Following the La Jolla Playhouse world premiere in November 2007, the new musical based on the John Waters film about "the baddest boy in town" who falls for a good girl in 1954's Baltimore heads to Broadway.
James Snyder will star in the title role opposite Tony Award winner Harriet Harris; both created their roles at the La Jolla Playhouse.
Mark Brokaw stages and Rob Ashford choreographs the work scheduled to officially open April 24 at the recent home of The Drowsy Chaperone. Adam Epstein, Allan S. Gordon, and Elan V. McAllister produce.
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan — who penned the libretto for the last Waters based musical, Hairspray — provide the book for the musical that features songs by David Javerbaum ("The Daily Show") and Adam Schlesinger ("That Thing You Do"). Waters himself receives a creative consultant credit.
Newcomer Snyder stars in the title role with Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie, "Desperate Housewives") returning as Mrs. Vernon-Williams. Also featured are Elizabeth Stanley (Company) as Allison, Carly Jibson (Hairspray) as Pepper, Chester Gregory II (Tarzan) as Dupree, Christopher J. Hanke (In My Life) as Baldwin, Alli Mauzey (Wicked) as Lenora 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, Joanna Glushak, Michael D. Jablonski, Marty Lawson, Courtney Laine Mazza, Spencer Liff, Mayumi Miguel, Richard Poe, Tory Ross, Eric Sciotto, Peter Matthew Smith, Allison Spratt, Charlie Sutton, and Stacey Todd Holt.
The creative team features Lynne Shankel (music direction, incidental music and additional arrangements), Christopher Jahnke (orchestrations) and David Chase (dance arranger). The design team includes 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.
The La Jolla song list for the new musical included "The Anti-Polio Picnic," "Watch Your Ass," "One Tear," "I'm Infected," "Squeaky Clean," "Let's Disappear," "Jukebox Jamboree," "Screw Loose," "Class Dismissed," "Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby (Baby Baby)," "Can I Kiss You...?," "I'm Infected (Reprise)," "You Can't Beat the System," "Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe," "All in My Head," "Jailyard Jubilee," "A Little Upset," "I Did Something Wrong...Once," "Thanks for the Nifty Country!," "This Amazing Offer," "Do That Again" and "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again."
Snyder appeared in a reading of Rock of Ages and has been seen onstage in the Los Angeles runs of The Fantasticks and Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes. Following a stint on the VH1 reality series "In Search of the Partridge Family," he appeared in the films "Pretty Persuasion" and "She's the Man."
In the 1990 Waters film, Johnny Depp played the lead role of Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker with Amy Locane as Allison Vernon-Williams, Polly Bergen as Mrs. Vernon-Williams, Iggy Pop as Uncle Belvedere Rickettes, Ricki Lake as Pepper Walker, Traci Lords as Wanda Woodward and Kim McGuire as Hatchet-Face.
All preview perfomances will be priced at $54 to coincide with the year in which the musical is set (rear mezzanine seats will be $35). Tickets ($35-$120) for Cry Baby at Broadway's Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, will go on sale Feb. 24 to the general public and the Marquis box office will open Feb. 25. For information, visit CryBabyOnBroadway.com.
