Highly acclaimed actress Sarah Hyland began her run in “The Great Gatsby: A New Musical” as Daisy Buchanan at the Broadway Theatre on Feb. 9 at the Sunday matinee. I had the pleasure of witnessing Hyland make her debut in this astounding show alongside many well-respected actors and Broadway stars, such as Ryan McCartan, Samantha Pauly, Noah J. Ricketts and Terrence Mann.
Those of you who are avid Broadway fans and viewers may be saying, wait, wasn’t Hyland supposed to begin on Feb. 10? And you would be entirely correct. She made a surprise early start to this role. As I opened up my playbill to read through the cast before the curtain rose, I assumed there must have been a mistake when Hyland’s name was printed across from Daisy Buchanan, but this was no mistake. According to the ushers at the theater, she wanted to start a day early to get all the first performance jitters out. From that moment, I knew the audience was in for a treat.
With the news and the media buzzing about Hyland’s debut in this popular show, I cannot even imagine the weight she must have been feeling. I must admit, you could see her nerves peeking through, but she used her jittery and anxious persona to craft a new version of Daisy that made viewers completely rethink her as a character. Her shaking hands and distraught looks furthered Daisy’s struggle in this show as a woman trapped in life, seeking freedom to be with the man she wants and trying not to crumble under the weight of societal pressures.
Not only did Hyland shine in this role, but the electric chemistry she found with her co-star McCartan as Jay Gatsby was an astounding performance in itself. You would never have guessed this was their very first performance together. In some of the big numbers of the show that these characters sing together, such as in “My Green Light” and “Go,” they seem only to build each other up and further the depth and gravity of their characters and their flawed relationship. Not to mention the captivation and entrancing romance that radiates off them in every scene they’re in together, whether it is anxious babbling or passionate words of affection. These two actors sell the audiences on their desperate love story. It’s like they have known each other all their lives.
Stepping into this role was not an easy feat, as Hyland was following a Broadway great. Eva Noblezada originated Daisy Buchanan and set a high bar for anyone playing the role in the future. Noblezada’s incredible voice and emotional range left the audience in awe, but Hyland’s rendition of the character did not disappoint. I had the pleasure of seeing both Noblezada and Hyland embody this role, and they both added their own flare and raw vulnerability that made it impossible to compare the two.
Hyland has grown into herself on the stage in the past couple of years as a Broadway and musical theater actress. Before assuming the role of Daisy, Hyland was starring as Audrey in an off-Broadway production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” While she has taken on some smaller roles, this will be one of her first times stepping into a major role in a Broadway production.
Watching someone make their debut in a show is an indescribable feeling. The level of work and time commitment that went into this all paid off for us viewers. As bows took place, you could see an unavoidable sense of relief washed over Hyland, and she earned it. The crowd gave her the standing ovation she deserved. Though I think she deserved more applause, I can only assume she got the praise she deserved on her scheduled start date of Feb. 10. Although she did not come out for the stage door, it was still a complete delight to watch her shine in this role. Future audiences are in for the experience of a lifetime.
