Posted: 7/18/15 at 10:09pm
They did a preshow tonight where Jeanine Tesori was interviewing Lippa. Jeanine is quick witted and can make profanity sound eloquent and Lippa was keeping up with her. Lippa sang a number that he had cut from this production and he has a very nice voice. He also spoke about cuts and how he felt his changes were for the better.
Posted: 7/18/15 at 10:34pm
Well tonight's performance was absolutely on fire. I haven't seen an Encores audience this "wild" probably since LUPONE GYPSY. Sutton received a ferocious entrance applause, you'd think she was LuPone or Peters.
The new opening doesn't really make sense. Most of the changes to the score at definitely not for the better.
Sutton works hard but I found her performance pretty droll. Some of her keys sounded severely lowered; the music isn't the best fit for her voice.
Pasquale is a BEAST. I think I enjoyed his vocals even more than BDJ's. What a committed and thrilling performance. He is seriously on his way to becoming one of the best and most versatile leading men of our time. His vocals had my pulse racing. He was definitely the highlight of the night.
Given the word, I was expecting more riffing from Dixon. But it was just enough. Don't forget that Taye also riffed.
And of course Joaquina was also a major highlight.
The score has some good songs but the show is not very good. It cannot even come close to LaChiusa's score.
The audience reaction had me assuming it was similar to Chicago at Encores in 95/96. I'm sure producers are looking at this one, but the show is just not quite good enough.
Updated On: 7/19/15 at 10:34 PM
Posted: 7/19/15 at 11:25am
I saw the final performance last night and have very mixed feelings. Even though I'm in the minority, I'm a huge fan of Lippa's version. What I did not like about last night were the changes he made. I think in tailoring it towards Foster he has made the show come off too polished so it loses the grittiness of the story. It seemed to me that the changes made were in hopes of some kind of Broadway transfer with more soaring ballads. I honestly just wanted the original music as it was.
The highlight of the evening was by far Steven Pasquale. He blew everyone out of the water with his singing, his comedy and his looks. I've always been on the side of Burrs but never so much as when Pasquale was in the role. The only thing about the additional material I enjoyed were his songs. Miriam Shor was the other bright spot for me even though she just has the one number which she KILLED. Joaquina Kalukango was a really amazing Kate and I honestly don't think Ciara Renee could have done that well.
Sutton Foster was really good to me but I don't think this is a role for her. She's never going to be the bad girl. Obviously she looked great, sang amazingly and danced the hell out of it but she's no Queenie.
The most egregious thing about the evening was Brandon Victor Dixon. I've never seen someone I disliked more on stage. He brought the show down an entire notch just by his atrocious performance. It was as if he was in a completely different show. Something like a Disney or Whitney Houston show. The way he sang "I'll Be Here" made me cringe. I hope I never have to sit through another performance of his in my life.
Back to the good stuff - choreography. I knew that Sonya Tayeh would kill it and she didn't let me down. I've been a huge fan of her's since early SYTYCD days and was glad to see her do a Broadway show. Someone mentioned not liking "The Juggernaut" but I thought it was great. Also the movement when everyone is having sex was really great. I couldn't keep my eyes off Ryan Steele and the guy he was grinding with.
I wanted to love this production but I just ended up liking it.
Posted: 7/19/15 at 11:34am
I cannot stop thinking about Pasquale's soaring performance. He's going to do many great things in theater, I hope we can keep him for a while.
Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:01pm
For a good decade or so now, I've been singing Pasquale's praises on theater boards and wondering why on earth he's not headlining a Broadway (or Off-B'way) musical. I really wish I could have seen his Fabrizio in LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA in its west coast tryouts. (He couldn't do the show in NY because of his TV series ("Rescue Me") commitment, unfortunately.) So when that ended, I had high hopes. But for whatever reasons, both FAR FROM HEAVEN and the brilliant BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY didn't last. I wasn't able to get to Chicago either for his recent CAROUSEL, but at least we all were able to stream the audio. I just hope his recent negative NYC stage experiences have not dissuaded him from taking on an ongoing (not Encores!) stage musical here. He absolutely was the main reason to see this WILD PARTY.
Updated On: 7/20/15 at 12:01 PM
Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:02pm
Does anybody know what's next on Pasquale's stage plate?
