The Wild Party
The Coronado Playhouse urges patrons to yell, guffaw, and "be impolite." The strategy works. Based on a narrative poem by Joseph Moncure March (1926), the musical portrays an all-night, late Jazz Age bash. As they fall in and out of love, the guests swill bathtub gin, dance, shout, and frolic unabated. Spontaneous feedback from the house seats adds to the revelry. Queenie, a dancer and Jean Harlow-lookalike, decides that after three years of abuse from Burrs, a surly vaudeville clown, she'll throw a party and "put him on the rack." The story becomes a cautionary "watch out what you wish for" tale. The Coronado production, smartly directed by David Kelso and choreographed by Jennifer Rubio, hits inevitable lulls (the author, Andrew Lippa, wrote a song for practically every character, several of which intrude on the party's manic pace) but makes up for them with infectious spunk and strong work by the leads: Chrissy Burns (Queenie), Eric Vest (Burrs), and Kerianne Rice (Kate). Though of varying talents, the supporting cast holds nothing in reserve. And in songs like "Raise the Roof," they do exactly that.
Worth a try.
When
Ongoing until Saturday, March 6, 2010
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm |
| Thursdays, 8pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |
| Saturdays, 8pm |