CRY-BABY - It's a blast!- Page 3

[oohshizz146]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 2:53pm

Finally, a POSITIVE review! Im dying to see it and I refuse to believe all the bad ones. I cant believe it will be anything but a good time

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 2:55pm

You sir are a well spoken intelligent person! That is what a critique should sound like for a show early on in previews. I am glad you liked. Know you are not alone! I really think there is so much to love about this show if people give it a chance. It is sarcastic & sexy. I hope they work out the issues it has.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:03pm

The show is not for everybody. If you're a theatre snob, you will probably hate it. If you're the kind of person who enjoys a Broadway show without analyzing it to death, you will love it.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:14pm

I'm hardly a "theatre snob". But I didn't like Cry-Baby ~ I found it extremely lacking. Especially considering it supposedly got decent notices at LaJolla.

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:21pm

Why when some of us like Cry-Baby and think it is a deserving show does someone have to post a reply and try and put down our compliment or good review? Just accept than some peopel think its good and want to praise it and recommend it the same way some people choose to tear it apart.
Updated On: 3/22/08 at 03:21 PM

[bertandrew2]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:25pm

The show is a lot of fun. I smiled throughout and enjoyed it.
Is it the best show I've ever seen? No. But I had a great time and thats what its all about. The choreography is great--the three lead dancer boys are amazing. There are plenty of things about the show to quibble and critique...but its fun and I would certainly recommend this show.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:26pm

Updated On: 5/7/09 at 03:26 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 3:48pm

Exactly, Le Petite Fromage. I'm glad people are enjoying themselves with this show, but always within the good reviews are insults to people who did not care for Cry-Baby.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 4:15pm

Thanks Fromage! :) I don't recall in mine saying people who liked it were crazy. Just that I didn't like it. As opposed to being called a "theatre snob" because I don't like it.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 5:30pm

I saw Crybaby at the matinee today. More detailed review later, but the choreography is FABULOUS. I think it may be Rob Ashford's best work and kudos to SPencer Liff for helping to choreograph and shining in all his dance roles.

Act I needs work and Harriet Harris' song in the second act needs a complete rewrite, but after the first 20 minutes, I was laughing and enjoying myself. A lot of the songs are catchy and James Snyder has this charming appeal that works well. Special shoutouts to Chris Hanke and Alli Mauzy who SHINE in their roles. Mauzy is fantastic and stole the show.

[aliciag]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 8:24pm

I saw the show last night with three of my friends. We got rush seats so were sitting front row and up for anything... can't really complain about $26.50 for front row.

Anyways, I had a good time. We all enjoyed it. I definitely don't think it's as good as Hairspray and not the best thing I've ever seen... but I had a good time.

I agree in that I thought the choreography was great and the dancers were all terrific. Chris Hanke and Alli Mauzy were standouts for me too.

All in all I can totally understand the people who didn't like this show, but then again I don't think everyone needs to write it off. I think there was a lot to enjoy about the show and I hope that some of you will give it a chance and hopefully enjoy it!

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 8:37pm

Some folks are taking people's negative opinions of the show and making it an issue of snobbery. I don't think that's fair. The issue doesn't seem to be, at least to me, about the type of show here. Saying, "OMG! It doesn't have to be Sondheim to be great!" is moot. There's plenty of room in the theatre world for all different styles and content. I think most people here fully realize that, even if they hated "Cry-Baby."

Shows can be fluff and still be incredibly worthwhile. It all depends on the QUALITY of the work, though. Are the cast and production values of top quality? If so, a production will have an impact even if it isn't going into deep, profound, or new territory. Was "Thoroughly Modern Millie" a show with depth? Not at all, but count me among the many who LOVED it.

So don't make it about snobbery. I haven't seen Cry-Baby (simply didn't have any interest from the get-go), but the criticisms that I've seen aren't faulting it for not being ground-breaking or profound; no one expected that. The criticisms are about things like the cast, the production values, the score, and the direction.

[bertandrew2]

Posted: 3/22/08 at 9:03pm

Okay...so I liked Cry Baby. I had fun while watching it. And right now, I cannot hum one tune, I cannot recall one lyric, I think I can recall one or two song titles. So does that make it bad? No. It was fun to watch!

I can remember every song from Legally Blonde. Does that make LB a better show?

[pli1018]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 12:00am

Surprisingly, I ACTUALLY enjoyed the show. I did student rush for today's matinee and was shocked. The absolutely dreadful reviews on these boards made me expect the worse. Maybe my expectations were so low that I could handle it, maybe it was so bad that it was good, but while it isn't my favorite show ever, I might even venture to see it again! Call me "theatrically uncultured" or whatever but that's how I feel.

Choreography: Energetic. "A Little Upset" was intense.
Set Design: Nothing inventive but not bad.
Score: Clever, (to me), and mocking. It was quite repetitive, though I did like a handful of songs.
Book: Somewhat inconsistent.

