The Wild Party (Lippa musical)
| The Wild Party | |
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Original cast album
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| Music | Andrew Lippa |
| Lyrics | Andrew Lippa |
| Book | Andrew Lippa |
| Basis | Joseph Moncure March's narrative poem The Wild Party |
| Productions | 1997 Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center 2000 Off-Broadway 2004 Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008 Brooklyn 2010 St. Louis 2013 Houston 2015 Encores! |
The Wild Party is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Andrew Lippa.
Based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 narrative poem of the same name, it coincidentally made its debut during the same theatre season (1999–2000) as a Broadway production with the same name and source material.
It’s the roaring 1920's and the beautiful, young Queenie, although she tries, cannot find a lover able to satisfy her desires – until she meets Burrs, a vaudevillian clown with a voracious appetite for women. Both Queenie and Burrs have now met their emotional and sexual match ("Queenie Was a Blonde").
For a while, they live together happily sated. Eventually, however, the relationship sours. Burrs' violent nature, which once thrilled Queenie, now scares her. Still, she longs to generate the same excitement that brought them together. She suggests a party and Burrs agrees ("Out Of The Blue").The party begins with a parade of guests: Madeline the lesbian, Eddie the thug, Mae the dimwit, Jackie the dancer, lover-brothers d'Armondo, Dolores the hooker, and Nadine the minor ("What A Party"). Although Queenie radiates beauty and confidence, Burrs preys on other women. He makes his move on their youngest guest, Nadine. Despite her casual reprimand of his behavior, Queenie wants to hurt Burrs in return ("Raise The Roof").
The vivacious Kate arrives with her new friend, Mr. Black ("Look At Me Now"). Queenie, quite taken by Black, plans to make her move on him. Kate drags him away to meet the other guests. Queenie’s plans are momentarily undermined ("He Was Calm"). The party's revelry continues: Burrs hits on Kate; Madeline hits on Nadine, Eddie chugs beer and almost fights with Burrs. During the chaos, Black finds himself equally as taken by Queenie as she with him - much to the chagrin of Kate ("Poor Child"). As revenge, Kate plans on seducing Burrs. Meanwhile, in a corner of the room, Madeline is in a drunken stupor and on the prowl for a woman with very little success ("An Old-Fashioned Love Story").
Although Queenie is fully aware that Burrs will threaten her physically, she makes her move on Mr. Black, easily getting him to dance with her. Burrs watches them, his ire rising. Unsuccessfully, Kate tries to get Burrs to dance – then in order to defuse the situation, Kate takes Queenie out of Mr. Black’s arms and dances with her instead.
Burrs' violent reaction against Mr. Black and Queenie is prohibited by the whole company dancing the Juggernaut ("The Juggernaut"). At its end, Mr. Black and Queenie are together again. To get the reaction he wants from Queenie, Burrs grabs Nadine, the minor, and makes out with her. This enrages Kate who throws Nadine to the ground by her hair. Madeline rushes to aid Nadine. Burrs cuts into Mr. Black and Queenie’s dancing. Managing to have her to himself, Burrs tells Queenie to stay away from Mr. Black. Laughing at him, Queenie says she will do whatever she chooses. He twists her arm. They are interrupted by Oscar and Phil at the piano. Burrs releases Queenie, seeing that too many people are watching.
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