Updated On: 7/19/15 at 12:02 PM
Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:15pm
Actually, Far from Heaven extended twice at Playwright Horizons, so it did "last". I don't think his stage experience was negative for Bridges, he got tons of praise and I think most people discovered how unreal his voice was in that role. He has been more into television these days (Bloodline, The Good Wife), and next he is starring in a comedy for DirecTV called "Almost There" which premiers this fall.
Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:16pm
He's doing the R&H NY Pops with Sierra Boggess in October isn't he? Other than that I think he's filming the OJ Simpson thing. I agree, Broadway needs to find him something truly spectacular and he was the best part of Wild Party.
Updated On: 7/19/15 at 12:16 PM
Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:33pm
I would love to see him take on some Sondheim. I could easily see him as Bobby and George, and Sweeney is clearly in his future.
Posted: 7/19/15 at 1:04pm
I've never seen a previous production of The Wild Party, but I knew some of the music going in. Overall, I was a little disappointed with the material itself. I read in an interview with Lippa on Playbill that he had always thought it took too long to get to the party. But this felt like they got to the party so soon, and I knew hardly nothing about Queenie or Burrs. And once they finally got to the party, I kept thinking "when is this party going to be over?" It seemed like hardly anything happened besides the confusing love triangle.
However, Pasquale was terrific, as well as Joaquina Kalukango. I enjoyed Sutton's performance overall, and was indifferent to Brandon Victor Dixon. This was probably my least favorite of this year's Encores series.
Posted: 7/19/15 at 8:56pm
I prefer the Lippa Wild Party to the LaChuisa. I'm very glad I got to see the show last night. But I have to echo the other posters who have said that the changes made were mostly to the detriment of the show, that Joaquina and Pasquale were the standouts, and that Sutton was a little miscast. I'm glad I finally got to see one version of The Wild Party staged but I wish they'd stuck to the original. If someone who has a better memory than I do knows the song list, I'd appreciate it if you could post it here or PM me. Putting her vocals aside, I think Sutton was playing a different Queenie and that was reflected in some of the changes to the show. And one of things I did like from her vocals over Julia's was the way she dropped down to those low notes. I wasn't as bothered by Brandon Victor Dixon's riffing but I did feel like Black was a bit of a non-character. Maybe it was intentional but I never felt like I had a good grasp of who he was or what his motivations were. Miriam Shor was fantastic and if they continue to give her nothing to do on Younger she might as well come back to Broadway.
"I've always been on the side of Burrs but never so much as when Pasquale was in the role."
I think that might have actually been a bit of a problem with this production. I mean, think of the scene where he's "apologizing" for calling her a lazy s***. Without the gritty, grimy sexiness and with Queenie more defeated and faded and with Black not being much of a character AND with Steven being so likable and talented it's difficult to feel like all of this helped make it more of Queenie's story.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 12:11am
I would love a cast recording with this cast!!
Posted: 7/20/15 at 12:30am
I saw the Saturday matinee and I can only echo what's been said--Pasquale and Kalukanga were delightful, Miriam Shor was snappy and funny, Sutton Foster was so-so, and Brandon Victor Dixon was not my cup of tea. I bought ticketsa to see Josh Henry and I sorely missed him in this.
This felt much cleaner and more sanitized then the original version and part of what makes the show, the poem, and all associated concepts is that it's not! It's a little dirty and tawdry...the story is about this eccentric group of friends and lovers having a wild party. It needs to be a little a gritty and edgy. When you take that element away, it loses something. Sutton Foster has done dome fabulous work. This wasn't bad, but it's far from the level we're used to seeing with her.
My biggest complaint were the changes and cuts to the score. I understand why they were made, but I think it really took away from the show, especially the opener, which is typically quite dynamic.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 1:39am
They are going to make a cast recording of Paint Your Wagon which I am excited about because I though it was a lovely production.
The cool thing about Pasquale is that he can do about anything and as he ages there will continue to be a variety of roles for him.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 2:58am
I'm curious to see how this would have turned out if Joshua Henry, Ciara Renee, and Kimiko Glenn were still in the production....
