Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 cult poem, a narrative epic of Jazz Age debauchery, was a favorite of William “Naked Lunch” Burroughs, made into two different musicals, and adapted as a comic book by Art “Maus” Spiegelman. Fans of The Wild Party the poem, or of smart, edgy, literary musicals (think Cabaret or Chicago) will swoon for UC Irvine’s staging of Andrew Lippa’s frantically thoughtful musical of the story of a party attended by rowdy, randy and raucous coke fiends and bathtub gin boozers celebrating with full-throated hurrah—“You can always party down in hell!”—a predictably bad end for kicks-seeking party hosts Queenie, a showgirl, and her sadistic clown boyfriend. Claire Trevor School of the Arts warns discretion is advised (nobody under 18) because the characters here, of course, don’t have any. Which is why you’ll be there, you hussy.
Wed., June 2, 8 p.m., 2010
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