Bye-Bye, BabyDespite showcasing its absolutely best number at Sunday night's Tony Awards (and even I concede
that was dazzling), the Broadway musical
Cry-Baby is set to close this Sunday, according to
Playbill (although as of this writing, tickets are still be sold for performances beyond that date). The tuner will have played 68 regular performances at the
Marquis Theatre in addition to its 45 previews.
ModFab
predicted as much on Monday. While the
Cry-Baby's capacity numbers last week of 64.4% didn't appear to be too terrible, dig a little deeper in the box office totals and you'll see that its average ticket price was rock bottom, coming in at $33.27. To put that into perspective, the only other show with an average ticket price under 50 bucks was
Les Liaisons Dangereuses at $49.75. Meanwhile,
Jersey Boys still commands an
average ticket price of $115.79!
Despite all those Tony nominations -- inspiring many,
including me, to wonder what those Tony nominators were thinking --
Cry-Baby never really caught the right footing, which is ironic given that
Rob Ashford's choreography was about the best thing to be said for the show.
Mark Brokaw directed this adaptation of
John Waters' film with a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan and score by
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum.
Cry-Baby stars
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley, along with
Harriet Harris.
Given the
dreadful performance I saw three weeks into previews, there was nothing that made me want to return. In fact,
Cry-Baby earned the dubious distinction of
landing on my "Five Worst" list for the 2007-08 Theatrical Season.
Obviously, I won't be shedding any tears at this show's passing.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
A Snubbed Affair (May 14, 2008)
Did Cry-Baby Induce Critical Cries of Joy? (April 25, 2008)
Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway Tonight (April 24, 2008)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Cry-Baby, Elizabeth Stanley, Harriet Harris, James Snyder, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, Rob Ashford
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08As
noted yesterday, I've been extremely fortunate to take in 84 different performances of 81 various productions during the course of the 2007-08 Theatrical Season.
Since I'm
not given freebie tickets, instead paying for them all out of my own pocket, you can bet that I'm hoping beyond hope to be entertained by every single one of them. Even though there's really no such thing as a bad night at the theatre -- after all, you have to see some real dogs (my apologies to my pooches Henne and Fargo) to truly appreciate the best -- I've still managed to see some downright awful shows.
Since I paid for every last ticket and still take no paid advertising, I'm taking advantage of my right to free speech by offering up my third annual list of the "5 Worst" shows I saw. I may as well unleash all my inner negativism now before moving on to all the wonderful shows that have made my "Best of" lists.
And so, without any further ado, here are the
SOB Five Worst of 2007-08:
5 - Cry-Baby (Marquis Theatre, New York, NY)
Is it fair to count a performance of
Cry-Baby when it was just
three weeks into previews among my worst? Well, if they can charge me to see a bad show, I can include it on my list, and there was nothing about it that made me want to return once the show opened. I can only hope it actually improved, given its Tony nominations. Despite its multi-million dollar budget, this new musical quite incredibly comes across as a poor man's
Grease with its tired good girl gone gaga for bad boy premise. Sadly, the latest
John Waters-inspired Broadway musical
Cry-Baby is trashy fun. Without the fun.
4 - Gone With The Wind (New London Theatre, London, UK)
A flop of epic proportions, I understand that they're still chiseling away at this show a month after it opened in hopes of avoiding all their capitalization from becoming
Gone With The Wind. Although purely unintentional, this ranks as one of the year's funniest laugh-out loud musicals. Simply put, writer/sociologist
Margaret Martin and director
Trevor Nunn fail to deliver a compelling musical that can stand on its own. Their efforts have added nothing to the art of live theatre except endless exposition. Do we really need a narrator telling us that Miss Scarlett is about to look at herself in the mirror when we can see that for ourselves, or worse, having her step over dying soldiers rolling around on the stage who suddenly rise up to tell us they're all dying? Funny, yet sad at the same time.
