Kristolyn Lloyd, Kate Rockwell, and More Will Perform in NOVEMBER 1918: THE GREAT WAR AND THE GREAT GATSBY at Carnegie Hall

Historian John Monsky returns to Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 8:00PM with a new, groundbreaking performance exploring the events and legacy of World War I (The Great War) an often-forgotten conflict, but perhaps one of the most consequential events of the 20th Century.

Featuring bold musical storytelling, performed by acclaimed Broadway vocalists and live music by the 58-piece Orchestra of St. Luke’s and conducted by Hamilton’s Ian Weinberger, a generation that no longer has a voice will be properly remembered just days before we commemorate Veterans Day, established on November 11, 1918, Armistice Day.   

The program features Kristolyn Lloyd (Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen), Stephanie Jae Park (Broadway: Hamilton), Kate Rockwell (Broadway: Mean Girls), Nicholas Rodriguez (Broadway: Company), and Daniel Yearwood (Broadway: Sweeney Todd) breathing life into historical figures, and performing popular and profound music of the era, from Irving Berlin to James Reese Europe, as well as new arrangements of the works of Blind Willie Johnson and Stevie Wonder, among others. The immersive concert experience is directed by Peter Flynn.

This unique multimedia production is structured around Monsky’s signature curation of meticulously researched history, historic flags and rare archival film and photography. Some 200 images from the National Archives have been enhanced and restored creating stunning and immersive effects. Never-before-seen footage drives home the emotion and drama of this turning point in history.

Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall commented, “John has a passion for combining storytelling, music, visuals, and film in unique and creative ways that bring history to life and connect emotionally with audiences. He did this brilliantly in his previous events at Carnegie Hall, covering the intensity of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the unforgettable Apollo 11 moon landing. We look forward to presenting his next production which will take us through some of the most important moments of World War I, relaying personal stories of heroism that continue to inspire and resonate with us today.”

 “One hundred years ago, every American knew the story of at least three great battles in United States history: Yorktown from the American Revolution, Gettysburg from the Civil War and World War I’s Meuse Argonne offensive, the largest battle in American history. Today, the details of The Great War are largely forgotten.” said John Monsky. “We owe it to those who were there and to ourselves to understand it.  I hope this evening reminds us all why it’s so important to remember these events honor those who have lost and sacrificed.”

With an assist from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s World War I veterans Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway, Monsky finds new insights into the complex times through the wartime journeys of:

• Quentin Roosevelt, a boy who grew up in the White House and is now flying planes for the United States Army.

• Vera Brittain, author of Testament of Youth, an Oxford student, who abandons her studies to become a volunteer nurse in France.

• James Reese Europe, a famous jazz musician and leader of the “Harlem Hellfighters,” America’s first troops to arrive in France, forced to serve under French command as the U.S. Army remained segregated until 1948.

• Charles Whittlesey, a New York lawyer leading a group of New York City soldiers, largely immigrants, surrounded in the middle of the Meuse-Argonne Forest.

• Cher Ami, a homing pigeon who becomes an unlikely symbol of American resolve and fortitude. 

Along with historian, creator and narrator John Monksy, the November 1918 team includes music supervisor, arranger and conductor Ian Weinberger, with direction by Peter Flynn. Bill Elliott and Scott Wasserman are orchestrators.

Meredith Wagner is Executive Producer and President of American History Unbound Inc. Alexander Diaz is Producer and Production Manager. Eric Duran is Media Producer. Gene Graham is Producer. Reece dos Santos is Assistant Producer.

November 1918: The Great War & The Great Gatsby is presented by Carnegie Hall with support from the American Battle Monuments Commission and the New-York Historical Society.

American History Unbound Inc., Producer

The American History Unbound series combines live music performed by celebrated Broadway actors and a full orchestra, film and photography from the National Archives, and historically significant flags and material culture to explore watershed moments in American history. Created, written, and narrated by historian John Monsky, lectures to date, presented at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the New-York Historical Society, The Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, NY, the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL, and Yale University, have explored D-Day, the Vietnam War, and the race to the moon. American History Unbound Inc. is a 501(c)(3).