By Laura Zornosa
“Gin. Sin. Skin. Fun.” Welcome to The Wild Party. Based on Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem of the same name, Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe adapted the story of love, lust, and liquor into a short-lived, star-studded musical. Now, under the direction of Lili-Anne Brown, New York City Center’s Encores! series resurrects the work with mixed success.
The plot follows vaudeville dancer Queenie (Jasmine Amy Rogers), stuck in a sour, abusive relationship with Burrs (Jordan Donica), a blackface minstrel performer in the same show. The couple throws the titular wild party, soaked in bathtub gin, as a diversion from their love life, and a whole slew of absolute characters traipses through.
Too many guests, not enough story
Almost every one of these characters—from Queenie’s best frenemy Kate (Adrienne Warren) to ex-chorus girl Mae (Lesli Margherita) to fading star Dolores (Tonya Pinkins, who appeared in the original production)—gets a song and dance in an overstuffed, 29-song rigamarole. Each delivers an entertaining kernel, but the narrative soon disappears beneath an overflowing bucket of popcorn: too many pieces competing for attention at once. Who is important here? Where is this story going? And what is it trying to say?
Director Lili-Anne Brown has clarified this to a degree with contemporary casting: Queenie and Burrs (originally played by Toni Collette and Mandy Patinkin) are now both played by Black actors. Queenie, known for her “tinted mask of snow,” is now passing, while Burrs, inspired here by real-life Black vaudeville performer Bert Williams, might be so malcontent because he’s made to minimize his own racial identity.
Everything is topsy-turvy: “Uptown is looking more like downtown / which is looking more like uptown / every day!” croon the D’Armano brothers (Wesley J. Barnes and Joseph Anthony Byrd). “Black folks are sounding more like white folks / who are sounding more like Black folks / in every way!” City Center’s production nails this last line, but it’s not enough to cut through the noise of this all too wild party.
Is ‘The Wild Party’ worth seeing?
2 out of 5 stars
A gin-soaked Jazz Age spectacular that’s more ingredients than recipe: Lili-Anne Brown’s production finds new meaning in its racial reimagining, but the story disappears under the weight of its own party.
- New York City Center, 131 W 55th St, New York City
- Notable performers: Jasmine Amy Rogers, Tonya Pinkins, Adrienne Warren, Lesli Margherita, and Jordan Donica
- Running time: 120 minutes, no intermission
- Performances through March 29, 2026
It wants better content.
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