China Anne McClain Will Take Over the Role of Daisy Buchanan in August, Joining Fellow Disney Alumni Ryan McCartan and Corbin Bleu
China Anne McClain is trading the television screen for the Broadway stage.
The former Disney Channel star will make her Broadway debut as Daisy Buchanan in the musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, “The Great Gatsby.” McClain is scheduled to begin performances Aug. 3 at the Broadway Theatre in New York City.
Best known for leading Disney Channel’s “A.N.T. Farm” from 2011 to 2014, McClain has also appeared in the “Descendants” franchise, the CW superhero drama “Black Lightning” and Tyler Perry’s “Daddy’s Little Girls.”
The 27-year-old actress and singer will take over the role of Daisy from Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada, whose final performance is scheduled for July 26. Senzel Ahmady will temporarily play Daisy from July 27 through Aug. 2 before McClain joins the company.
McClain Joins a Broadway Cast Filled With Familiar Faces
McClain will perform opposite Ryan McCartan, another former Disney Channel actor, who returns to the production as the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby on July 27.
McCartan, known for Disney’s “Liv and Maddie,” has previously played Gatsby during multiple runs with the production. His other Broadway credits include playing Fiyero in “Wicked” and Prince Hans in “Frozen.”
Reeve Carney, who currently plays Gatsby alongside his wife, Noblezada, will deliver his final performance July 26.
The musical also features “High School Musical” alumnus Corbin Bleu as narrator Nick Carraway. Bleu has built an extensive stage career since his Disney days, appearing in Broadway productions including “In the Heights,” “Godspell,” “Kiss Me, Kate” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”
McClain’s casting means three prominent former Disney stars will soon share the Broadway Theatre stage.
Naturi Naughton Also Returns to Broadway
“Power” actress and former 3LW singer Naturi Naughton-Lewis is also joining the production as professional golfer and socialite Jordan Baker.
The role marks Naughton-Lewis’ first Broadway appearance in roughly 20 years. She made her Broadway debut as Little Inez in “Hairspray,” appearing in the production from 2005 to 2008.
“Twenty years ago, I made my Broadway debut in ‘Hairspray,’ and now I get to come back to the theater as a new woman with new money as the fabulous Jordan Baker,” Naughton-Lewis said in a casting statement. “The Great Gatsby is a classic, and I can’t wait to party with a live audience!”
She will replace Samantha Pauly, who is also scheduled to leave the production July 26.
‘The Great Gatsby’ Continues Successful Broadway Run
Based on Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, “The Great Gatsby” follows Gatsby’s attempt to reunite with Daisy, his former love, amid the wealth, glamour and social divisions of the Roaring Twenties.
The production features music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Nathan Tysen, a book by Kait Kerrigan and direction by Marc Bruni. It premiered at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse in 2023 before opening at the Broadway Theatre in April 2024.
The musical has since surpassed 900 Broadway performances and sold more than 1 million tickets, according to People.
For McClain, the production represents a major expansion of a career that has already crossed television, film and music. Her move to Broadway adds another chapter to the growing list of former Disney performers who have successfully transitioned to the stage.
