Lost in Translation

In 1990, Johnny Depp starred in the John Waters musical comedy “Cry-Baby.” A fun film that showcased Depp’s musical range and passion, it was a cheesy movie that no one took seriously–until now.

Currently running previews and set to open on April 24, Broadway has taken a risk and unveiled a new production of “Cry-Baby.” The show follows the same premise as the movie, where a delinquent falls in love with the town square and the two overcome social bias to be together.

Granted, in a place with such a diverse taste in script and performances, Broadway has taken a few risks with their latest offerings. Disney scored big when they lifted the curtain on “Beauty and the Beast,” and the visually spectacular “The Lion King” soon followed. But when fellow Disney productions “Tarzan” and “The Little Mermaid” burst on to the scene, it furrowed a few eyebrows, bringing in to question its survival on stage. Just because they were successful onscreen doesn’t necessarily mean they will translate off screen and find the same level of success.

Almost like sequels that should never have been made, the same goes for theater shows. “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King” struck gold when they opened, but the magic was not quite there for the high-flying “Tarzan” or the under-the-sea adventure of Ariel and her friends. But as everything goes in this business, you have to take a chance. Perhaps it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Producers gave it a shot and took their chances, and hoped for the best. But sometimes, things don’t quite turn out as you planned.

Could “Cry-Baby” soon suffer the same fate as a number of Broadway shows past? Or will it find a cult following and hold its own like “Legally Blonde” and “Mary Poppins”? I guess only time, and a front row seat, will tell.

Karen J. Quan

(photo credit: 3336)

April 10th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Entertainment News | (0)