3 - The Ritz (Studio 54, New York, NY)
The flaccid revival of
Terrence McNally's
The Ritz was low on shock value, except for how dull and lifeless it was. Ranking as one of director
Joe Mantello's most disappointing efforts yet, the only real highlight came near the end of the first act when its whacked-out Googie (
Rosie Perez) took to the stage of
The Ritz baths to sing an insipid, if it weren't so inspired, medley of tunes slapped together from the deviously clever mind of
Seth Rudetsky. For one brief enjoyable moment,
The Ritz thrilled before reverting back to the facile facscimile it was.
2 - Glory Days (Circle In The Square Theatre, New York, NY)
In retrospect,
I was far too kind to the subpar, threadbare 90-minute
Glory Days that dared to call itself a Broadway musical. The show vanished immediately after opening night. If not for the worst show of the year, the ill-fated
Glory Days ironically would have achieved that dubious distinction. Coming across as not even quite half-finished, this is not the type of show that should have so easily or quickly been catapulted directly to the Broadway spotlight from a regional theatre. The show could easily have been mounted by an Off Off-Broadway house and attracted an appropriate youthful audience it was clearly targeting without having the audacity to charge $100 or more per ticket. No glory there.
1 - Triple Espresso (Music Box Theatre, Minneapolis, MN)
Bad to the very last drop,
Triple Espresso was an inexplicably long-running musical revue about an eponymous comedy trio reuniting after 25 years. After running over a decade, it apparently had been percolating so long, it lost all its taste. The warmed-over schlock simultaneously tasted like it had been on the burner way too long without ever having been fully brewed to begin with.
So, there you have them: SOB's choices for the "5 Worst" shows I endured during the 2007-08 Theatrical Season. As I've stated in previous years:
Of course, this is all in the eye of the beholder. You may vehemently disagree or wonder whether I even have a clue as to what is artistic and what is not. But since my goal in life is to enjoy it rather than simply being a dilettante, I’m going to tell it like I see it by naming the five productions that I enjoyed less than any others.
If you saw any of these shows, let me know what you thought. And please feel free to share the worst shows you sat through (or walked out of) during that past year!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2006-07: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 23, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Glory Days, Gone With The Wind, London, Minneapolis/St. Paul, SOB Best of 2007-08, SOB Five Worst of 2007-08, The Ritz, Triple Espresso
A Snubbed AffairAlthough I have yet to post my SOB Review of the absolutely exquisite Broadway musical
A Catered Affair, I was shocked,
really shocked, that the tuner got aced out of a Tony nomination for Best Musical by
Cry-Baby.
As I've said elsewhere, the nominators chose a crass act over a class act.
And I dare say that
Cry-Baby will never be one for the ages, although it admittedly may be one for the lesser stages -- especially in the short-term as theatres across the country may view it as the better draw among potential touring productions. How very sad.
I know I wasn't alone yesterday in
professing my surprise at the unexpected nods to
Cry-Baby. The news reverberated throughout the theatre blogosphere with cries of "
robbed," "
outrage," "
at a loss," "
fooled" and "
kinda funny" along with
others stunned by the news.
Of course, leave it to
New York Post's
Michael Riedel to
really put things into perspective:
The nominators appeared to go out of their way to ignore (Harvey) Fierstein's A Catered Affair, about a working-class couple struggling to make ends meet while planning a fancy wedding for their daughter.
The show only got three nominations, including two for leads Faith Prince and Tom Wopat.
"Oh, those wacky Tony nominators -- can you believe they didn't kiss me first?" Fierstein, who wrote the script and appears in the show, says, laughing.
"You don't have to buy me dinner, but at least kiss me first!"
The team behind A Catered Affair took the bad news in stride: After the nominations were announced, they repaired to Esca for a boozy lunch.
Like I said, a class act through and through.
Note to Harvey: It was great meeting you again on Saturday, and I'll be toasting you and your gem of a show very shortly.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 13, 2008)
Whoopi! Tony Eligibility And More Handicapping (May 9, 2008)
Did Affair Positively Cater To Critics? (April 18, 2008)
A Catered Opening Night (April 17, 2008)
Early Tony Handicapping (March 25, 2008)
Wildfires Force Closure Of La Jolla And Old Globe Theatres (October 23, 2007)
Harvey Fiersback (October 5, 2007)
Were Left Coast Critics Feting A Catered Affair? (October 3, 2007)
San Diego Opening Is Catered Affair (September 30, 2007)
Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See? (June 15, 2007)
Fierstein To Musicalize Bette Davis' Fave Flick (March 21, 2007)
Labels: A Catered Affair, Best New Musicals, Broadway, Cry-Baby, Harvey Fierstein, Michael Riedel, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
And The Tony Nominees Go To...This morning, the nominations for the American Theatre Wing’s 62nd annual
Tony Awards ceremonies.
