Shades of deep blues and calm greens on the stage were illuminated as the lights slowly began to dim. Music filled the room beyond the thin sheens of curtains, and I felt my excitement crescendo as I realized my first theater experience outside my home state of Connecticut was about to begin.
City Circle Theatre Company’s rendition of “Wild Party,” New York-based playwright Andrew Lippa’s 1920s musical set during the prohibition era, opened on Feb. 7. It depicted a late-night party centering around the relationship between Queenie, a vaudeville dancer, and Burrs, a vaudeville clown. As the story progressed, it became clear to me, the couple should not have been together.
According to the director of the City Circle Theatre Company Carrie Pozdol, the entire play was based on a book-length poem written in 1928 by Joseph Moncure March. At the time of its publication, it was banned for being too controversial.
Elizabeth Tracey, the artistic producer of the City Circle Production Company, said she wanted to have a selection each season that covered a different genre. She wanted a more concert-style production to headline February, despite arguments over what “concert” meant.
“For me, what it means is, the set value isn’t as important as bringing out the music and the actors,” Tracey said. “Although this is our edgy show, it is also more experimental [than the others].”
As someone who only occasionally watches theatre, I especially liked when the characters were introducing themselves. I got to see their outfits and faces better as they went down the line, and everyone seemed to be dedicated to their craft.
Alex Anderson, the actor playing Burrs, said he was instantly drawn to the play when he saw “Wild Party” back at Drake University in 2008. His hook was the last song, “Make Me Happy.” In it, there is tension between multiple characters at a crucial turning point in the story, and in my opinion, it is one of the most intriguing parts of the show.
RELATED: Review | Journeying ‘Way Down’ to Hadestown offers stunning Broadway show
“I saw the three-part harmony and I thought, ‘Oh, I have to do that someday,’” Anderson said. “I got the chance to do it at TCR (Theatre Cedar Rapids) about seven years ago, and then when this chance came up again, I couldn’t pass it up.”
Vicky Shellady, who played Queenie, said her first experience with “Wild Party” was the music.
“The score was just beautiful, captivating,” she said. “It was really unlike anything I had heard prior.”
The music, the cast, and the set design made me wonder just how much work went into the show. I knew theater was a collaborative experience, but with this performance, I saw how every moment the actors, crew, and producers spared was to make the show the best it could be.
“I think it’s fun to do something where all the characters are very complicated. I don’t often get the opportunity to play a very edgy person, and for me, this was very exciting to do with friends,” Shellady said.
Opening night for Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party was held on Feb. 7, but more performances will follow next week. On Feb. 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2 p.m., City Circle will bring their spectacular rendition of “Wild Party” to a close.