Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast- Page 4
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#75
Posted: 3/20/26 at 8:28am
I saw it last night. I think it’s an enjoyable evening and very well conceived and directed. This was my first exposure to this version but I knew Lippa’s version. I think this story just doesn’t quite land for me. The characters all seem more like agents of chaos than people making choices. That said in this production I found myself following the ensemble in the background more than the leads.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#76
Posted: 3/20/26 at 11:36am
Of course I have tickets for 3/25 and am just learning I will miss Donica. He is one of the main reasons I bought a ticket. Did I just miss this or was this a recent announcement added to the website?
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#77
Posted: 3/20/26 at 11:41am
Melissa25 said: "Of course I have tickets for 3/25 and am just learning I will miss Donica. He is one of the main reasons I bought a ticket. Did I just miss this or was this a recent announcement added to the website?"
If you can go a different date I'm sure they would switch your tickets for you.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#78
Posted: 3/20/26 at 2:45pm
halfhourcheckwithmerman said: "(also, of note, Eddie’s “Golden Boy” has been cut. I understand why it would be, but I always kind of liked it as a peek into the racism that’s shaped his life and relationship. It seems to be the only cut to the score)
This makes complete sense to me. But I do mourn losing the little bit of the Brothers D'Armano in that number --- them singing "A Little Mmm" but instead of an easy jazz 4it's somehow a swing waltz (without rewritingthe vocal!). My personal favorite musical "trick" of the evening..."
I too love this moment, and this song. A bit bummed to hear it's gone!
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#79
Posted: 3/20/26 at 10:53pm
Terrific night at the theatre!
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#80
Posted: 3/20/26 at 11:33pm
Blown away by this production. Just absolutely in love.
I think this show really asks a lot of its audience. It’s too long, it has no intermission, and thematically its songs can be repetitive. I can admit it’s a really challenging piece. But I think the highs are so high and the scope is so ambitious, I’m willing to forgive some of its flaws. This score is truly one of the most complex scores in all of musical theater. To hear it sung live is sensational.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#81
Posted: 3/21/26 at 5:09pm
I went into The Wild Party completely blind, which something I almost never do with a musical. I usually listen to the cast album and read a synopsis beforehand, but I wanted to try something different this time.
This is a challenging piece. It's dark, heavy, and not built around hummable, earworm-filled songs. That said, I was completely enthralled from start to finish. The show grabs you immediately and never lets up. You don’t get a chance to come up for air.
The cast is uniformly excellent. Jasmine Amy Rogers proves herself to be one of the most versatile performers working right now. This time last year, she was playing a cute cartoon character, and now she's playing a sexy and seductive vixen. Jordan Donica delivers a commanding and towering performance.
This is among the best work I’ve seen from Encores! When compared to the dull and insipid High Spirits, this feels like a real jolt of energy. Not a binder in sight, and the level of staging and physical production rivals (and in some cases surpasses) shows currently running on Broadway. Given the scope of the piece, it’s genuinely impressive what they’ve accomplished in such a short rehearsal period (especially this early in the two-week run).
A few minor quibbles... The sound is occasionally muddy, and more precise lighting would help clarify who was singing at times. I wish the entire set had been pushed further downstage. It’s easy to imagine how electric this production would feel in a smaller house like the Booth.
If you’re on the fence, I strongly recommend seeing this. The performances alone are worth the price of admission.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#82
Posted: 3/21/26 at 10:51pm
bwayobsessed said: "I saw it last night. I think it’s an enjoyable evening and very well conceived and directed. This was my first exposure to this version but I knew Lippa’s version. I think this story just doesn’t quite land for me. The characters all seem more like agents of chaos than people making choices. That said in this production I found myself following the ensemble in the background more than the leads."
This was my biggest problem with the direction. FOCUS. It was a free-for-all and there seemed no director present. It also felt like Jerry Mitchell had directed a LaChiusa musical. It felt MUSICAL THEATER with a capital M. This version deserves a better production with a director who gets it. It was lovely enough for an Encores production (it doesn't need a transfer with this production though). Strong cast - with the exception Barnes D'Armano and Martin's Eddie (who both felt less professional than the rest of the cast). The D'Armano's voices also didn't quite fit the material.
Luckily Encores helped Ms. Brown significantly by having Spelman stage the show and choreography (as Ms. Brown's regular choreographers are not usually strong). They also handed her wonderful designers with Justin Townsend and Linda Cho, who she does not regularly work with. They try to focus some of the her oddities. Of course, Telsey's casting also upped her casting game significantly as well - her Chicago and DC production have suffered in this category in the past.
