Happy Birthday, Wanda June NYC Reviews and Tickets

81%

(271 Ratings)

Positive

88%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Funny, Entertaining, Relevant, Quirky

About the Show

Wheelhouse Theater Company offers a return engagement of famed novelist Kurt Vonnegut's rarely produced satire. A searing and darkly comedic look at American culture.

After being presumed dead for eight years, respected war veteran and big game hunter Harold Ryan returns home. He brings with him an old way of thinking, celebrating a Hemingway-esque machismo and American exceptionalism. Harold soon discovers that the society he returns to has made attempts to progress into a more modern, enlightened cultural narrative. 'Happy Birthday, Wanda June' is a dynamic and often comic meditation on toxic masculinity and a capitalistic America's failed attempts at progress cloaked in honor and morality.

Show-Score Member Reviews (271)

Funny, Great acting, Relevant

See it if you are a Kurt Vonnegut fan. Funny, absurd and entertaining.

Don't see it if If you don't like Kurt Vonnegut and absurdity.. if you are looking for a traditional play

Ambitious, Entertaining, Great acting, Quirky, Resonant

See it if you like surreal, absurdist theatre. Beautifully designed staged. Relevant discussion of gender roles acted beautifully by all but male lead

Don't see it if you are easily offended by language or raunchiness. If you don't like off-beat, incongruous, surreal scripts. But it is worth the effort.

Clever, Great acting, Great staging, Dizzying, Quirky

See it if you love brilliantly staged & acted over the top farce.This surreal show is over long, but truly fun. Great tech elements.Direction is great

Don't see it if you want a show with a real point to make. This is a very funny and well acted fantastical farce.

Entertaining, Confusing, Great acting, Funny, Edgy

See it if You like extremely quirky plays .you know any of the actors , they are great . The storyline is just a bit strange

Don't see it if You are uncomfortable with gun violence and want everything tied into a neat bow at the end.

Clever, Funny, Great acting, Quirky, (sadly) relevant

See it if if you're a Vonnegut fan and are willing to go on a crazy, wild trip. I especially liked the musical interludes.

Don't see it if you have a problem with theater of the absurd and want to be grounded in reality.

Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing, Hilarious, Masterful

See it if You’d like to see a great production that gives justice to Vonnegut’s brilliance; the plot is just the right mix of absurd and hilarious

Don't see it if You’d like a linear plot that sticks to realism, or if rough and irreverent language make you uncomfortable

Surreal, Quirky, Repetitive

See it if you like biting, funny satire that really hits home, despite being written almost 50 years ago, a great cast with some great standouts

Don't see it if you don't plays that are very self aware, artificially heightened drama and acting and a nonsensical plot with bizarre episodes thrown in

Dark but entertaining, Beautiful & clever set, Excellent singing (harmonizing), Humorous @ times / some great acting, Interesting & relevant farce

See it if you enjoy satire &/or Vonnegut's writing. DEF different, not for everyone (folks left during intm). Don't miss his artwork on your way in!

Don't see it if you prefer linear plays, str8-up dramas (no farce), real characters (no fantasy scenes) & no over-the-top ad-libbing. Read more

Critic Reviews (18)

Trailer

Creative team

Wheelhouse Theater Company

Colonel Looseleaf Harper