Performances of The Wild Party will begin November 4 and will take place in the Hoerner Theatre at Dillingham Center. Tickets range from $4.50 to $10.00 and can be purchased from the ticket office in Dillingham Center or by calling 607-274-3224. This musical is intended for mature audiences.
Based on Joseph Moncure March's popular 1928 epic poem of the same name, The Wild Party features characters Queenie and Burrs, a passionate pair of 1920s vaudevillians. Queenie throws a party to put some fire back into their relationship, inviting a prizefighter, a hooker, a theater producer, the flamboyant and incestuous d'Armano brothers, and other sordid creatures of the night. Fueled by Prohibition booze, cocaine, and mad dancing, the party heats up and things get ugly as the two lovers test each other's limits.
"The Wild Party has none of those sweet, saccharine ingénues who endear many of us to our favorite musicals," said director Norm Johnson, associate professor of theater arts. "Instead, [the musical] conveys the reckless lifestyle that propels Queenie and her party guests to the brink of the 1929 economic collapse and the Great Depression that would change the United States forever."
"These characters are living like there is no tomorrow," Johnson said. "It was the "Roaring Twenties," and they kept on roaring right until the stock market crashed. I want the visual sense that the characters' world is about to implode."
IC Theatre's production of The Wild Party is inspired by the German Expressionists and the theories of German playwright Bertolt Brecht, who wanted audience members to stay emotionally detached from the characters on stage. He achieved this through unusual lighting, the use of song, and other techniques. As director, Johnson has chosen to emphasize the vaudeville form to present songs from The Wild Party, reminding the audience that what they are watching is simply a stage musical.
Cast and Crew
The cast includes Meredith Beck '09 as Queenie, Eric Morris '10 as Burrs, Michael Haller '10 as Mr. Black, Catherine Stephani '09 as Kate, Ryan DeNardo '10 as Eddie, Jamie Amos '11 as Mae, Eric Carsia '09 as Phil, Jeff Schara '09 as Oscar, Kyle Johnson '09 as Max, Emily Brazee '10 as Madeline True, Rebecca Futterman '11 as Delores, Steven Moore '11 as Jackie, Patrick Hunter '10 as Sam, and Lindsey Bullen '11 as Nadine.
The choreographer for The Wild Party is assistant professor of theater arts Adam Pelty. The music director is assistant professor of music performance Brian DeMaris. The design team includes scenic designer Kelly Syring '09, costume designer Alexander Woodward '09, lighting designer and assistant professor of theater arts Steve TenEyck, assistant lighting designer Max Doolittle '11, and sound designer and assistant professor of theater arts Don Tindall. The technical director is Mary Beth Barnes '09. The stage manager is Kristin Loughry '10. The assistant director is Robyn Nagorsky '09 and the assistant choreographer is Dana Shapiro '09.
Showtimes and Ticket Info
Performances of The Wild Party will be held at 8:00 p.m. on November 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, and 15. Matinees will be offered at 2:00 p.m. on November 9 and 15. Tickets may be purchased from the ticket office in Dillingham Center or by calling 607-274-3224. Tickets can also be purchased at the Ticket Center at Clinton House by calling 607-273-4497 or online at www.ithacaevents.com. Group discounts are available.
A nationally recognized professional theater training program, the Department of Theatre Arts attracts students from across the United States. Through Ithaca College Theatre and the production season, undergraduate students present all aspects of theater in a professional model. Ithaca College Theatre has been a cultural resource for Tompkins County and the region for more than 70 years.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20081024135829451