‘The Wild Party’ cements Jasmine Amy Rogers’ star status (Off Broadway review)
8 / 10
Once the bathtub gin has been dispensed, though, everybody is a little worse for wear. LaChiusa’s script also sags in the middle section, amid all the lush couplings, and then hurries through a series of tragedies and near-tragedies as the characters wake up to the reality of their lost night. Just as you’re tempted to check your watch, Rogers’ Queenie reappears — as if anticipating when we might need our glass refilled. She perks up any room she’s in, and elevates every number — from the rollicking “Welcome to My Party” to her sassy duet with Warren’s Kate, “Best Friend,” to the reflective romantic duet with Aladdin’s Black, “People Like Us.” She’s truly the life, and soul, of this Wild Party.