Whoopi Goldberg will host the 2008 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 15. The CBS broadcast will air beginning at 8 p.m. EDT.
Here are the nominees:
Best Play
August: Osage County -
Author: Tracy Letts
Rock ‘N’ Roll - Author: Tom Stoppard
The Seafarer - Author: Conor McPherson
The 39 Steps - Author: Patrick Barlow
Best MusicalCry-BabyIn The HeightsPassing StrangeXanaduBest Book of a MusicalCry-Baby - Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
In The Heights - Quiara Alegría Hudes
Passing Strange - Stew
Xanadu - Douglas Carter Beane
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Cry-Baby - Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger
In The Heights - Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Little Mermaid - Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Passing Strange - Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Lyrics: Stew
Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-BoeingThe HomecomingLes Liaisons DangereusesMacbethBest Revival of a MusicalGreaseGypsyRodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificSunday In The Park With GeorgeBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ben Daniels -
Les Liaisons DangereusesLaurence Fishburne -
ThurgoodMark Rylance -
Boeing-BoeingRufus Sewell -
Rock ‘N’ RollPatrick Stewart -
MacbethBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a PlayEve Best -
The HomecomingDeanna Dunagan -
August: Osage CountyKate Fleetwood -
MacbethS. Epatha Merkerson -
Come Back, Little ShebaAmy Morton -
August: Osage CountyBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalDaniel Evans -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeLin-Manuel Miranda -
In The HeightsStew -
Passing StrangePaulo Szot -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificTom Wopat -
A Catered AffairBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kerry Butler -
XanaduPatti LuPone -
GypsyKelli O’Hara -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificFaith Prince -
A Catered AffairJenna Russell -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale -
MauritiusRaúl Esparza -
The HomecomingConleth Hill -
The SeafarerJim Norton -
The SeafarerDavid Pittu -
Is He Dead?Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack -
Rock ‘N’ RollMary McCormack -
Boeing-BoeingLaurie Metcalf -
NovemberMartha Plimpton -
Top GirlsRondi Reed -
August: Osage CountyBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalDaniel Breaker -
Passing StrangeDanny Burstein -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificRobin De Jesús -
In The HeightsChristopher Fitzgerald -
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinBoyd Gaines -
GypsyBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musicalde’Adre Aziza -
Passing StrangeLaura Benanti -
GypsyAndrea Martin -
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinOlga Merediz -
In The HeightsLoretta Ables Sayre -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificBest Scenic Design of a PlayPeter McKintosh -
The 39 StepsScott Pask -
Les Liaisons DangereusesTodd Rosenthal -
August: Osage CountyAnthony Ward -
MacbethBest Scenic Design of a MusicalDavid Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeAnna Louizos -
In The HeightsRobin Wagner -
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinMichael Yeargan -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificBest Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale -
Cyrano de BergeracRob Howell -
Boeing-BoeingKatrina Lindsay -
Les Liaisons DangereusesPeter McKintosh -
The 39 Steps
Best Costume Design of a MusicalDavid Farley -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeMartin Pakledinaz -
GypsyPaul Tazewell -
In The HeightsCatherine Zuber -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams -
The 39 StepsHoward Harrison -
MacbethDonald Holder -
Les Liaisons DangereusesAnn G. Wrightson -
August: Osage CountyBest Lighting Design of a MusicalKen Billington -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeHowell Binkley -
In The HeightsDonald Holder -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificNatasha Katz -
The Little Mermaid
Best Sound Design of a PlaySimon Baker -
Boeing-BoeingAdam Cork -
MacbethIan Dickson -
Rock ‘N’ RollMic Pool -
The 39 Steps
Best Sound Design of a MusicalAcme Sound Partners -
In The HeightsSebastian Frost -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeScott Lehrer -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificDan Moses Schreier -
GypsyBest Direction of a PlayMaria Aitken -
The 39 StepsConor McPherson -
The SeafarerAnna D. Shapiro -
August: Osage CountyMatthew Warchus -
Boeing-BoeingBest Direction of a MusicalSam Buntrock -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeThomas Kail -
In The HeightsArthur Laurents -
GypsyBartlett Sher -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificBest Choreography
Rob Ashford -
Cry-BabyAndy Blankenbuehler -
In The HeightsChristopher Gattelli -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificDan Knechtges -
XanaduBest OrchestrationsJason Carr -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeAlex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman -
In The HeightsStew & Heidi Rodewald -
Passing StrangeJonathan Tunick -
A Catered AffairI'm beyond ecstatic for the cast and crew of
August: Osage County. When I first saw the show last August in Chicago, I knew this was something very, very special. The show has earned 7 nominations including for the stellar performances by Deanna Dunagan and Amy Morton in the Best Actress in a Play category and the effervescent Rondi Reed in the Best Featured Actress in a Play category. Of course, it has also earned nods for Best Play for Tracy Letts and Best Direction for Anna D. Shapiro.
