Gatsby. As Fitzgerald struggles to
Winfield, and Drama Desk nominee
socially elite world, gaining status by
They join the previously announced
make a place for himself in Ginevra’s
writing and performing with the Tri-
angle Club, he grows into his writer’s
voice, mentored by his best friends
and classmates, Edmund Wilson and
John Peale Bishop, who also went on
to become major literary figures.
Combining contemporary musical
Jeremy Morse (Bloodsong of Love).
Jessica Grové as Ginevra King, Piper
Goodeve (Anne of Green Gables) as
Marie Hersey, and Alex Wyse (Lysistrata Jones) as John Peale Bishop. The
ensemble includes Jordan Bondurant,
Elizabeth Burton, Jason Edward Cook,
Holland Grossman, C.J. Pawlikowski,
The Underclassman parallels Fitzgerald’s
story wit h a national coming-of-age narrative
theater story-telling technique with a
traditional palette of early 20th cen-
tury American song form and a strong
Davey Rosenberg, and Michael Ruocco.
With music and lyrics by Peter Mills,
dose of period musical comedy, The
and book by Mills and Cara Reichel,
story with a national coming-of-age
Fitzgerald’s first novel, This Side of
Underclassman parallels Fitzgerald’s
narrative, as the country leaves a period of naïve isolationism and enters
into the global conflict of World War I.
The cast includes Matt Dengler (A
The Underclassman is inspired by
Paradise, which catapulted him to
fame and established him as the voice
of his generation.
New Jersey Stage takes a deeper
Little Night Music) as F. Scott Fitzger-
look at this play in next month’s issue
son, Matt Gibson, Christopher Herr,
Matt Dengler.
ald, Billy Hepfinger as Edmund Wil-
Adam Machart, Liz Shivener, Whitney
New Jersey Stage
with conversations with Peter Mills and
October 2014
pg 92