Cry-Baby - Original Studio Cast Recording

When a film writer is able to turn one of his films into a Broadway success, it's not unusual for them to test the waters (no pun intended) a second time. So when John Waters saw his film-turned-musical, "Hairspray," strike gold on the Great White Way, he decided to follow it up with his 1990 cult hit, "Cry-Baby, the Musical." However, the only thing struck by lightning was the box office for this twisted Romeo and Juliet story of love found across the railroad tracks, and the 2008 musical closed after only 68 performances, without a soundtrack being recorded.

Now, Broadway Records has worked with the original creative team of Waters, composers David Javerbaum ("Summer of '42") and Adam Schlesinger ("That Thing You Do"), as well as book writer Thomas Meehan ("Hairspray," "Annie"), as co-librettist Mark O'Donnell died in 2012, to record the musical for its fans to relive and relove. They were able to get "88.4%" of the original cast together, including James Snyder as Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and Tony-award winner, Harriet Harris, as Mrs. Vernon-Williams, whose granddaughter, Allison (Elizabeth Stanley) decides to become "not good," and pursue "Cry-Baby," much to the chagrin of her boyfriend, Baldwin (Christopher J. Hanke).

The score is all 1950's pastiche, from doo-wop to rockabilly, and the eight musicians, under the music direction of Henry Aronson, lay down the tight rock-and-roll soul of the period. Where the score lacks, however, is in the lyrics, especially to those uninitiated with the no-holds-barred crassness of the show's characters. The opening scene takes place in a high school gym in Baltimore during the late 50's at the "Anti-Polio Picnic." Allison and Wade see each other, and immediately sing "I'm Infected" with their love. With other hip-shaking (and the more than occasional head-shaking) titles such as "Screw Loose" (sung by Lenora, a slutty "Cry-Baby" follower), Harris' confession / torch song, "I Did Something Wrong, Once," and the two love songs presented by the lead couple, "Girl, Can I Kiss You with Tongue," and the not so multi-faceted, "Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby (Baby Baby)," (where Allison tells "Cry-Baby," "I can't remember the words!") the listener is left as incomplete as fans of the show have been since 2008.

It's good to preserve the score of "Cry-Baby, the Musical" for its diehard fans, but it's limited commercial appeal probably won't bring any new "drapes" or "squares," the represented groups in the story, to the party.

"Cry-Baby, the Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)"
$12.99
CD and digital formats
www.broadwayrecords.com