Review: THE WILD PARTY at Stagecrafters is Anything but Tame - It's Wild!

Stagecrafters current production is anything but tame, it's wild! The provocative and tantalizing show, The Wild Party, with book, music, and lyrics by former Oak Park resident Andrew Lippa, will keep the audience on the edge of their seats until last beat drops.The Wild Party is currently running at the Baldwin Theatre until September 30th in downtown Royal Oak and definitely not a party to be missed!

The Wild Party is set in the Roaring Twenties, a time of explosive social and cultural upheaval. It's the Jazz Age, Prohibition is in full swing and postwar America is booming, with a seeming insatiable appetite for new fashions, fads, and excitement. The show focuses on vaudeville stars Queenie and her lover, Burrs, who live a desultory, decadent life. They decide to throw a party at their Manhattan apartment to relieve their boredom and as everyone drinks and parties with abandon, the two of them begin a dangerous flirting game, taunting each other to brink of violence. It takes a special theatre and talented cast to put the show on the right way and Stagecrafters did just that.

Randi Hamilton plays the role of Queenie. Hamilton is spectacular. She is powerhouse on stage - taking it over from the moment she appears. Her voice is stunning and in every song she sings the emotion is felt down to the very core. Hamilton especially shines during "Maybe I Like It This Way." Nancy Ingles plays the role of Kate. Sometimes a performer steps on stage and the audience knows they are in for a performance they will not forget - that is the performance that Nancy Ingles gives as Kate in The Wild Party. When she walks in the door on stage and starts to sing, "Look at Me Now," it is a game changer for the show because she is captivating, funny, has a beautiful voice, and down-right entertaining. The best part about Ingles is she keeps all those qualities going throughout the show. Josh Allor plays the role of Burrs. Allor has great comedic timing and a great voice. Dez Walker plays the role of Black. Walker has an outstanding voice. The four leads of the show are cast exceptionally well and the four of them work together so seamlessly on the stage. They also harmonize beautifully in pairs and as a group. Their harmonization's especially stand out in the "Poor Child" number. Director Jerry Haines did a fantastic job of casting voices that blend so seamlessly together and interact so well on stage.

Liz Schultz played the role of Madelaine True. Schultz's quirky antics had the audience rolling in laughter in their seats. She also had one of the stand out musical numbers of the show, "An Old-Fashioned Love Story." Josiah C. Baker plays the role of Eddie. Sara Rydzewski plays the role of Mae. Baker and Rydzekski have fantastic chemistry on stage! The two of them are absolutely wonderful to watch, hilarious, and their song, "Two of a Kind," is an all-around joyful moment. The rest of the cast includes: Micah Blanks (Max), Dionte Brown (The Neighbor), Max Hughes (Oscar D'Armano), Kellie Kafantaris (Rose Himmelsteen), Audrey Isrow Kilbourn (Reno), Joshua Kimball (Phil D'Armano), Marcus Laban (Sam Himmelsteen), Rachel Latimer (Nadine), Terri Manning (Dolores), Ethan May (Kegs), Jordan McAllister (Jackie), Bethany Rydzewski (Ellie), and Taylor Towers (Peggy).

The Wild Party is a show unlike any other how it weaves a tale of love, lust, lies, revenge, and darkness all in one and the Stagecrafters' production is a brilliant rendition of it - light and dark in all the right places. Take a chance, experience a wild party!

Connect with Stagecrafters on Twitter at @StagecraftersMI, on Instagram at @stagecraftersmi, and facebook.com/StagecrafersMI.

Please note: The Wild Party contains adult situations.

The Wild Party is currently running until September 30th at The Baldwin Theatre in downtown Royal Oak. For more information and tickets, visit www.Stagecrafters.org.

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