{"id":198800,"date":"2026-05-21T12:23:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/198800\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T12:23:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:23:12","slug":"mastering-the-what-if-observer-reporter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/198800\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastering the \u2018what-if?\u2019 – Observer-Reporter"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Kurt Kemper, a 2019 graduate of Point Park University, is a \u201cswing\u201d performer in \u201cThe Great Gatsby.\u201d [Courtesy of Kurt Kemper]\n<\/p>\n

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Joshua Grosso, Lila Coogan and Will Branner in \u201cThe Great Gatsby.\u201d [Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade]\n<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Great Gatsby,\u201d an adaptation of the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, will be at the Benedum Center starting Tuesday and continuing through May 31.
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Senzel Ahmady in \u201cThe Great Gatsby.\u201d [OD Company]\n<\/p>\n

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Opulent, glittering, decadent and unapologetically over-the-top. That\u2019s how audiences and critics alike are describing \u201cThe Great Gatsby,\u201d which will be making its way to the stage at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh starting Tuesday and continuing through May 31.<\/p>\n

Set in the Roaring Twenties and based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story follows the eccentric and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, who will stop at nothing in the pursuit of the lost love of his youth, Daisy Buchanan.<\/p>\n

One cast member who knows the production and Pittsburgh well is Kurt Kemper, a graduate of Point Park University. Now a swing in the show, Kemper\u2013who graduated in 2019 and has since performed as far away as South Korea\u2013is looking forward to returning to familiar ground.<\/p>\n

Becoming a \u201cswing\u201d<\/p>\n

Kemper understands the meaning of \u201cthe show must go on.\u201d As a swing, he must be ready to step into any of seven different roles at a moment\u2019s notice \u2013 a challenge that requires both resilience and precision.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I took the job, I was a one-track pony,\u201d he jokes. \u201cThis has given me the opportunity to figure out the puzzle myself and make it look fresh and seamless. That adaptability requires a strong knowledge of the roles so that they\u2019re not thrown by anything you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advice from a seasoned Broadway swing helped him shape his approach. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe friend told me to view it both in a micro and a macro way\u2013that was the hardest part, training my brain to view the big picture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kemper recently experienced the pressure firsthand when he was called on to replace a cast member in South Korea. The result, he says, was a mix of pride and relief.<\/p>\n

Preparing for the part<\/p>\n

Kemper, who is coming up on his first anniversary as a swing in \u201cThe Great Gatsby,\u201d has developed routines to stay grounded. He likes to meditate, seek out good restaurants and coffee shops, keep himself in peak physical condition for the show\u2019s demanding dance numbers and make time to call his mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI try to check all those boxes because it can be very isolating preparing for the \u2018what if,’\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kemper particularly enjoys what he calls \u201cstepping into the sugars\u201d\u2013ensemble roles featured in the show\u2019s high-energy party scenes that require extensive partner work and tap dancing.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father did a lot of singing in church and when I became obsessed with musicals, my mother encouraged me to take tap. I fell in love with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, both of whom taught me to be a true song-and-dance man,\u201d Kemper said.<\/p>\n

One standout number, \u201cLa Dee Dah With You,\u201d takes place during a party at Gatsby\u2019s mansion where Daisy and Gatsby dance together. It\u2019s a number that\u2019s always well-received by audiences, according to Kemper.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Koreans are so polite\u2013they clapped,\u201d Kemper says with a laugh. \u201cBut American audiences\u2013they always erupt after that number.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing the test of time<\/p>\n

More than a century after its publication, \u201cThe Great Gatsby\u201d continues to resonate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so well written and now we\u2019re coming up on its 101st anniversary,\u201d Kemper says. \u201cThe characters live so excessively that it\u2019s fun to escape into that world,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The musical has received praise from Fitzgerald\u2019s estate, which described it as \u201cbig, bold and thrilling,\u201d noting that it brings the novel\u2019s iconic characters and moments vividly to life while speaking to contemporary audiences.<\/p>\n

For Kemper, visiting Pittsburgh adds another layer of meaning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to be back in a city I love,\u201d he said, \u201cAnd I can\u2019t wait to visit Pamela\u2019s, Mad Mex and Bakersfield\u2013where I worked to get myself through college.\u201d<\/p>\n

For additional information and showtimes, go online to trustarts.org.<\/p>\n


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