Cry-Baby (musical)

Last updated
Cry-Baby
Cry-Baby.jpg
Music Adam Schlesinger
Lyrics David Javerbaum
Book
Basis Cry-Baby
by John Waters
Productions

Cry-Baby is a musical based on the 1990 John Waters film of the same name. The music is by Adam Schlesinger, lyrics by David Javerbaum and the book is by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, who had previously done the book for the musical Hairspray , also based on a John Waters film of the same name. [1]

Contents

The musical focuses on Baltimore teenager Allison Vernon-Williams, who is drawn across the tracks from her 1954 finishing-school background into a relationship with the orphaned Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, the leader of a pack of rebel outcasts.

Production history

The musical premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California on November 18, 2007 and ran through to December 16. Previews began on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on March 15, 2008, with an official opening on April 24, 2008. [2] Directed by Mark Brokaw with choreography by Rob Ashford, the cast featured Harriet Harris and James Snyder as "Cry-Baby".

The Broadway production closed following the matinée performance on June 22. The show played 45 previews and 68 performances. [3]

A cast recording featuring most of the original Broadway cast was released on October 7, 2015. [4]

According to Javerbaum, the show was remounted by New Line Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri in March 2012. It had a smaller band, reduced to six pieces, and a smaller cast of 16. The show was re-orchestrated and revised by the original composers and writers for the Saint Louis production. It was the first production of the show to be done since Broadway. [5]

In May 2015, The Henegar Center in Melbourne, Florida, was the first community theatre granted permission to produce Cry-Baby: The Musical. The production was directed by Artistic Director, Hank Rion and choreographed by Amanda Cheyenne Manis.

The show premiered in Australia in July 2018, at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney. [6]

The New Zealand premiere of the musical took place in Wellington at Te Auaha in September 2019. [7]

Original cast and characters

CharacterBroadway (2008) [8]
Wade "Crybaby" Walker James Snyder
Allison Vernon-Williams Elizabeth Stanley
Mrs. Vernon-Williams Harriet Sansom Harris
Baldwin Christopher Hanke
Lenora Frigid Alli Mauzey
Dupree Chester Gregory
Pepper Carly Jibson
WandaLacey Kohl
Skippy WagstaffRyan Silverman
MonaTory Ross

Musical numbers

Act I
Act II

Critical response

Cry-Baby received mixed reviews. Terry Teachout, in The Wall Street Journal , wrote that the musical "is campy, cynical, totally insincere and fabulously well crafted. And funny. Madly, outrageously funny." [9] Similarly, Newsday offered that the musical is "pleasantly demented and - deep in the sweet darkness of its loopy heart - more true to the cheerful subversion of a John Waters movie than its sentimental big sister Hairspray." [10]

On the other hand, Ben Brantley, in The New York Times , wrote that the show is "without flavor: sweet, sour, salty, putrid or otherwise. This show in search of an identity has all the saliva-stirring properties of week-old pre-chewed gum.... Mr. Ashford brings his customary gymnastic vigor to the choreography: lots of revved-up jumping jacks, push-ups and leg lifts, usually led by a trio of athletic muscle boys." [11] Variety added that "watered-down Waters has yielded a flavorless Broadway musical that revels in its down-and-dirtiness yet remains stubbornly synthetic. There's a lot of talent, sass and sweat onstage, particularly in the dance department, plus a sprinkling of wit in the show's good-natured vulgarity. But somehow, it never quite ignites." [12] The New York Sun opined that O'Donnell and Meehan "had far more success with another retro-themed Waters adaptation, Hairspray.... Cry-Baby is content to stay in the shallow end and focus on a standard wrong-side-of-the-tracks tale.... But rather than supply a jolt of not-too-outsider-energy, [the songwriters] have instead coasted on their magpie skills, tossing out an undistinguished stream of pastiche numbers. The lyrics occasionally have a welcome crispness.... The songs themselves, however, are as generic as the lyrics are pointed: It's the first time I can recall forgetting a show's melodies before they were even finished." [13]

USA Today wrote "The rockabilly-inspired numbers that David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger have crafted for Cry-Baby aren't as ambitious or infectious [as Hairspray], but the show is similarly good-hearted, and has more of a Waters edge. Javerbaum and Schlesinger's lyrics and Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan's book are both more inventively crass and less snarky than those of other contemporary musical winkfests; you get the sense that these writers share Waters' affection for his goofy subjects." [14]

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAward CeremonyCategoryNomineeResult
2008 Tony Award Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan Nominated
Best Original Score David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger Nominated
Best Choreography Rob Ashford Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography Won

Related Research Articles

<i>Annie</i> (musical) Broadway musical

Annie is a musical with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan. It is based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years, setting a record for the Alvin Theatre. It spawned numerous productions in many countries, as well as national tours, and won seven Tony Awards, including for Best Musical. The musical's songs "Tomorrow" and "It's the Hard Knock Life" are among its most popular musical numbers.

<i>Hairspray</i> (musical) American musical

Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad's dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.

<i>Cry-Baby</i> 1990 film by John Waters

Cry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell, Iggy Pop, Ricki Lake, Traci Lords, and Polly Bergen, with appearances by Troy Donahue, Mink Stole, Joe Dallesandro, Joey Heatherton, David Nelson, Patricia Hearst, and Willem Dafoe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Schlesinger</span> American musician (1967–2020)

Adam Lyons Schlesinger was an American musician, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He was a founding member of the bands Fountains of Wayne, Ivy, and Tinted Windows, and was a key songwriting contributor and producer for Brooklyn-based synth-pop duo Fever High. He also wrote songs for television and film, for which he won three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and the ASCAP Pop Music Award, and was nominated for Academy, Tony, and Golden Globe Awards. He died unexpectedly due to complications of COVID-19 at the age of 52.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Meehan (writer)</span> American playwright

Thomas Edward Meehan was an American playwright. He wrote the books for the musicals Annie, The Producers, Hairspray, Young Frankenstein and Cry-Baby. He co-wrote the books for Elf: The Musical and Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Butler</span> American actress and singer

Kerry Butler is an American actress and singer known primarily for her work in theater. She is best known for originating the roles of Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, and Clio/Kira in Xanadu, the latter of which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.

