Alpha Psi Omega plans a ‘Wild Party’

By Nicole Southern

Every college student lives for it: the wild party. As the weekend nears, the opportunity to throw aside your homework and take a step into the carefree world of the partier becomes less of a distant dream and more of a reality. When the moment finally comes, short skirts, beers, alcohol games and rowdy drunks fill the room, and you know you have found it: eternal bliss. Well – at least “until Monday morning” bliss.

The upcoming show, The Wild Party, may not be serving alcohol, but it promises to serve up the same fun and excitement. It is a full-length musical that is the first of its kind for Alpha Psi Omega, according to junior director Bjorn Stowers. Many aspects of the show make it stand out amongst the others and provide the audience with a good time.

“This is quite possibly our biggest endeavor to date,” he said. “There is a live band, great choreography and just amazing voices. It is also a very intimate setting where the audience is almost pulled into the show.”

The show provides for great excitement because it seems to be always moving, said senior cast member GinaMaria Cicchino, who plays Madelaine True. It has nonstop music and little dialogue.

“There’s never really a dull moment at the wild party,” she said. “It’s intense because we always have to be doing something. You are at a party, and you have to remember that the entire time.”

According to Stowers, the show is based on a poem of the same name written by Joseph Moncure March.

“It is a brilliantly written poem set in the jazzy period of the 1920s,” he said.

Stowers, in an effort to fully capture the essence of the poem, took several steps to ensure that the performers understood it completely.

“The first thing we did was study the poem in-depth,” said Stowers. “From there, it was researching the period in which the show takes place.”

These steps were crucial in developing the show, as the feeling in this type of production differs slightly, according to Stowers.

“The cast’s movements and attitudes all have to change since this is an earlier time period,” he said.

Stowers said that everyone involved has been working long and hard on perfecting the musical and making it a great time for all who come to watch.

“The production staff has been working on this show since late last semester,” he said. “The cast has been diligently working for about four weeks now.”

According to Cicchino, the show is somewhat explicit. Aside from revealing clothing, it also has references to sexual relations and drug use.

“It’s done very tastefully with a good sense of humor had by all,” said Cicchino. “We’re trying to push the envelope but not rip it apart.”

Although it is not definite, there is a possibility that the cast might perform one late night rendition of the show that would involve nudity and many more explicit scenes. But, according to Stowers, this is still being discussed and no decision for an X-rated version has been made.

“The show in its original state does suggest for there to be partial nudity,” said Stowers. “The nudity is not what drives the show, however.

“The concept of a later show has been crossing all of the production staff’s minds, but has not been set in stone yet.”

If a later, more revealing show is done, the cast feels as though it will be a success, Cicchino said.

“[For the later show,] just basically expect the same show with a little more skin and a little more edge,” she said. “I think people are maybe a little bit nervous but mostly excited. We’ve never really had the opportunity to do something like this.”

According to Stowers, Rider students will enjoy the play because they will be able to easily relate to it.

“Every college student knows what it’s like to be in a wild party, and every college student knows what it is like for that wild party to get out of hand,” he said. “That is what this musical is all about.”

Cicchino agreed.

“The audience is going to be able to relate to these characters and the audience members are going to leave the studio going ‘Wow! What just happened to me?’” she said.

The show will take place in the Spitz studio theater on April 5 and April 6 at 10 p.m., as well as on April 7 and April 8 at 8 p.m.

“The cast has been working extremely hard,” said Cicchino. “We really hope to present a wonderful party for the audience, and we hope they enjoy it and keep coming back every night.”