Which is better...LaChiusa or Lippa's "Wild Party?"

I might be opening a "Pandora's Box" here but the other day I purchased LaChiusa's version of "The Wild Party" and I really love it. But before I decided on LaChiusa I was debating on getting Lippa's version instead but went for LaChiusa b/c of my deep respect for George C. Wolfe, Mandy Patinkin and Tonya Pinkins.

My question then is... what's the difference between the two? Is there a difference at all? Which show do you like better and why? Should I eventually get a copy of Lippa's?

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Which one has Idina? I was actually thinking of asking this question too.

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I prefer the lippa version, altough I like the La chiusa version too!

I prefer Lippa's more "hummable" version. And check this thread which discusses more or less the same question you've just posed.
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=774966#776716

I guess it just depends on what you want out of it. The Lippa does have more "hummable" tunes with big belting and finishes. Terrific cast too. However, I felt that the music is too generic and did not capture the mood of the time period (with rock guitars) or the piece.
The LaChuisa also boasts an impressive cast (Toni Collette come back to Bway) and though the music is more challenging, I feel that it was so evocative. Its that time period as filtered through La Chuisa's sensibility. There are stand-alone songs in this score as well with great belting and big finishes.

I find that while listening to the Lippa, it's just one blaster after another. The LaChiusa has more variety and character.
Just my opinion.

True, JB I was going to say that. La Chiusa's music actually is time-period appropriate. Lippa's score is a 1990's pop score and does not fit well with the time period of THE WILD PARTY. I can't reccommend La Chiusa's enough...his score is so fantastic and there are even parts that remind me of some of Sondheim's stuff.

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JB's comments are very accurate. It depends on what you want out of your theatre. If you like big belters, sex, and pop/rock music, then Lippa's version is for you. If you like densely layered music, subtle performances and nuance, then LaChiusa's is for you. Luckily, I like all of that, so I'm fans of both.

The thing for me is that I liked Lippa's version immediately, but it took me a while to like LaChiusa's, but now I think I lean a little towards LaChiusa's.

They've both got great casts. Lippa's got Julia Murney, Brian D'Archy James, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Jennifer Cody while LaChiusa's got Mandy Patinkin, Toni Collette, Eartha Kitt, Tonya Pinkins, Norm Lewis, et all.

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Yes, it's called "People Like Us," but the great thing is that it's a pop stand-alone, but it's still distinctly LaChiusa.

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I also say Lachiusa, although I do like the Lippa version. I found LaChiusa's more interesting. For instance Black is not just some black guy, you're not sure WHAT race he is. That alone to me seems to point at the show that makes the more interesting choices. I don't think Lippa's is more hummable at all. They both are pretty damn hummable. I think Lippa's might be a bit more poppy and perhaps accessible, but that shouldn't be synomynous with hummable because you can hum any tune in LaChiusa's work. I can and do.
Also the cast is far more varied and interesting. Mandy, Toni, Tonya have all been mentioned but I also want to point out Eartha Kitt who was magnificent in the show. I found the Lippa cast good, but I feel Idina and Taye riffed way too much without much thought or reason behind it. Brian D'arcy James was good also, but not nearly as scary as Mandy.
To rap this all up I see the Lippa version as a sort of color, vibrant cartoon (which isn't meant to sound as bad as it does) and LaChiusa's the feature film version. Both good for different reasons, with LaChiusa taking the cake for me.

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 01:08 PM

Yeah you did, Jwei...

Well, I would say that both versions are excellent. I like Lippa's for the more enjoyable songs.

I have only hear clips of LaChiusa's - sounds good. Maybe I'll get it one day.

I just got Civil War and Blue Like That in the mail today!

WOOP

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