Reviews are rolling in for the New
York City Center Encores! staging of Michael John LaChiusa‘s The Wild Party, which plays the Manhattan venue through March 29. See what critics have to say about the limited engagement below.
Lili-Anne Brown is directing the Encores! staging with choreography
by Katie Spelman and guest music director Daryl Waters at the baton.
VIDEO: See Jasmine Amy Rogers and Adrienne Warren Perform ‘Best Friends’ From The Wild Party
Jasmine Amy Rogers (BOOP!) and Tony winner Adrienne Warren (The Last Five Years) lead the company as Queenie and Kate, respectively,
alongside Tony winner Tonya Pinkins, an alum of the musical’s original Broadway
cast, as Dolores Montoya; Joseph A. Byrd as Phil D’Armano, Claybourne
Elder (Company) as Jackie, Evan Tyrone Martin as Eddie Mackrel, Jelani Alladin (Frozen) as Black, Wesley J. Barnes as Oscar D’Armano, Jordan Donica (Camelot) as Burrs, KJ Hippensteel as Gold, Andrew Kober as Goldberg, Lesli Margherita (Gypsy) as Mae, Betsy Morgan (Masquerade) as
Sally, Meghan Murphy as Miss Madelaine True, and Maya Rowe as Nadine.
Standbys Curtis Bannister and Kyrie Courter round out the
company. Casting is by The Telsey Office.
Photos: Encores! The Wild Party at New York City Center
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Photos: Encores! The Wild Party at New York City Center
Company of The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Wesley J. Barnes, Jasmine Amy Rogers, and Joseph Anthony Byrd in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Company of The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Andrew Kober, KJ Hippensteel, and Tonya Pinkins in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Jasmine Amy Rogers and company of The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Jasmine Amy Rogers and Jordan Donica in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Claybourne Elder and company of The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Jasmine Amy Rogers and Jelani Alladin in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Maya Rowe in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Jordan Donica and company of The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Jordan Donica in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Wesley J. Barnes, Maya Rowe, Lesli Margherita, and Jordan Donica in The Wild Party
By: Joan Marcus
Adapted from Joseph Moncure March‘s poem of the same name by LaChiusa and original director George C. Wolfe, The Wild Party
centers on a prohibition-era New York City house party being thrown by
Queenie and Burrs as their relationship falls apart, an evening that
becomes something of a rager thanks to a bathtub full of gin, ample
cocaine, and a tragic orgy.
The musical premiered on Broadway in 2000 via Off-Broadway’s Public
Theater, earning seven Tony Award nominations the same year, including
for Best Musical. In an apparent coincidence, the work premiered shortly
after the world premiere of a separate musical adaptation of the same
source material featuring a book, music, and lyrics by Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family). That work played Off-Broadway via Manhattan Theatre Club.
The production also features choreography by Katie Spelman, scenic design
by Arnel Sancianco, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by
Justin Townsend, sound design by Alex Neumann, and hair and wig design
by Tom Watson.
The production is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Visit NYCityCenter.org.
