Cry Baby

April 7, 2008
Marquis Theare , Broadway
Musical, based on John Waters' 1990 musical-comedy

We've been waiting so long for this to hit Broadway, and we're over-joyed that it didn't disappoint! It's a fast and furious, splashy, tongue-in-cheek parody of good and bad in the 1950's...with all the stereotypes rewired!

Cry-Baby singing "Girl, Can I Kiss You (with Tongue)"

Elizabeth Stanley as Allison, singing "I'm Infected"

The songs were great fun... esp. the above two, and also "Squeaky Clean," "Screw Loose," "Thanks for the Nifty Country," and Harriot Harris singing "I Did Something Wrong Once" (a showstopper).

You can tell just by the song titles that this musical goes for the smug Middle-American jugular, and it does so expertly. Book written by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan ("Hairspray") and songs by David Javerbaum (The Daily Show) & Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne).

James Snyder plays Cry-Baby Walker with an innocence and freshness that I didn't expect. He's got you right where he wants you from the beginning... in his swiveling, tight back pocket. He avoided cliches like "Elvis," and played Cry-Baby like a reluctant rebel, and it worked beautifully. And the chemistry between Cry-Baby and Allison was palpable. Great voices and harmony.

Alli Mauzey cracked us up as Cry-Baby's psycho-stalker smitten-kitten (who has carved his name in her arms, lol). She has a wonderful belt and sings the heck out of (what else?) "Screw Loose."

Christopher Hanke as Baldwin, the goodie-goodie square, was perfect, great voice, and very funny.

And Harriet Harris played the uptight but sympathetic Mrs. Vernon-Williams with panache.

Dupree, played by Chester Gregory, got songs that showed his voice in a much greater light than his run as Seaweed in "Hairspray." Boy, can he sing!

Carly Jibson (Pepper, left), Courtney Balan (Mona "Hatchet-Face," right), Lacey Kohl (Wanda, in back) were always there with tight harmony, back-up and great site-gags and one-liners.

We thoroughly enjoyed this fun little musical, and highly recommend it! I can't wait for the cast-recording. It was a fresh, fun evening of theatre.