Before theatre ever crossed my mind, before I ever thought to direct or even had the basic confidence to get up and perform, I fell in love with storytelling. I can trace it back to the exact moment. Up until fourth grade, I had always hated reading. I could not even sit down and do my basic daily assignment; I would constantly lie on my reading logs. But, when I picked up Harry Potter for the first time, me and its pages became inseparable. I would read everywhere, and would refuse to put my book down, whether it be in class or at the dinner table. I had found a lifelong passion: a passion for stories. This would be a passion that would come to define my life. 

It is an understatement to say that my time in the Morris Hills theatre department has been transformative. It has been the highlight of my high school career, with no second place close to it. I will forever be grateful for the friends and life skills I have found here. So, when I flirted with the idea of directing, I knew I had to do a tribute to my roots, per say. My show had to have something to do with literature. 

A “classic” is defined as a “book accepted as being exemplary or noteworthy,” or, as is the terms’ drawback, “a member of the Western canon.” If the “Western canon” were to be called the “white” canon or the “male” canon, its meaning would not change. 

Gatsby is the epitome of the American experience-- perhaps too bravely it exerts how this nation was built on greed, on racism, on hatred. However, still, in its execution, it deliberately leaves out the stories of those who truly did build this nation-- immigrants, African Americans, women, and countless groups of underrepresented peoples. How can something be considered so representative yet leave so many crucial aspects of our history out?

In my telling of Gatsby, I seek to rewrite the narrative. To have a Daisy who is brave, who is not a pawn in a game, to have people of color represented, to have a Nick whose sexuality is not ignored. To make it truly American.  

I want to take this time to thank everyone involved in this production. Thank you to my incredible cast, who, despite every obstacle, performed this show beyond my expectations. I have seen you all grow as actors right in front of my eyes, and I am so proud of all of you. To the crew, who I absolutely killed with my constant scene transitions, I cannot thank you enough for sticking it through. Thank you to my stage manager and best friend Danny, who, despite my constant indecision and craziness, always supports me and has made this show great. Thank you to Payton and Alana for being so easy to work with and making this production, despite its situation, so incredible. And lastly, thank you to Mr. Fahrer for being a constant source of light even in the darkest of times, and your absolute dedication to your students. I can only hope to be like you one day.

Oh, and, yeah thank you to my family for being the reason I am here today. And to my brother Flash, thank you for being my inspiration. 

I hope you enjoy the show, and my version of The Great Gatsby. 

Sincerly,

Zoe Tweedie