The Wild Party
Original Text
The Wild Party, a classic epic poem, is Joseph Moncure March's first published work. Upon its 1928 publication the poem was widely banned, first in Boston, for having content viewed as wild as the titular party. Despite and perhaps in part thanks to the controversy surrounding his work, the poem was a success, though March's subsequent projects, viewed when published as at least slightly less controversial, were more mainstream.
March's literary influence is great, even with this somewhat lesser-known work. When asked once about March's The Wild Party, the acclaimed writer William Burroughs replied, "It's the book that made me want to be a writer."
The plot might seem more simple than it actually is. Showpeople Queenie and her lover Burrs, who live in a manner considered edgy and decadent at the time, decide to have one of their parties, complete with illegal bathtub gin and the couple's colorful, eccentric and egocentric friends, but the party does not unfold without more tumultuous goings-on than planned.
In 1994 a popular new version of the paperback was released with the subtitle "The Lost Classic," featuring around fifty black-and-white illustrations by Art Spiegelman, a long-time admirer of the poem.
The Wild Party has been adapted into a poorly-received movie, in 1975, and two stage musicals.
Musical Theater Adaptations
- LaChiusa-composed version
One version of The Wild Party was written by Michael John LaChiusa (music, lyrics, and book) and George C. Wolfe (book). It opened at the Virginia Theatre on Broadway on April 13, 2000 and closed on July 11, 2000 (68 performances). It starred Toni Collette as Queenie, Mandy Patinkin as Burrs, Yancey Arias as Mr. Black, Tonya Pinkins as Kate, Marc Kudisch as Jackie, and Eartha Kitt as Delores.
The show was nominated for 7 Tony Awards. Critics and theatergoers have compared the show and its composer to Stephen Sondheim, whose work was similarly complex, whether one consider that to be for good or for ill.
- Lippa-composed version
The second musical version, created by Andrew Lippa, premiered at almost exactly the same time as the LaChiusa version, staged off-Broadway by the Manhattan Theater Club. The characters and plot are similar, but the music is drastically different. It has been noted that the songs in Lippa's score do not depend upon the context of the show, which some feel enhance and others feel detract from the production itself. This version starred Julia Murney as Queenie, Brian D'Arcy James as Burrs, Idina Menzel as Kate, and Taye Diggs as Mr. Black, and was nominated for several Drama Desk Awards.
In 2004, the Lippa musical was produced for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
- Comparison and Popular Attitudes
The Lippa version is arguably the most widely accessible. March purists tend to insist that the LaChiusa version of the show rarely if ever wavers from the poem, while the Lippa version de-emphasizes the ensemble nature of Moncure's party in focusing more on its leads. In the LaChiusa version is an ensemble show. Some criticize the Lippa version for its lack of focus upon central characters like Jackie, who is made a silent chorus dancer in the Lippa show.
While the music in the LaChiusa version is structured more for the purpose of furthering the plot and character development, Lippa's version is in the eyes of many more entertaining. Also, LaChiusa's music adheres more to traditional jazz, in attempt to reflect the 1928 setting, and is darker overall, while Lippa leans more towards contemporary music styles.