Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...In the best moments of the piece, you can see the emptiness behind the diluted eyeballs and fear for the consequences for these lonely souls, but you also find yourself lamenting the prosaic nature of your own life (well, I guess I should speak for myself). To put it another way, "The Wild Party" should make you want to go to a wild party, and this one surely does. It forges a milieu. One feels like one is witnessing a scene."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Imagine the most sordid underbelly scenes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and you might begin to understand the sort of world you will enter as you arrive at “The Wild Party,” the fabulously warped, steamy, anything goes, show-biz-infused musical tragedy that is set in the New York of the Roaring Twenties and features a galvanic score by Michael John LaChiusa."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"... After LaChiusa's quirky-smart score, one of the great things about this Wild Party is the guest list. We make the vivid acquaintance of (among others) Jackie, the WASP decadent; Phil and Oscar, the black gay couple who dance together as "brothers"; Dolores the aging but exceedingly tough diva; Nadine, the Broadway-dazzled 14-year-old; Sally, the drug-dazed appendage of lesbian entertainer Madelaine; and of course Gold and Goldberg, would-be producers and "Jewless Jews" who are so confused about their deculturated identities that they forget their names. (The depiction of G&G is so stark that it may be read as anti-Semitic by some, but these guys don't come off any worse than the rest of the tragic, hilarious guests.) Danni Smith's Queenie, Matthew Keffer's Burrs, and Patrick Falcon's Black are particularly riveting, but then every performance is sharp, and the show as a whole vibrates as fast and vertiginously as the heart of a cokehead."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...In fact, I'd be hard pressed to name a weak link or moment in this this dazzlingly debauched production. Get your tickets now; this is a party you don't want to be late for."
ShowBizChicago - Highly Recommended
"...Bailiwick choice of presenting such a timely piece is perfect, mirroring the out-of-control wild party that many people appear to be throwing in an attempt to escape the harsh inevitable reality of what is to come. So many people today choose to live in a vacuum and bury their heads in the sand."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...A triumphant season-opener for Bailiwick Chicago, The Wild Party easily lives up to its name. It’s a party you won’t want to miss."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The Wild Party, arguably Bailiwick Chicago Theater's finest achievement to date, proves that a talented, dedicated and fully committed cast of non-Equity players can carry a musical to superb heights. Their ensemble work here is first class that all involved should be extremely proud of. This production is one of the finest non-Equity musicals mounted on a Chicago stage in years! Don't miss this wonderful show. Its party time!"
Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...Helming all this madcap, mayhem is director choreographer Brenda Didier. She adroitly keeps the proceeding moving along putting her entire cast through their paces with a keen eye and strong directorial hand. She use scenic designer Megan Truscott's terrific set to its full capabilities and Theresa Ham's beautiful period costumes enhance the evening quite nicely. Unfortunately, Lighting Designer Brian Hoehne's moody lighting left to many of the cast's faces in shadow unnecessarily."
Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...I am known for my fairness to all of the theater companies in the area, and for the most part, I am on a more positive note than the other reviewers. I am not sure just why, but attending an afternoon show of “The Wild Party” Bailiwick Chicago’s season opener, which everyone loved on opening night, was a somewhat “downer” for me. It has potential and from my point of view is a work in progress, with some strong talent and a score and story that might become stronger with some work."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Bailiwick has topped itself with this eye-popping, toe-tapping, heartbreaking musical that can be viewed as sheer entertainment or as a warning that excess and debauchery become their own reward. The fast living, drug and booze infused la dolce vita life style may seem titillating when seen from a distance, but LaChiusa’s musical shows all too clearly that when the lights dim and the party ends, life is truly meant to be lived filled with love. This musical is not only Bailiwick’s finest creation, but it’s easily one of the best productions playing in Chicago today."
The Fourth Walsh - Recommended
"...THE WILD PARTY has it all! The terrific guests are a collection of dynamic misfits. The hosts mix up the drinks and the drama. There is even a little love in the lusty partner swapping. Didier throws a dazzling soiree and then she crashes it into a heap. The glamour of showbiz is an act in itself. The reality behind the alcohol, drugs, and sex is a soulful hollowness. There is plenty to contemplate in the party wreckage. It’s just that there is too much time spent partying and regretting. The speed bump to me was the length. The story gets bogged down in song. There are 37 of them… some reprised. A few songs from the end, I found myself silently wishing the party was over. Michael John LaChiusa (music, lyrics, book) belabors the obvious with one more tune. I enjoyed THE WILD PARTY but it turned me into a party pooper."
Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...Bailiwick Chicago’s excellent production of Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party is a gutsy, raunchy, daring, smartly directed, gorgeously sung, and wonderfully acted production. It is without a doubt one of the best shows this impressive company has done in a while. But it’s also an exhausting night of theatre. There are so many overwhelming things smashing together here that it indeed has the feel of a “wild party”. And though the story is a mess in places, overall it’s still a rewarding party, and one that you won’t want to miss."
