The Wild Party
Music, Lyrics, Book by Andrew Lippa
Oct 2022
Penn State University
This production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party was set in New York City and told the story of Queenie. The story we told was one of women empowerment through topics such as abuse, alcoholism, rape, and much more. The lighting allowed for harsh sense of reality but also bleed into very saturated colors in order to heighten some of the vaudeville aspects within the production. We wanted to express the many paths in which the main character could have lived and being able to create various locations and ideas within one static scenic design was fun to play with. Through strong use of texture and color was this design achieved.
Director: Alison Morooney
Choreographer: Michele Dunleavy
Scenic Design: Mia Irwin
Costume Design: Jeremy Eiben
Sound Design: Austen Yim
Stage Manager: Sierra Lucas
Penn State's Oliver Smith Award for Best Lighting Design
This scene was during the last number in the show where Queenie exits through her last door. We used these metaphoric doors as references to Queenie's choices in life. This last door was considered a new life for her hence the huge light pool. This was something that visually was in my head the moment we started discussing what this show as going to look like. I really wanted to emphasize how important it was for this character to make it to where she has gotten after everything. During this moment, the practicals were all chasing, color effects were changing the texture shape, all giving this other worldly effect with the decision Queenie was made.
This moment was during one of the tensest scenes in the show where Burrs comes into the bedroom catching Queenie with Black and pulls a gun out. This was during a musical bump where all 3 characters are finally speaking the same lines in sync after a cannon moment., I wanted to emphasize how important what is being said was and also wanted to show just how far into this sick reality we have gotten into. I wanted to shock the audience with the harsh white light pouring in from all angles into the bedroom. The characters are singing about the choices they are making, and I think the authenticity of the white plays in complements to the scene.
This photo was captured during an ensemble moment where all four main characters step out of the "blob" and on a musical bump are revealed in a boxing ring style shape with them at the 4 corners. Singing about the love interest of all 4 and how they all connect to the problems and fighting them in a "ring". This was a visual moment that the director wanted to sell and something that we talked about shaping in pre-production and really came together like it did within my head. We bump to this harsh white texture on the ground that helps create shadows and depth within this dark moment. I used the harsh white top on the characters to make them stand out at the corners. Along with the slight touch of side light and some red footlights help to play up this very interesting moment out on this stage. We are allowed to visually support this moment of tension and want.