Harriet Harris (Mrs.VW): I just don't like her, not in this nor did I in Millie.
Elizabeth Stanley (Allison): Reminded me of Ashley Brown, only blonde. Voice was weak at the beginning but was great by the end. (Part of her characterization??) Liked her overall, but miscast.
Chester Gregory (Dupree): Awesome, but had next to nothing to do. I could understand why he would leave for Donkey, which will probably showcase his talents much better.
The Trio: I don't know how they're supposed to be, all 3 were as campy as campy gets.
Christopher J. Hanke (Baldwin): Pretty good. He got some good laughs.
Alli Mauzey (Lenora): Great! Milked Lenora for all she's worth!
James Snyder (Cry Baby): Great! But like Stanely, miscast. He recognized me from the show at the stage door because he liked my sweater, which was random.
Ensemble: Very energetic and all very talented.

So overall I enjoyed the show, I’m still not sure why but I did. And the theater was very full and I don’t think many people left at intermission. It still needs to be tweaked. I think people realize it’s pure camp, but expect it to be more like Xanadu-camp, and it’s not.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 1:32am

I can express more thoughts on this now...as I am not on the run.

First of all, I saw "In the Heights" tonight and while I think it's gonna take choreography at the Tony's, I honestly think the "Crybaby" choreography will give it a run. It's just amazing. It's like Rob Ashford took the best parts from "Wedding Singer", improved upon them and that's almost EVERY song in the show.

I, too, would want to see it again after it's gone through a few weeks of previews.

The first 20 minutes is slow. It is supposed to be funny and introduce the characters, but honestly, they should cut about half of it and focus more on developing the love story between Allison and Crybaby. They literally fall in love in ONE SONG. It's not believable and it makes it harder to be invested in their romance. That is definitely one thing I would work on and I Hope they do.

The set design was pretty minimalistic, but it worked. Allison's balcony set is beautiful and is well used, but other that, nothing too impressive.

The score was repetitive, but funny and I left with a lot of the songs in my head. Like I said, a couple of songs could be cut, specifically, the songs in the first twenty minutes and Harriet Harris' song. I thought her character was good, but her song does NOTHING to further any plot and isn't a big enough song for her to draw in the audience. It kind of seems like an attempt to do what they did with Sharon Wilkins in "All Shook Up" except her big voice made the song work and Harris does not seem to do that, although I am not sure if it's her, as much as the song.

Elizabeth Stanley has a very pretty voice, but she looked and acted much more mature than everyone else. Perhaps thats due to the character, but it kind of threw me off. Particularly because James Snyder as Crybaby has this lovely boyish charm.

Chester Gregory is severely underused and they try to make up for it by allowing him to riff and scat his way through anything that he sings. It seems kind of out of place, but he does what he can with what he has.

The Trio was fabulous. Tory Ross was on for Carly Jibson and she was great. The entire Trio can sing and they were funny and they all gelled very well together.

Although James Snyder didn't really come off as the leader of a gang, he was adorable, he had a great voice (shaky at first, but then great) and a wonderful boyish charm that made you sympathize with him from the start.

I cannot rave enough about Alli Mauzey. She is hysterical, she is crazy and she is so funny. Every scene she is, she steals. Her voice is delightful. The same can be said about Christopher Hanke who is so cute and has great line readings, as well as a great voice.

The ensemble as a whole is phenomenal. I already gave props to Spencer Liff, who deserves them. 23 and assistant choreographer...plus, he dances his butt off. Every dance number, my eyes went straight to him. And him and Ashley Amber have amazing chemistry when dancing. The ensemble is very cohesive, the dances were tight and they all worked so well together. I really enjoyed teh Whiffles, they were so ridiculous but the enjoyment of Crybaby for me was that the whole show poked fun at itself.

Anyway, I know that people have hated it, but I recommend it for people who like fun or campy shows or who really appreciate dancing.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 1:43am

On what planet was that set minimal?

I saw it tonight. I'll post some thoughts (a review, perhaps? My first in like, an age...) either later or tomorrow. But yeah, maybe not as elaborate as some other sets, maybe unimpressive, but definitely not minimalist. At all.

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 10:09am

I was there last night as well. I thought it had it's funny moments, but overall I really hated the score. A lot. There were two songs I enjoyed - the one about it being all in their minds and Screwloose. The dancing was really good though, and some of the performances were excellent (Chester Gregory, Christopher J. Hanke, Elizabeth Stanley). I don't have any interest in ever seeing it again though. I was pretty bored in some parts and I just thought it was stupid.

A large portion of the audience seemed to love it though. The girl next to me was laughing a lot.

[Steve2]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 11:30am

I saw it last night and really liked it. I posted in Crushgroove's "Cry-Baby, A second opinion" thread.
Updated On: 3/23/08 at 11:30 AM

[Corine2]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 2:01pm

I bought tickets to the show this past Friday.
I loved the choreography It ties choreography with In The Heights for some very clever and creative choregraphy. I think the rest of the show needs some work but I had a wonderful time.

I do think Harriet Harris and Chester Gregory were fabulous. I was sad to miss Carly Jibson as I was there to see her perform.


The show needs a lot of work but the dancers are fabulous!

Updated On: 3/23/08 at 02:01 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 2:14pm

"I loved the choregraphy. It ties with In The Heights for some very clever and creative choregraphy."

Corine, it is "choreography" not "choregraphy."

And Val would be appalled that you are using that horrid photo for your av.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 6:22pm

The sets are not minimal and are very clever. Notice that in the scenes involving the "Square", the set design is very geometric and square. In the scenes involving the greasers, the set design has a skewed perspective.