It's a nice evening of a great show. The cast mostly strong. The four main leads are terrific. No need to transfer this production. The edge and storytelling suffer even with a great cast off book, choreographically game and no books in hand. It needs a edgier vision and focused direction. with some of this cast and a different director It could be an interesting venture although likely not commercially for long.
The performances and hearing this score is what makes the night. They are all game. The vision lacks
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#83
Posted: 3/21/26 at 11:12pm
We're now at a quarter century of musical theater homos arguing over Lippa or LaChiusa and I have always been firmly in the LaChiusa camp. I am fully aware that I am in the minority on this opinion and was reminded of it tonight seeing a bunch of friends there also who reminded me also that "Lippa is better". But for me, tonight was electric and truly a kind of dream come true to see this version staged this well with THIS cast. For me, those two hours flew by.
Thank Jesus or Muhammad or whatever for Jasmine, reminding us all again (as if she still needed to) that she is a STAR and one of the most exciting things to happen to the American Musical Theater in years. The rest of this cast is uniformly perfect, as well and for me the production was every bit as sexual and dangerous as I was hoping it would be, but also doubted it would be since Encores hasn't ever really touched something like that before. There was some pearl clutching afterwards and GOOD, it should elicit that kind of response, I think. Rarely have I seen something at Encores not only so polished, but polished in a way you'd think they had months to stage and choreograph it without a single hiccup to be found.
From the very front of the Grand Tier the sound was perfect but I know in other parts of the house it was a real issue tonight, based on talking to people afterwards who really struggled. Hopefully it's something they can address but with such a short schedule, is it something they'd put a lot of time into?
Regardless, this (for me) was special. This was probably the best revival of this musical we could ever get, anywhere and damnit, I loved it.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#84
Posted: 3/21/26 at 11:16pm
Jealous. From the first row of the balcony the sound was NOT great. A good majority of the lyrics were inaudible and the orchestra too loud.
Also in the LaChisa camp. And, since some of the cast is from out of town, there were (cough) extra (non-paid) rehearsals that some people did . So this wasn't ... typical.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#85
Posted: 3/21/26 at 11:22pm
CoffeeBreak said: "And, since some of the cast is from out of town, there were (cough) extra (non-paid) rehearsals that some people did . So this wasn't ... typical."
But you ain't one to gossip. So I ain't heard that from you. lol
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#86
Posted: 3/21/26 at 11:44pm
This is one of my favorite scores and it is performed quite fantastically here, though tonight poor Lesli was struggling with some vocal issues and I do think The Brother D'Armano sounded a bit too modern at times. (This is nitpicky. What they accomplished in this time is astonishing.)
the leads are astonishing, Jasmine and Jordan especially. Didn't know Jordan had that dramatic work in him, to be honest. "How Many Women" was thrilling.
But the direction.... appalling at times how there was no focus whatsoever in staging. And Sally with such lack of guidance and specificity becomes nothing but a relentless distraction.
This is a helluva night at encores. But I do not think it should transfer, not without a new director.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#87
Posted: 3/21/26 at 11:50pm
That’s so interesting to hear someone else talk about the lack of focus on direction because for me, I thought those things were intentional and worked in the shows favor to show the chaos of the “wild party”. I’m going again in a few days and will absolutely look more closely at that.
Updated On: 3/22/26 at 11:50 PMAlladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#88
Posted: 3/22/26 at 12:44am
I saw the production Saturday night and really enjoyed it. Our seats were in the center orchestra, Row K (just below the overhang), and I didn’t have any problem hearing the lyrics - which I didn’t know beforehand. It seems like where you sat made a lot of difference.
I have never seen an Encores! production but this just seemed like a regular revival to me - which is a credit to the performers and the choreographer (and maybe even the director). Basically, it felt like a really strong out-of-town tryout that needed a little work.
The Wild Party is an unwieldy show to direct, with so many characters getting time in the spotlight. There were a few times when I lost track of who was singing for a moment, but that didn’t particularly bother me. The party itself was supposed to be an increasingly chaotic mess.
I hadn’t seen Jasmine Amy Rogers before and thought she was terrific as Queenie, getting better as night wore on. Her performance of ‘People Like Us,’ with Jelani Alladin’s Black, was gorgeous. It’s not easy working with the scene-stealing Adrienne Warren but she pulled it off. That said, it’s such a pleasure seeing Warren in a role worthy of her talent. Donica was excellent, intimidating and tortured.
After watching the show, it’s kind of amazing that the original run featured white actors as Queenie and Burrs. Queenie is obviously meant to be a white-passing Black woman. The songs and dialogue reference this repeatedly. I wondered how this was dealt with, or not, in the original Broadway production.
