When Jeremy Jordan performs at Feinstein's at the Nikko on February 18-20, more than four years will have passed since he last played San Francisco, appearing in early 2020 as part of Seth Rudetsky's Broadway at The Herbst concert series.
But, while hard to believe, it's been even longer since the fan favorite song and dance man actually trod the boards of Broadway itself, and that was in a drama.
It's been nearly half a decade since Jordan took the stage of the Brooks Atkinson Theatre for a three-month stint as a replacement in "Waitress."
And it was almost ten years ago that he took his last curtain call as Jack Kelly in "Newsies," the show which earned him a Tony nomination as lead actor and cemented his status as one of the Great White Way's most beloved contemporary hunks.
Jordan's prior Broadway stints were in "Bonnie & Clyde," "Rock of Ages," and "West Side Story."
In recent years, he's largely been busy with roles in film and television, including on the "Supergirl" series, several Hallmark holiday movies including —oy vey!— "Hannukah on Rye."
Jordan also played a police officer in the Kerry Washington-led "American Son." A filmed version is available on Netflix. And he played a composer in the much-loved Broadway-themed series "Smash."
But Jordan's February shows at Feinstein's will be among his last cabaret bookings for a while. Last week it was announced that beginning March 29, he will return to Broadway as the title character in a new musical version of "The Great Gatsby."
Jordan first played Gatsby last year when the show had a tryout run at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse to decidedly mixed reviews. Still, with a few script tweaks, the show's stunning art deco sets, dance-crazy set pieces and English teacher-approved brand name familiarity have the potential to turn it into a crowd-pleaser.
Star turns and odd jobs
Whether or not "The Great Gatsby" proves a hit, Jordan's casting serves to further gild his Golden Boy status. He's playing a character previously embodied on film by Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Redford.
"At Feinstein's, I'll probably do a song or two from 'Gatsby,'" said Jordan in a recent phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter.
But even while wanting to generate excitement about his return to Broadway, Jordan acknowledges that "cabaret audiences want to hear songs that they're already familiar with."
In addition to tunes from his Broadway past, Jordan will include music he performed in his recent Off-Broadway turn as Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors" and in the film version of Jason Robert Brown's cult favorite musical, "The Last Five Years."
Jordan's most recent film project was the lead role "Spinning Gold," last year's biopic of legendary record executive Neil Bogart, who helped establish the careers of Donna Summer, Village People, and KISS.
The movie came and went without making much of an impression, something Jordan is able to be nonplussed by.
"After years in this business, I don't let it bother me," he said. "You just shake it off and move on to the next thing. I enjoyed getting to be that guy and explore that world while we were filming."
Another recent gig is already a success. On "Hazbin Hotel," an animated adult musical now streaming on Amazon Prime, Jordan provides the demonic voice of Lucifer.
"It's really raunchy," said Jordan, who has a child, Clara, with his wife, actress and singer Ashley Spencer.
He'll also do voices for a show called "Superkitties."
"I play Otto the Octopus. That's more her speed."
Jeremy Jordan, Feb. 18-20. $115. Feinstein's at the Nikko. 222 Mason St. (866) 663-1063. www.feinsteinssf.com
www.jeremy-jordan.com
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