On the musical side, my big question is, "Where is
A Catered Affair?" To think that nominators chose the tacky
Cry-Baby in several key categories over the lovely chamber musical has me reeling. And nominators, just because you have four open slots in a category doesn't mean you actually have to fill them ... how else to explain the nod to
Grease for Best Revival of a Musical, alongside such gems as
Gypsy,
South Pacific and
Sunday In The Park With George?
I'll provide more commentary later.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Catered Affair, August Osage County, Cry-Baby, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
Did Cry-Baby Induce Critical Cries of Joy?First off, let me apologize for being so tardy today in posting this critics' capsule. I'm currently in Paris and enjoyed my day by strolling around this beautiful city, which I'm afraid takes precedence over
this site any day.
And given what
I thought of Cry-Baby during previews, it's not exactly like I was champing at the bit to drop what I was doing to post. You get it,
Cry-Baby critics' capsule or Paris?! Well, my feet finally needed a rest so here goes.
Last evening,
Cry-Baby, the second stage adaptation of a
John Waters, opened at the
Marquis Theatre under the direction of
Mark Brokaw. Boasting a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan, the tuner features a score by
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum and a cast that includes
Harriet Harris,
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley. Critics were split on the merits of the show.
Concluding that "
Cry-Baby will make you smile, and laugh, without patronizing you, or anyone else,"
Elysa Gardner of
USA Today awards three out of four stars: "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."
Lamenting that it "just doesn't gel as well" as
Hairspray,
Clive Barnes of
New York Post nevertheless provides a mixed review: "...book writers Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, who co-wrote the book for
Hairspray, have done a pretty nifty job with material not nearly so malleable. Decidedly less nifty are the songs by David Javerbaum and Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger. The music comes in two rocky flavors -- cheery and droopy. It's the kind of music that makes you wonder whether you've heard it before, just before you stop caring."
Labeling the show as "tasteless,"
The New York Times' Ben Brantley calls out the blandness of the production, "I meant 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. (Not to be tasteless.)... The songs by Mr. Javerbaum (a producer for 'The Daily Show With
Jon Stewart') and Mr. Schlesinger (of the pop group
Fountains of Wayne) include plenty of rockabilly riffs and soulful wails (for a
Little Richard-like character played by
Chester Gregory II), but they often feel stuck in a groove, repeated until they go dry."
Criticizing it as "benign, kitschy satire,"
Variety's
David Rooney also is less than positive: "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."
Commencing his review by stating, "Some musicals have high ideals and aspirations. Some even have something profound to say.
Cry-Baby isn't one of them,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News offers two out of five stars: "It hits the mark about half the time, whenever the show is dancing. The star of
Cry-Baby is choreographer
Rob Ashford, who has created some of the most inventive and athletic dancing seen on Broadway all season.... Snyder and Stanley are likable leads, but it's two featured actors who stand out -- Chester Gregory II and
Carly Jibson, as soulful sidekick and nasty knocked-up sister of
Cry-Baby. They bring big talent and oddball originality to the stage -- precisely what this baby needed more of."