The Wild Party is not a perfect musical and it probably bites off a little more than it can adequately address. But I am never going to fault a show for being too ambitious, especially with such a wonderful score, a solid book, and terrific performances.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#89
Posted: 3/22/26 at 5:19am
Jordan Catalano said: "That’s so interesting to hear someone else talk about the lack of focus on direction because for me, I thought those things were intentional and worked in the shows favor to show the chaos of the “wild party”. I’m going again in a few days and will absolutely look more closely at that."
I tried to reason that for myself through the first 20 minutes or so of the party, but it just started to get more and more distracting, Sally being the biggest part of that. Funny as the legs in the trunk were, what did they accomplish besides taking us away from what was the actual important event on stage?
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#90
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:03am
bear882 said: "After watching the show, it’s kind of amazing that the original run featured white actors as Queenie and Burrs. Queenie is obviously meant to be a white-passing Black woman. The songs and dialogue reference this repeatedly. I wondered how this was dealt with, or not, in the original Broadway production."
The lines regarding her makeup are written to be general enough that when a white performer is in the role, they can be understood to be about public persona versus private life and illusion (or delusion), which is a running theme in the show across the characters. Queenie is making herself look younger, more fashionable, more worldly and in control than she is. When a black performer is in the role, those things still exist but take on the specificity of race, which adds a totally different and more complex element, particularly alongside a black Burrs. The language used then takes on added meaning and it gives further depth to both characters but it’s never literally about race.
Black telling Queenie to take off her makeup because she doesn’t need it will always be an act of romantic kindness and acknowledgment; Burrs saying Queenie covers her face in makeup to hide the rot will always be self-loathing projection. When all those performers are black, it adds another layer and motivation. But it works even if they’re not.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#91
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:38am
Jordan Catalano said: "We're now at a quarter century of musical theater homos arguing over Lippa or LaChiusa and I have always been firmly in the LaChiusa camp. I am fully aware that I am in the minority on this opinion and was reminded of it tonight seeing a bunch of friends there also who reminded me also that "Lippa is better". But for me, tonight was electric and truly a kind of dream come true to see this version staged this well with THIS cast. For me, those two hours flew by.
Thank Jesus or Muhammad or whatever for Jasmine, reminding us all again (as if she still needed to) that she is a STAR and one of the most exciting things to happen to the American Musical Theater in years. The rest of this cast is uniformly perfect, as well and for me the production was every bit as sexual and dangerous as I was hoping it would be, but also doubted it would be since Encores hasn't ever really touched something like that before. There was some pearl clutching afterwards and GOOD, it should elicit that kind of response, I think. Rarely have I seen something at Encores not only so polished, but polished in a way you'd think they had months to stage and choreograph it without a single hiccup to be found.
From the very front of the Grand Tier the sound was perfect but I know in other parts of the house it was a real issue tonight, based on talking to people afterwards who really struggled. Hopefully it's something they can address but with such a short schedule, is it something they'd put a lot of time into?
Regardless, this (for me) was special. This was probably the best revival of this musical we could ever get, anywhere and damnit, I loved it."
I love when we operate on the EXACT same brainwave. I was at the matinee yesterday and this is exactly how I felt. Jasmine is a STAR. Jordan is a STAR. Adrienne, Jelani, all of them, STARS. I went in knowing the score and never having seen the show before, and I left feeling very hot and bothered in the best way. I had some sound issues in the rear mezzanine in the beginning, but by the end, the ship seemed to right itself.
The talkback after the show yesterday was also pretty freaking good. I did not expect most of the principal cast to be there, and getting to meet LaChiusa after (and share my own “musical theatre homo” awakening story with him) was cool. He definitely knows the impact the score has had and remains very humble about it.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#92
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:49am
I'm not sure how anyone could get hot and bothered by The Wild Party. I mean. Sure. There's sex on stage. But is it sexy, or is it a tale about hedonistic natures making us the worst of ourselves? If anything, it made me the opposite of hot and bothered.
not saying this with judgment, just so funny the wildly different reactions! I love the show but it makes me more uncomfortable as it goes on.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#93
Posted: 3/22/26 at 8:57am
bear882 said: "After watching the show, it’s kind of amazing that the original run featured white actors as Queenie and Burrs. Queenie is obviously meant to be a white-passing Black woman. The songs and dialogue reference this repeatedly. I wondered how this was dealt with, or not, in the original Broadway production."