Posted: 7/20/15 at 9:08am
Posted: 7/20/15 at 1:05pm
Not sure if it's been shared but this Steven Pasquale fansite has some solid recordings from the performance:
http://stevenpasqualedaily.tumblr.com/
Updated On: 7/20/15 at 01:05 PM
Posted: 7/20/15 at 2:10pm
I saw this Saturday night and, sadly, have to agree with everyone regarding the changes made. I haven’t ever seen the full show performed, but I know the cast recording fairly well and have always enjoyed it.
Changing the beginning was, for me, the biggest misstep. Giving no real background into Queenie and Burrs’ relationship makes the rest of the show feel pointless and completely changes Queenie’s character. As portrayed here, she looks like nothing more than an all-good woman stuck in an abusive relationship, when there is so much more to both her character and the passionate, unhealthy relationship her and Burrs share.
These lines from “Queenie Was a Blonde”, I think, are particularly important in establishing the push and pull of their relationship; something necessary to understand the events of the rest of the night:
That she liked her lovers violent,
And he liked her vicious,
But until she found the one man
Who could answer all her wishes
and
Then one day they met
And fireworks flew.
Her passion ignited
She was smitten.
His colors shone through
He'd met his match.
They knew what to do
I found you
They said.
Now Queenie and Burrs were well-fed.
Without their relationship established, songs like “What is it About Her?” and “Maybe I Like it This Way” came off as confusing and without foundation. It also doesn’t allow the full impact of Black seeing Queenie as “pure” and “virginal” to come across.
Reading the interview in the playbill, Sutton mentions that she brought up the idea of doing this show to Jeanine and explained that playing a character like Queenie appealed to her as she wanted to play a character who was “raw” and “dirty.” I feel bad for her because, after these rewrites, those qualities were nowhere to be seen. She did the best she could with what was left of the character, but I regret not getting to see Sutton as Queenie was previously written. I would have loved to see her dig into “Queen Was a Blonde” and “Out of the Blues.”
I know the score pretty well (some songs better than others), but I thought it was blatantly clear which moments/songs were new. It felt like they stuck out like a sore thumb from the original score – both in style (the melodies felt like basic, modern pop) and lyrics (which felt extremely basic and generalized).
All of that said, it was still a fun, very well-done production and there was plenty to enjoy from the performance. They really did a great job with what they had and it kept me entertained throughout.
Namely, Steven Pasquale, who was simply phenomenal. This was the best acting I’ve seen him do. He was entrancing. I was wide-eyed by the end witnessing the intricate, detailed, terrifying (yet gut-wrenching) performance he was giving. And, his voice never ceases to amaze me. The last note of “What is About Her?” literally took my breath away.
Miriam Shor was a treat to watch. Dixon had a beautiful voice (and his riffing seemed to only occur at appropriate moments), but didn’t do anything for me in terms of acting.
Kalukango was the other stand-out. As has been mentioned, her “Life of the Party” was a unique and shattering interpretation of the song. I assume that Leigh Silverman had much to do with it and Kalukango carried it out perfectly. I look forward to seeing her in future performances.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 2:12pm
Posted: 7/20/15 at 3:18pm
I did want to mention how respectful the audience was at the Saturday matinee. Not a cell phone in site, didn't hear any ringing, and waiting until the last note is sung to applaud.
BRAVO HUMAN RACE, BRAVO!!!
Posted: 7/20/15 at 3:45pm
The Saturday night audience was pretty good too. One cell phone went off in my row but she seemed very embarrassed and cut it off quickly. A little bit of coughing now and then but nothing major. At first the applause was a little ridiculous and drowning out lyrics in the middle of songs but after the first song or two I felt like the audience calmed down. Maybe they too realized that it would be better to hear the lyric changes that indulge themselves with applause.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 3:52pm
Is everyone on these boards too young to remember how awestruck we all were with Pascale when he sang "Streets of Dublin" in Man of No Importance? Then he got Rescue Me and was mostly absent from the stage for years.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 3:55pm
Goosebumps from listening to "What is it about her?". My goodness! If I had to rank my favorite Bway male voices right now, he'd be first by far! Don't worry, BDJ, Jeremy Jordan, and Gavin Creel, I still love you too.
Posted: 7/20/15 at 5:00pm
I'm sorry but this material has always struck me as a complete snore. The score has no over-arcing style or point of view, the book is, by turns, overwrought or uninvolving. The characters are either cliches or nothing at all. Certainly changing the tunestack at the top of the show didn't help matters. The cast was game. Just MHO, of course.