So there you have it folks, it looks like the show hasn't improved much from when
I saw it a few weeks ago. Critics are hardly excited by this latest entry on the Great White Way, and there's now only
one more original musical left to open before the season is officially over and the Tonys are announced. Doesn't look like
Cry-Baby will be in contention other than for supporting roles and Mr. Ashford's pretty decent choreography.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway Tonight (April 24, 2008)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, The SOB Preview, Thomas Meehan
Cry-Baby Finally Given Birth On Broadway TonightAfter one of the longest preview periods in Broadway history,
Cry-Baby finally opens at the Marquis Theatre. The musical marks the second time a
John Waters film has been given the tuner treatment.
Directed by
Mark Brokaw, this one has a book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan and score by first-timers
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum. The show's cast includes
Harriet Harris,
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley.
Will critics be crying with delight? Find out tomorrow as I provide my critics' capsule.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City) (April 15, 2008)
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) (April 2, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Musical, Opening Night
Theatre Etiquette, Part Four (Or Drunken City)As regular readers know, I have a
real thing or
two (or
three, and sadly even
four) to say about the complete breakdown of our civilization, due to some self-absorbed individuals' utter lack of self-awareness or respect for others while attending theatrical performances.
Now, I realize that alcohol and its impact remains a pervasive theme emanating from the stage. This Broadway season alone, we've been treated to
one show after
another after
another after another after another where alcoholism is central to the story. And Off-Broadway, there's even a new Adam Bock play called
The Drunken City.
But imagine my surprise in attending a $54 preview of
Cry-Baby when the show was upstaged by the act
in the audience.
Immediately behind me, two fairly unassuming women who looked to be in their 40s took their seats. I first knew something was up by virtue of their obsequious fussiness in getting situated. However, a tune or two into the show, the two were borderline belligerent, alternately slurping out of their adult sippy cups to conversing with each other in slurred speech.
Not long after, the two passed out. I could tell because they were both snoring. Yes, I looked back at them and the "lady" on the aisle had her head bobbing to her left with her mouth wide open, while her cohort in crime had her head tilting onto her gal pal's shoulder.
Given my concern that either one of these wretched women would suddenly lurch forward spewing whatever
a la Linda Blair, I could not help but continually keep one eye on the stage and another on them. At intermission, I approached the manager of the theatre to let him know about the two women, but he was helping another man out -- turned out he also was seated next to a complete drunk who should have never been let in to begin with. Still, I thought once I explained the circumstances, he'd take care of it. Wrong.
Unfortunately, when I returned to my seat, the two women were still there, making complete
buttocks personifieds out of themselves.
Lest there be any question to anyone wanting to know if drinking is against the norms of theatre etiquette, let me say this: anything in moderation is fine. I often enjoy a glass of champagne or two before a performance begins or at intermission. But
drinking to excess not only impairs your ability to appreciate (or even grasp) a performance, it also can ruin others' enjoyment as well.And frankly, I'm still wondering why the
Marquis management didn't collect these broken women and remove them. The shame is spread all around.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Truly Ugly Betty Behavior (November 2, 2007)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Three (Or The End Of Southern Gentility) (July 30, 2007)
Are You Cheering Yet? (July 27, 2007)
What Motivates You To See A Broadway Show? (July 5, 2007)
From Now On, I'll Just Sit On My Hands (July 1, 2007)
Talk To The Hand: Kevin Edition (June 20, 2007)
Spring Awakening Calling (June 18, 2007)
Rat Patrol: Coming To A Theatre Near You? (May 30, 2007)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Two (May 1, 2007)
Theatre Etiquette, Part One (November 30, 2007)
Labels: Alcoholism, Broadway, Cry-Baby, Special Messages, The Drunken City, Theatre Etiquette
Cry-Baby (The SOB Preview) - Marquis Theatre, New York, NY
* (out of ****)Those screeching sounds you hear are
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan as they literally scrape the bottom of the barrel.
You see, they've already gone beneath the
Grease, which with all due respect to
Mr. Riedel this morning, can no longer be deemed "the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values."
