Cry-Baby earned three additional 2008 Tony nominations: Best Book of a Musical for Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell, Best Original Score for David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, and Best Choreography for Rob Ashford.
Ultimately, the second Broadway musical based on a John Waters film (the Tony-winning Hairspray was the first) went home empty-handed on Tony night, June 15. Producers of the musical announced June 18 that the production would shutter less than a week later on June 22. Cry-Baby will have played a total of 45 previews and 68 regular performances.
Directed by Mark Brokaw, Cry-Baby arrived on Broadway following an out-of-town engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse this past fall. Cry-Baby began Broadway previews March 15 and officially opened April 24.
A national tour is expected to begin in fall 2009. Fans are still hoping for a Broadway cast recording of the musical that boasted Broadway's first rockabilly score.
Alli Mauzey, who portrays Cry-Baby's deranged stalker Lenora, earned a Theatre World Award for her performance. Mauzey's rendition of "Screw Loose" won the actress favorable mentions in numerous reviews. Ashford also picked up a Drama Desk Award for his athletic choreography that punctuates Cry-Baby's dueling worlds of the Drapes and the Squares. For his second venture on the rialto, Waters teamed with the songwriting team of David Javerbaum ("The Daily Show") and Adam Schlesinger ("That Thing You Do"), who made their Broadway debuts with the new musical. Hairspray book writers Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell repeated their duties for Cry-Baby.
Set in 1950's Baltimore, Cry-Baby, which is based on Waters' 1990 film of the same name, features Tony Award winner Harriet Harris as Mrs. Vernon-Williams; James Snyder as Cry-Baby, leader of the misfit Drapes; Elizabeth Stanley (Company) as Allison, one of the clean-cut Squares; Carly Jibson (Hairspray) as Pepper; Dwayne Clark (Tarzan) as Dupree; Christopher J. Hanke (In My Life) as Baldwin; Lacey Kohl as Wanda; Alli Mauzey (Wicked) as Lenora; Courtney Balan as Mona; and Richard Poe (Journey's End) as Judge Stone.
Rounding out the ensemble are Cameron Adams, Ashley Amber, Nick Blaemire, Michael Buchanan, Eric Christian, Colin Cunliffe, Lisa Gajda, Michael D. Jablonski, Laura Jordan, Brendan King, Marty Lawson, Courtney Laine Mazza, Spencer Liff, Mayumi Miguel, Tory Ross, Eric Sciotto, Peter Matthew Smith, Allison Spratt, Charlie Sutton and Stacey Todd Holt.
The creative team also features Lynne Shankel (music direction, incidental music and additional arrangements), Christopher Jahnke (orchestrations) and David Chase (dance arranger). The design team comprises Scott Pask (scenic), Catherine Zuber (costume), Howell Binkley (lighting), Peter Hylenski (sound), Tom Watson (hair and wig) and Randy Houston Mercer (makeup). Rick Sordelet serves as fight director. Rolt Smith is stage manager.
In Cry-Baby, press notes state, "Everyone likes Ike, nobody likes communism, and Wade 'Cry-Baby' Walker is the coolest boy in town. He's a bad boy with a good cause — truth, justice, and the pursuit of rock 'n roll — and when he falls for a good girl who wants to be bad, her charm school world of bobby sox and barbershop quartets will never be the same. Wayward youth, juvenile delinquents, sexual repression, cool music, dirty lyrics, bizarre rejects...Finally, the 50's come to life! For real this time!"
For more information visit CryBabyOnBroadway.com.