For what it's worth, Michael John wrote Queenie for Vanessa Williams. The original implication in his conception was exactly as you describe -- that Queenie was a Black performer passing for white onstage, that the "tinted mask of snow" was both literal and figurative. (I say this was his conception because the poem itself doesn't outright specify Queenie's race.) In the original conceit, there was also the complex double-consciousness of Queenie being a Black woman performing in white face, who lives with a white man who performs as a blackface entertainer. Williams was going to do the Broadway premiere but got pregnant, and Toni Collette ended up being the role's creator. As others have said, I think the writing leaves it open to multiple interpretations.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#94
Posted: 3/22/26 at 10:44am
iluvtheatertrash said: "I'm not sure how anyone could get hot and bothered by The Wild Party. I mean. Sure. There's sex on stage. But is it sexy, or is it a tale about hedonistic natures making us the worst of ourselves? If anything, it made me the opposite of hot and bothered.
not saying this with judgment, just so funny the wildly different reactions! I love the show but it makes me more uncomfortable as it goes on."
I think it can be both things and that’s why I had that response to it. It sexy as hell, but also thinking about what is driving it and the hedonistic context made it absolutely compelling for me. I have never seen the show fully staged before.
I jokingly said to LaChiusa after the show, “It’s all fun and games until someone brings a gun to the orgy” and he got a hearty chuckle from that.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#95
Posted: 3/22/26 at 11:21am
Anyone got their tix on TDF? Where are your seats?
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#96
Posted: 3/22/26 at 1:42pm
I saw this yesterday afternoon with two others and we all didn’t like it much. The performers are in excellent voice, but thought it was a chore to sit through.
But the real reason I’m posting: the stage design for this is absolutely awful. We were in the mezz on the left side, and I would say the that entire section could see NOTHING on the left side (all of the bedroom scenes). There was nothing saying partial view, and most people in the section were pretty upset. Just a note if you’re looking for tickets and still haven’t bought them.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#97
Posted: 3/22/26 at 2:30pm
AC126748 said: "bear882 said: "After watching the show, it’s kind of amazing that the original run featured white actors as Queenie and Burrs. Queenie is obviously meant to be a white-passing Black woman. The songs and dialogue reference this repeatedly. I wondered how this was dealt with, or not, in the original Broadway production."
For what it's worth, Michael John wrote Queenie for Vanessa Williams. The original implication in his conception was exactly as you describe -- that Queenie was a Black performer passing for white onstage, that the "tinted mask of snow" was both literal and figurative. (I say this was his conception because the poem itself doesn't outright specify Queenie's race.) In the original conceit, there was also the complex double-consciousness of Queenie being a Black woman performing in white face, who lives with a white man who performs as a blackface entertainer. Williams was going to do the Broadway premiere but got pregnant, and Toni Collette ended up being the role's creator. As others have said, I think the writing leaves it open to multiple interpretations.
"
Fascinating, thank you so much for that tidbit, it illuminates much.
I just saw this and found it alternately really exciting and smart and challenging, and at times one of the most boring things I have ever seen onstage, but it was impossible for me to imagine that the show's original creative impulse was not for Queenie to be "passing." It would make a hell of a lot of dramaturgical sense (more sense than here IMO) for Queenie to be Black but passing onstage and Burrs to be white but in blackface onstage, for them both to be in performances of the others' race and this being the central irony of their performed relationship. I understand the historical examples of people like Bert Williams (who to me hang over much of Wolfe's work), but the kind of terrible symmetry of that is so interesting. Funnily, that seems to be the production we have never gotten.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#98
Posted: 3/22/26 at 2:40pm
I just saw this and found it alternately really exciting and smartand challenging, and at times one of the most boringthings I have ever seen onstage, but it was impossible for me to imagine that theshow's original creative impulse was not for Queenie to be "passing." It would make a hell of a lot of dramaturgicalsense (more sense than here IMO) for Queenie to be Black but passing onstageand Burrs to be white but in blackface onstage, for them both to be in performances of the others' race and this being the central irony of their performed relationship. I understand the historical examples of people like Bert Williams (who to me hang over much of Wolfe'swork), but the kind of terrible symmetry of that is so interesting.Funnily, that seems to be the production we have never gotten."
The cast is about half right. The production and direction isn't great with the set design - so it turns out BO-RING.
The show can be so much fun. This staging isn't great and unfocused even if the choreography is pretty decent.
a TON of empty seats on a Saturday night at Encores was weird. Bat Boy was the opposite.
Alladin, Donica, Pinkins & More Complete ENCORES! THE WILD PARTY Cast#99
Posted: 3/22/26 at 3:33pm
a TON of empty seats on a Saturday night at Encores was weird. Bat Boy was the opposite."
Bitch, please. I was scheduled to be at La Traviata Tuesday staring the great Lisette Orapesa, but re-arranged my plans for this based upon everything I’ve heard: On par with Ragtime seems to be the conscience.
And if you’re not following Jasmine Amy Roger’s’ trajectory, than you’re not paying attention. She’s a ****ing star.
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