Au contraire, Michael.
Cry-Baby appears to be angling for that dubious honor. Despite its multi-million dollar budget, this new musical quite incredibly comes across as a poor man's
Grease with its tired good girl gone gaga for bad boy premise. Already three weeks into previews with -- surprise, surprise -- another three plus weeks to go, the latest
John Waters-inspired Broadway musical
Cry-Baby is trashy fun.
Without the fun.
How do I put this delicately without sounding like I'm piling on?
Cry-Baby is such a piece of doggy-do that not even
Divine would dare stomach it. In fact, I'd take "
Pink Flamingos The Musical" anyday over this if it were written by Waters himself.
With a cloying score by first-timers
Adam Schlesinger and
David Javerbaum, what little story there is limps along at a snail's pace. By the time we get to the closing tune "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again," it's too little and far too late for any reassurance given what we've already had to endure.
Not even
Harriet Harris can save this one. In
Cry-Baby, her Mrs. Vernon-Williams is merely an extension of other characters we've previously seen her portray. That she and
Chester Gregory II as Dupree manage to upstage leads
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley is not saying much.
If there is a silver lining, it's that first-time musical director
Mark Brokaw is at least benefitting from some fancy footwork from choreographer
Rob Ashford, particularly in the singularly rousing "Jailyard Jubilee" number. Indeed, Ashford seems much more in command than Brokaw. However, Ashford seems to have borrowed the license plate on shoe idea from
Matthew Bourne, who instead used trash can lids in the revival of
My Fair Lady currently touring the United States.
I can't help but wonder what the show would be like if only it had healthier doses of Waters' trademark ribald and subversively clever humor, such as in the opening scene when we first meet our "Squares" (antagonists) and "Drapes (protagonists) as they come together for a fleeting moment for their polio vaccines. Perhaps it would have been more interesting.
If there's any glimmer of hope for
Cry-Baby, it's that Waters himself was in the back of the theatre during my performance, hopefully helping punch up the script if he wasn't letting O'Donnell and Meehan have it first.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
John Waters: This Filthy World (The SOB Review) (November 12, 2007)
Giving Birth To Cry-Baby (September 27, 2007)
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, Harriet Harris, John Waters, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, The SOB Preview, Thomas Meehan
Early Tony Handi-cappingTwo of Steve On Broadway's favorite "Must Read" blogs --
Full Force Theatre Musings and
ModernFabulousity -- have already begun handicapping the 2008 Tony Awards.
FFTM's CaraJoy, of course, first posted her mid-season musings
in 2007 and
last mentioned her early betting in January.
Last week, ModFab's Gabriel began
his discussion on plays and revivals of plays and
continues it today with the betting on musicals, new and otherwise.
ModFab picked up on
a comment I made last week in posting the news (
now confirmed) that
Glory Days would be heading to Broadway from the DC Area's
Signature Theatre (not to be confused with the Off-Broadway
Signature on West 42nd Street). I said that given the Main Stem's "disappointing big musicals" (
read: critical drubbing of both
Young Frankenstein and
The Little Mermaid), "this is quickly becoming the year of the little musical with oversized hearts." ModFab was quick -- and right -- to point out that two "big" tuners,
Cry-Baby and
A Catered Affair, have yet to open.
While I would never want to count either one out, let's just say that how ever fair or unfair, the initial buzz I've been hearing on
Cry-Baby is not terribly favorable, and
A Catered Affair is further challenged both by the
stinging tryout review by
The Los Angeles Times 's Charles McNulty and the subsequent
kerfuffle, as well as the initial capitalization necessary for the Broadway incarnation.
Personally, I have high hopes for both.
As a big fan of
John Waters, I'm champing at the bit to see if
Cry-Baby can replicate some modicum of
Hairspray's universal success. I'm also rooting for
Harvey Fierstein and know that
he's pouring every last ounce of energy into making
A Catered Affair a complete delight. I hope both succeed.
