The Great Gatsby by The National Players

In the Jazz Age of New York City, luxury is everything, and nobody is more luxurious than the Long Island gentleman with the mansion on the bay. He throws tremendous, barn-burning parties. He owns nothing but the newest and best, from his hydroplane to the very clothes he wears. Nobody knows where he came from, and everybody knows his name—but who is this Jay Gatsby? And what does he see in the dark across the water that would so entice him to sacrifice everything he has?

​This fast-paced adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel springs to life as the National Players introduce a world of excess at the tipping point: the guests can dance all night, but what happens when the sun comes up? A talkback with the company follows the performance.

National Players is the hallmark outreach program of Olney Theatre Center, a Helen Hayes Award-winning theatre in suburban Washington, DC. A model for artistic collaboration and national education outreach, National Players embodies the Olney Theatre Center educational pedagogy: to unleash the creative potential in our audiences and artists and to stimulate individual empowerment. National Players exemplifies these goals by presenting self-sustained productions of Shakespeare and other classics to learners of all ages and in all environments. Through performances and integrated educational programs, National Players empowers these learners to build stronger communities through artistic collaboration.

National Players has performed in 41 states; in the White House; and for the American military in Europe, Asia, and the Arctic Circle. Committed to artistic excellence and community engagement, National Players has brought literature to life for nearly three million people.