Editor’s note: The Wild Party production contains simulated sexual violence, strong language, sound of gunshots, portrayal of physical violence, domestic abuse, substance and alcohol abuse, haze, and some nudity.
The University Theatre opens "The Wild Party" this weekend, the first OU School of Musical Theatre production with an all-female team of directors.
The Wild Party is a musical written and composed by Tony and Grammy nominated composer, playwright and lyricist Andrew Lippa. It is an adaptation of a narrative poem by Joseph Moncure March published in the late 1920s.
March’s poem became wildly popular, despite sustaining a ban for its explicit content. The poem had a resurgence when it was republished in 1994, and was then picked up by Lippa. The Wild Party musical was first performed in 2000, and tells the story of Burrs and Queenie, a toxic vaudeville couple in the 1920s who decides to throw a party that gets out of control.
Ginger Hurley (right), and Brayden Worden (left), as 'The Wild Party' characters Queenie and Burrs.
Musical theatre junior Brayden Worden, who plays Burrs in The Wild Party, said that show tells an intense and difficult relationship story.
“It's the story of this very dysfunctional couple, where the man is abusive. He's just terrible, and they're both just stuck where they are,” Worden said. “They're both people trying to be good, but they just can't seem to be good. They throw this crazy lavish party. There's love triangles that ensue and crazy happenings with the other guests. It's a huge story of the corruption and the intrigue of the 20s.”
The Wild Party is directed by School of Musical Theatre professor Lyn Cramer, features musical direction by Mandy Jiran and choreography by Amy Reynolds-Reed. Cramer said the all-female team has been an asset to the production atmosphere.
“This is the first time we've had female director, music director and choreographer in the history of the school,” Cramer said. “We have a woman's touch throughout. And I think that has helped a great deal in creating a nurturing environment.”
The Wild Party explores many explicit themes, including emulated sexual violence, portrayal of physical violence, domestic abuse, substance and alcohol abuse. As a director, Cramer said that making the intimate nature of the show safe for the performers has been her biggest challenge. Cramer said she prepared for the show by taking a course in theatrical intimacy.
“I wanted a vocabulary to deconstruct every intimate moment in the show, to put all actors at ease, and have it not be any different than blocking or choreographing. It’s a part of the process,” Cramer said. “And I believe I was very successful at doing so. We've had a group of people who have felt like my approach has been one of collaboration and (that it) gives students agency to be very specific about their boundaries.”
The intimate nature of the Wild Party can an emotional challenge for the performers and the audience. Worden said that the most difficult, though rewarding, part of preparing for the show has been learning to portray these themes in a character that is a stark contrast to himself.
“It's been a very tough show to work on, in the way that that Burrs is very different from me,” Worden said. “It's been a lot to try and tackle that much emotion and then leave without taking it home with me. It's been really fulfilling as an actor to try and learn how to completely lose yourself in something and then try and regain yourself at the end of the night.”
Luke Brodersen plays Mr. Black, one of the love interests in the musical. Brodersen said that the show is different from other shows he has performed in because of the vulnerability of the storytelling.
“This is for sure the rawest show I think I've done. There's so much vulnerability across the board that has to be had,” Brodersen said. “The characters and actors are baring their souls to each other. It's really rewarding to be able to get to do that and to feel like we're doing it successfully.”
Luke Brodersen (right) and Jillian Sjoquist (right), as 'The Wild Party' characters Mr. Black and Kate.
Senior musical theatre major Jillian Sjoquist is playing party-fanatic Kate in the show.
She said that one of the biggest challenges in preparing for the show has been to portray substance abuse in an honest way.
“I've done a lot of research on cocaine, not in a method acting style, but just to be able to portray something that I've never experienced,” Sjoquist said. “And to be able to portray that in an honest enough way that people will get the idea and be able to serve the story that way.”
The Wild Party is distinct for its content, but also for the way the show is staged. Taylor Cooper, musical theatre senior who plays the role of a partygoer, said that the show provides the audience with an immersive experience.
“The ensemble never leaves the stage. From the moment people enter, give or take one or two moments for certain people, everyone's on stage the entire time,” Cooper said. “It's also in the (Weitzenhoffer Theatre), so we're playing to three sides as opposed to a normal proscenium, which is really cool because you have a lot of playing field, lots of eye contact with the audience.”
Though the Wild Party portrays themes that are not typically put on stage, it does not lose the engaging elements that make musicals so popular. Sjoquist said that the heaviness of the content has a lively and engaging contrast.
“Every song you're going to be bobbing your knee and you're going to go home earworms galore,” Sjoquist said. “It's a lot of fun. The set is fantastic, the actors, the performances are top notch.”
The Wild Party shows at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18, and at 3 p.m. Feb. 12 and 19 in the A. Max Weitzenhoffer Theatre. Tickets for The Wild Party are available in the Fine Arts box office at $39 for adults, $34 for senior adults, $12 for students. Tickets at the door are $45 for adults and $15 for students. Tickets may also be purchased online.
This story was edited by Silas Bales. Mary Ann Livingood and Nikkie Aisha copy edited this story.
