This weekend, Toronto audiences can step into the glamorous world of the Roaring Twenties when Gatsby Redux returns to Harbourfront Centre on September 26th and 27th.

Created by Los Angeles-based Mixed eMotion Theatrix and led by award-winning director and choreographer Janet Roston, Gatsby Redux takes audiences beyond the traditional theatre experience.

Following its well-received Toronto debut last year, the immersive outdoor production will once again transform Harbourfront Centre’s waterfront campus into a stage, reimagining F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby through contemporary dance, music and movement.

For this edition of In Conversation, we spoke with Janet about reimagining a story audiences may think they already know, bringing the performance to life across Toronto’s waterfront and what she hopes guests take away from the experience.

Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

In Conversation With Janet Roston

What initially inspired you to reimagine The Great Gatsby through contemporary dance?

Janet Roston: Mixed eMotion Theatrix was invited by the Los Angeles Music Center to create a site-specific work at Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. They took me on a tour inside and outside the glorious building, and I was drawn to the Blue Ribbon Garden.

It was June, and I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to have the audience experience a summer garden party?” The Great Gatsby immediately came to mind.

The production revisits a story many audiences believe they already know, exploring themes of class, status, belonging and the American Dream. What did you want audiences to reconsider about the novel, and why do these themes remain relevant today?

Janet Roston: The novel’s themes of class, status and the impossibility of achieving the American Dream continue to resonate in our world. It is impossible to look at America without recognizing the rise of racism, deepening economic inequality and the struggle many people face to even dream of improving their lives.

We consciously cast Jay Gatsby as a Black man in Gatsby Redux to reflect the novel’s themes in our time. Gatsby strives to be perceived as equal to the old-money residents of East Egg, but he will never truly be welcomed into their society.

Harbourfront Centre’s waterfront becomes part of the performance. How does this setting influence the choreography and the way the story unfolds?

Janet Roston: What makes Harbourfront Centre’s performance space so special is its scale and visual character. The grounds are so expansive that we can broaden the choreography and give audiences wide views of the movement while also creating smaller, intimate moments in enclosed courtyards and hidden performance spaces.

Harbourfront Centre also offers two unique backdrops. On one side, there is the lake and open water much like Gatsby reaching across Long Island Sound toward the green light. On the other is an urban backdrop of skyscrapers, evoking Gatsby’s journeys into New York City.

I love the wildness of the Gatsby Redux finale set against Toronto’s beautiful skyline.

Gatsby Redux invites audiences to follow the performers across Harbourfront Centre rather than watch from a fixed seat. How does this immersive approach shape the way audiences experience and connect with the story?

Janet Roston: This show is truly immersive. Where you stand to watch the choreography will shape your experience and understanding of it.

At times, an audience member may be close enough to a dancer to see their expressions and feel their breath. At other moments, the performers may be partially hidden before revealing themselves.

I think audiences are hungry for immediate, visceral experiences. This site-specific production allows them to immerse themselves in the 1920s and actively participate in Gatsby’s world.

Following last year’s Toronto debut, what did you learn from the audience’s response, and how has the production evolved for its return?

Janet Roston: Last year, we loved seeing how many audience members arrived in elaborate 1920s costumes. We are looking forward to seeing even more this year!

Toronto dancers are joining the Los Angeles-based company for this year’s performances. What does that artistic exchange bring to the production?

Janet Roston: Today, I rehearsed over Zoom with five Toronto dancers. It was so much fun working with them and encouraging each dancer to create their own persona for the production. Including local dancers strengthens our engagement and connection with Toronto. We felt incredibly welcomed by the community last year, and we are excited to continue that exchange.

The cast loves Torontonians. We have found the people of Toronto to be warm, welcoming and positive.

When audiences leave Gatsby Redux, what do you hope they understand or feel differently about The Great Gatsby and its characters?

Janet Roston: I hope audiences have a wonderful time experiencing Gatsby’s world and feel exhilarated after participating in an immersive performance that takes them across the Harbourfront Centre .

I also hope they leave thinking about Jay Gatsby and how his life and aspirations are reflected in our own time. An immersive experience like Gatsby Redux should encourage audiences to continue discussing the production long after it ends.

More than a retelling of a literary classic, Gatsby Redux invites audiences to step inside its world and reconsider its enduring themes from a contemporary perspective.

Gatsby Redux returns to Harbourfront Centre this weekend. Tickets can be purchased here.

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