While I agree wholeheartedly with ModFab that inevitably, the Tony focus turns to what shows can sell tickets on tour, if either of these shows is torpedoed by bad reviews, the Tony race just may become one big Cinderella story for this year's little shows. But I'm prepared to withhold my glass slipper fitting until
Cry-Baby and
A Catered Affair have had the opportunity to open.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Glory Days Yet To Come This Broadway Season? (March 19, 2008)
Heights Opens: Did Critics Offer High Marks? (March 10, 2008)
Did Critics Provide Passing Grades To Passing Strange? (February 29, 2008)
Did Little Mermaid Find Its Legs Among Critics? (January 11, 2008)
Did Critics Think Young Frankenstein Was Putzin' On The Shtick? (November 8, 2007)
Did Critics Offer Xana-Dos Or Don'ts? (July 11, 2007)
Labels: A Catered Affair, Blogs, Broadway, Cry-Baby, Full Force Theatre Musings, Glory Days, Modern Fabulousity, Musical, The Little Mermaid, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations, Young Frankenstein
Looking Forward: The SOB Top FiveThe calendar year may have just begun, but Broadway theatregoers -- as well as those throughout the United States -- know that there's close to another five months left for the 2007-08 Theatrical Season.
While I'll wait until the season's close to list my "Best of" lists for the entire year in theatre, here's a preview of the top five shows I'm most looking forward to seeing in 2008:
Superior Donuts (Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL) - While you can expect
Tracy Letts' wildly successful
August: Osage County to make a strong run toward all the top theatrical awards come May and June, the latest work by the
Steppenwolf ensemble member will enjoy its world premiere in Chicago just four days after this year's Tony Awards.
With
Amy Morton directing, expect ticket sales for this play about a decrepit donut shop in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood to fly.
Yasen Peyankov, who received an "Honorable Mention" among my Singular Sensations of 2007, and
Jon Hill star.
Sunday In The Park With George (Studio 54, New York, NY) - The Olivier Award-winning West End hit finally transfers to Broadway and arguably becomes the year's most eagerly anticipated musical, old or new.
This first Great White Way revival for the
Stephen Sondheim/
James Lapine classic is directed by
Sam Buntrock and stars
Daniel Evans and
Jenna Russell, who reprise their Olivier Award-winning turns.
The Country Girl (Broadway theatre to be announced, New York, NY) - After long absences from the Great White Way, Academy Award-winning actors
Morgan Freeman and
Frances McDormand headline
Clifford Odets' classic 1950 play about a washed-up alcoholic actor seeking a return to the spotlight.
With
Mike Nichols at the helm and a cast that includes
Peter Gallagher, expect this to be one tough ticket once it begins in April.
Cry-Baby (Broadway theatre to be announced, New York, NY) - Can lightning strike twice on Broadway for a
John Waters-inspired musical? If the reception on the Left Coast is any indication, this could very well be the tuner to beat come Tony time.
With book by
Mark O'Donnell and
Thomas Meehan, direction from
Mark Brokaw, choreography by
Rob Ashford and a cast led by
Harriet Harris,
Cry-Baby has winner written all over it.
The show is set to also star
James Snyder and
Elizabeth Stanley, along with
Hairspray alums
Carly Jibson and
Chester Gregory II.
The Visit (Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA) -
Chita Rivera returns to her hometown in May to star in this "new"
John Kander/
Fred Ebb tuner.
Frank Galati directs, while
Ann Reinking provides the choreography.
Personally, I would go just about anywhere to see the incomparable Miss Rivera -- one of the stage's true living legends. So a return visit to Washington DC is officially in my travel plans.
What shows are you most looking forward to seeing this year? I invite you to provide your top picks wherever they may be.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Chicago, Cry-Baby, Steppenwolf, Sunday In The Park With George, Superior Donuts, The Country Girl, The Visit, Washington DC
Will Drowsy Chaperone Be Put To Sleep?Did anyone else catch
Michael Riedel's little slip that
Cry-Baby hopes "to slip into New York's
Marriott Marquis Theatre in March"?
Granted, I wasn't exactly thrilled by
The Drowsy Chaperone's rather lame stunt-casting of
Bob Saget as the new Man In Chair (not to be confused with
Eric at Man In Chair), but the tuner
still played last week to 71.9% of capacity and grossed $605,832.
