The Big Picture
A new theater collective, Austin Underground Collective (AUC), launches with an immersive production of Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party at Pershing Hall, running Oct. 31–Nov. 12. The show removes the traditional stage and stages action around guests seated at cocktail tables in a setting presented as a 1920s apartment; Pershing Hall itself is a 1920s property and is described as decorated accordingly. The company says it aims to produce original theater in unconventional spaces and to reach audiences beyond regular theatergoers.
What Changed
Instead of a standard proscenium presentation, AUC is presenting a surround-style, party-as-stage format where attendees are both guests and observers. Director Julianna Wright told the company the staging must work whether a guest is three feet away or thirty, a constraint that changes blocking and audience interaction. The production also includes pre- and post-show programming and a cabaret component tied to the party conceit.
What's Next
Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 and 8 p.m., Oct. 31–Nov. 12, at Pershing Hall, 2415 E. 5th St. Tickets are available at https://austinundergroundcollective.com and range from $25–$75; guests must be at least 18 years old. The company encourages period dress to enhance the immersive experience.
Only here: go if you want a musical that insists you abandon polite theater manners and pick a cocktail over applause.