<i>Hairspray</i> (2007 film) 2007 film directed by Adam Shankman

Hairspray is a 2007 musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters's 1988 comedy film of the same name. Produced by Ingenious Media and Zadan/Meron Productions, and adapted from both Waters's 1988 script and Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell's book for the stage musical by screenwriter Leslie Dixon, the film was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, and Nikki Blonsky in her feature film debut. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local television dance show and rallies against racial segregation.

Spencer Lemon Kayden is an American actress, comedian and writer. Kayden played Little Sally in the Broadway musical Urinetown and was a cast member on sketch comedy series MADtv. She also voiced Mrs. Pepper on Blue's Clues, taking over the role from Penelope Jewkes after the first season.

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway revival of Spamalot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62nd Tony Awards</span>

The 62nd Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 15, 2008. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre. CBS television broadcast the event from Radio City Music Hall in New York City as it has since the 51st Awards ceremony in 1997. The event recognized Broadway productions playing during the 2007 – 2008 season and was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg.

Ashley Marie Spencer is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Spencer was a contestant on the 2007 NBC show Grease: You're the One that I Want! She was the understudy for Barbie in the Barbie in Fairytopia tour, in which she sang and danced ballet.

Susan Mosher is an American stage, television and film actress. She starred as the Female Authority figure in the Las Vegas run of Hairspray, before joining the Broadway production in 2007. She continued in the comedic role until the show closed January 4, 2009. She portrayed Pepper Cole in the show Cashino.

Alli Mauzey is an American actress and singer best known for her performance as Glinda in the Broadway and 1st national tour productions of Wicked and for originating the role of Lenora in the musical Cry-Baby, as well as the main character voice acting role of Lioness in the animated series A.T.O.M..

Chester Gregory, also known as C.H.E.S.S., is an American actor, singer and songwriter from Gary, Indiana. His breakthrough came with his portrayal of Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story, which led to his Broadway debut as Seaweed in Hairspray. Gregory's other credits include principal roles in Tarzan, Cry-Baby, Dreamgirls and Sister Act. Gregory produced and starred in a look into the life of Jackie Wilson in The Eve of Jackie. Gregory has received numerous awards including the Joseph Jefferson and NAACP Theatre Award.

Christopher Jason Hanke, often credited as Christopher J. Hanke, is an American actor and singer known for his roles on Broadway and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">65th Tony Awards</span> Award ceremony

The 65th Annual Tony Awards was held on June 12, 2011, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2010–2011 season. They were held at the Beacon Theatre, ending a fourteen-year tradition of holding the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. The Awards ceremony was broadcast live on CBS and was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. The award nominations were announced on May 3, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">66th Tony Awards</span> A 2011–2012 season awards

The 66th Annual Tony Awards was held on June 10, 2012, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2011–2012 season. The ceremony was held at the Beacon Theatre, and was broadcast live on CBS television.

Nicolas Dromard is a Canadian singer and stage actor, best known for his performances as Fiyero in the San Francisco sit-down production of the musical Wicked. He also performed in the Broadway musical version of Mary Poppins as part of the original Broadway cast ensemble, and later as Bert on Broadway and in the National Tour. He recently performed in the national tour and Broadway productions of Jersey Boys as Tommy DeVito.

<i>Hairspray Live!</i> American TV series or program

Hairspray Live! is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray.

Carly Jibson is an American actress, singer and writer. She is best known for her role in the Broadway musical Hairspray as Tracy Turnblad. She also starred in the TV series The Guest Book and One Mississippi.

References

  1. ↑ "John Waters's 'Cry-Baby' on Broadway". The Sun. April 25, 2008. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018.
  2. ↑ Hetrick, Adam; Hernandez, Ernio (March 15, 2008). "Cry-Baby Sheds Its First Tear on Broadway March 15". Playbill. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Cry-Baby to End Broadway Run on 6/22". Broadway.com. June 18, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  4. ↑ Gans, Andrew (September 17, 2015). "Track Listing and Release Date Revealed for Cry-Baby Cast Recording". Playbill. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (December 18, 2010). "Revised Cry-Baby and To Die For Musical on Tony Nominee David Javerbaum's Plate". Playbill. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Cry-Baby". Hayes Theatre Co.
  7. ↑ Empson, Madelaine. "Cry-Baby – The Musical". www.regionalnews.kiwi. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ Teachout, Terry (April 25, 2008). "Recipe for a Hit: Just Add Waters". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ↑ Winer, Linda (April 25, 2008). "'Cry-Baby' hits the high Waters mark". Newsday. Archived from the original on April 27, 2008.
  11. ↑ Brantley, Ben (April 25, 2008). "Swivel-Hipped Rebel and Restless Virgin Meet Cute". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Rooney, David (April 24, 2008). "Cry-Baby". Variety. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ Grode, Eric (April 25, 2008). "John Waters's 'Cry-Baby' on Broadway". The Sun. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018.
  14. ↑ Gardner, Elysa (April 24, 2008). "Tears of laughter could follow this 'Cry-Baby'". USA Today.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.