Does Riedel know about some impending closing notice? More importantly, do
you?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for The Drowsy Chaperone tickets.Related Stories:Putting London's Drowsy Chaperone To Bed (July 26, 2007)
Go East, Young Musical, Go East (July 27, 2007)
Did Chaperone Keep London's Aging Critics Awake? (June 19, 2007)
West End Drowsy Chaperone: Another Great Paige Turner (January 19, 2007)
The Drowsy Chaperone (The SOB Review) (October 3, 2006)
Mixed Reviews Tire The Drowsy Chaperone (May 2, 2006)
Labels: Bob Saget, Box Office, Broadway, Cry-Baby, Michael Riedel, Musical, Rumor, Stunt Casting, The Drowsy Chaperone
Bart's Back: Bad Omen?It's never a good sign when one of the key principals in a new show is out with an injury, but that's the case with
Roger Bart in
Young Frankenstein.
Bart has been sidelined, at least temporarily, with a lower back injury. As a result, he's missed some performances since the October 13 matinee.
First I heard of it was via
Chris Caggiano of
Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, who posted his scathing review of the show on Monday. Chris saw understudy
Matthew LaBanca in the role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, whom he described as "game and energetic, and almost letter-perfect in his knowledge of the role. The audience didn't seem to care that the actor playing the title character was out." A pity about the show itself.
Over at the
New York Post, columnist
Michael Riedel uses the opportunity to joke about the show:
Roger Bart, will be out at least until the weekend due to a bad back. (And he hasn't even read his reviews yet.)
Riedel goes on to say that the dark horse in this year's Tony derby may very well be
Cry-Baby, especially since the buzz he's hearing out the
Hilton Theatre ain't that great about
Mel and his new show.
What's that line from the "
Cell Block Tango"? Something about "He had it coming!"?!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Buzz, Chris Caggiano, Cry-Baby, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, Mel Brooks, Michael Riedel, Musical, Roger Bart, Young Frankenstein
Giving Birth To Cry-BabyDirector
Mark Brokaw knows a thing or two about birthing shows. And this November, he'll help bring the brand spanking new
Cry-Baby to life at San Diego's
La Jolla Playhouse.
Based on the 1990
John Waters flick, the Rialto-bound
Cry-Baby has a pretty impressive pedigree. For starters, in addition to Brokaw, one of my fave Broadway babies is on board: Tony winning actress
Harriet Harris, who'll make this her second Great White Way outing this theatrical season (she replaces
Jan Maxwell). Opposite Harris will be
James Snyder in the title role. Also in the cast is a terrific talent named
Carly Jibson, whom I first saw as Tracy Turnblad in the touring production of that other Waters-inspired musical
Hairspray.
Cry-Baby's book comes from two grown men who certainly know their way around Waters' material: the estimable
Thomas Meehan (
Annie,
The Producers)
and
Mark O'Donnell, the same duo who wrote the libretto for
Hairspray. Choreography will be provided
Rob Ashford, whose fine work is much in demand on both sides of the Atlantic these days. Broadway novices
David Javerbaum (writer for
Comedy Central's "
The Daily Show") and
Adam Schlesinger (
Fountains of Wayne) are writing the score.
Cry-Baby will be born on November 6 at La Jolla Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. It's expected to reach Broadway in March with an April opening.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, First Word On New Show, Hairspray, Harriet Harris, John Waters, La Jolla Playhouse, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, Rob Ashford, San Diego, Thomas Meehan
Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck
Steve On Broadway has learned that the musical version of
John Waters'
Cry-Baby, which was to begin a four-week New York City workshop last month, will move forward without
Conrad John Schuck.
The actor perhaps best known for his role alongside
Rock Hudson and
Susan St. James on television's "
McMillan & Wife" has more recently become known to legions of youthful fans as Daddy Warbucks in the last Broadway revival of
Annie, as well as in the subsequent touring production.
Jan Maxwell is the other major acting name to be associated with the upcoming Broadway-bound tuner that will enjoy its world premiere this November at La Jolla Playhouse in California.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Casting Changes, Conrad John Schuck, Cry-Baby, Film, First Word On New Show, Jan Maxwell, John Waters, Musical
