compelling. In fact, the director of the play, Liz Yerkovich said, “It is my favorite novel, and I remember reading it back when I was in high school.  I’ve been wanting to do it for some time now, but I have been waiting for the right group, and from past shows, I knew this was the year.”

With rehearsals and performances, I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen the show. Each time the play was put on, though, it felt as if I was seeing it for the very first time. The Great Gatsby holds such subtle themes that it might have been easy for some to be lost in an onstage adaptation of the story. None were.  Yerkovich explained to us that the hardest part of directing is, “Finding the line between telling the actor what to do, but not letting them lose their creativity.  Allowing them to form their own characters,but also giving them proper direction.”  The play put on at Lincoln Way Central really reflected that. The characters never failed to be lively and captivating, perfect images of their counterparts from the book.

Through the hard work of both the cast and crew, the story of The Great Gatsby was just as compelling on stage as it is in print. I’m grateful to have been a part of it, and to have met so many wonderful and talented people who love the story as much as I do.