By Lisa DiCarlucci
When the curtain first rises at “Cry Baby,” audience members witness a sight not usually found in an opening number of a Broadway musical. The scene finds clean-cut kids and adults enjoying a picnic in order to sponsor the new anti-polio vaccine everyone must get. All of a sudden, a car pulls in, carrying tough-looking kids with lots of make-up, big hairdos and even bigger attitudes. Finally, popping out of the “anti-polio” poster in the back is another tough boy, with Elvis-style hair, wearing a leather jacket with a guitar strapped on his back. Viewers find themselves wondering what’s going on and what all this could mean? Well, it’s 1954, in Baltimore, and the boy in the back is Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, the toughest kid in town.
“Cry-Baby” has come to Broadway. With awesome performances, eye-popping sets, rocking songs and hilarious jokes that can only come from the twisted mind of producer John Waters (who directed the 1990 film by the same name), this musical will sweep audiences off their feet.
Based on the 1990 cult-classic starring Johnny Depp, “Cry-Baby” tells the story of two teens from opposite sides of the tracks who suddenly collide. One of them, Allison Vernon-Williams (Elizabeth Stanley), belongs to the “squares” group. She’s a good girl who longs to break out of her shell. The other is Cry Baby (James Snyder), leader of a gang called the Drapes. He’s a bad boy who fights for good causes: truth, justice and the pursuit of rock ‘n’ roll.
When Cry Baby falls for Allison during the opening number, she’s excited and falls for him, too. Unfortunately for the young lovers, there are many forces working against them who want the romance to end, including Allison’s grandmother (Harriet Harris) and Baldwin (Christopher J Hanke), Allison’s “square” boyfriend.
The cast as a whole is very talented and quite entertaining. Everyone has a spectacular voice and when they take the stage, one can’t help but want to dance along. Out of all the actors, however, two really stand out: Cry-Baby and his friend, Dupree (Chester Gregory II). Snyder, who is 100 percent worthy of this role, is an excellent actor and a fabulous singer.
Gregory, known for his role of Terk in “Tarzan,” is a stellar dancer, a superb actor and an amazing singer. Overall, the cast is superb and their energy can be felt flowing all around the theater to every audience member.
The scenery (Scott Pask) brings the audience back in time to the 1950s. From the huge lights at a carnival to the little grass patches under the stars, every piece is made with precise detail.
The costumes (Catherine Zuber) throughout the show are equally impressive. Not only defining each of the characters, they also serve in transporting audiences to the ’50s setting. When making license plates during the jailhouse number “A Little Upset” the boys wear the most unusual costumes. Rather than tap dancing in ordinary tap shoes, the prisoners dance with license plates attached to the bottom of their shoes. It’s different, astute and effective.
Written by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, the music in the show is top notch. The duo wrote an exceptional score with lyrics that are deliciously dirty and have the whole audience bursting out in continuous laughter. Numbers “You Can’t Beat the System,” “A Little Upset” and “Nothing Bad’s Ever Gonna Happen Again” deserve special praise.
With a rocking cast and a fabulous production, “Cry Baby” could become the next biggest hit on Broadway. Be prepared to fall hard for “Cry-Baby” since it may even match Waters’ previous success story, “Hairspray.”
‘Crybaby’ is the latest Broadway musical that is based on the 1990 hit film of the same name. (baltimoresun.com)