@ the stagedoor: CRY-BABY star JAMES SNYDER

These photos of JAMES SNYDER were captured at the stage door of the Marquis Theatre at Broadway (between 45th and 46th Streets last Saturday, the day before CRY-BABY the musical played its final performance.

From Playbill.com:

"Nobody Gets Me": Cry-Baby Closes On Broadway June 22

James Snyder made his Broadway debut creating the title role in the musical "Crybaby" based on the John Waters' film of the same name, following the world premiere engagement at La Jolla Playhouse in the fall of 2007.

Film credits include "An American in China," "Anderson's Cross," "Shuttle," "She's The Man" and "Pretty Persuasion," which premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. He has also lent his voice to the animated films "Tuck Everlasting" and "Darby O'Gill."

Television credits include "Without A Trace," "Cold Case," "Gilmore Girls," "Married to the Kellys," "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody" and "Related."

Other stage credits include the Los Angeles productions of "Rock Of Ages" (also Las Vegas) and "Happy Days," "The Fantasticks" at Sacramento Music Theater, "Hamlet," "Ray Bradbury's Let's All Kill Constance," "Sneaux," "Plop" and "Oklahoma." In addition, he played Luke Skywalker in the critically acclaimed production "Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes" in Los Angeles, Paris and Scotland.

His first solo album will be released this fall and he can be heard on the studio cast recording of the musical "Bare", also being released this fall. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Southern California.

Cry-Baby, which was nominated for a 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, plays its final performance at Broadway's Marquis Theatre June 22.

Cry-Baby earned three additional 2008 Tony nominations: Best Book of a Musical for Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell, Best Original Score for David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, and Best Choreography for Rob Ashford.

Ultimately, the second Broadway musical based on a John Waters film (the Tony-winning Hairspray was the first) went home empty-handed on Tony night, June 15. Producers of the musical announced June 18 that the production would shutter less than a week later on June 22. Cry-Baby will have played a total of 45 previews and 68 regular performances.

Directed by Mark Brokaw, Cry-Baby arrived on Broadway following an out-of-town engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse this past fall. Cry-Baby began Broadway previews March 15 and officially opened April 24.

CRY-BABY the MUSICAL

Last Saturday night, I attended the first preview performance the new Broadway musical CRY-BABY, taking advantage of the special preview price of $54 for orchestra tickets (until April 23rd). $54 is for "1954" in Baltimore, the setting. The musical is based on the social satire movie of the same name starring Johnny Depp and directed by John Waters.

Published synopsis of the show:
"Baltimore, 1954. Everyone likes Ike, nobody likes communism and Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker is the coolest boy in town. He's a bad boy with a good cause — truth, justice and the pursuit of rock 'n' roll. When he falls for a good girl who wants to be bad, her charm-school world of bobby sox and barbershop quartets will never be the same. Wayward youth, juvenile delinquents, sexual repression, cool music, dirty lyrics, bizarre rejects…Finally, the '50s come to life!"

Although I felt that overall the characters somehow did not connect with the audience, I still enjoyed this hilarious musical adaptation. Fine performances were delivered by James Snyder as Cry-Baby and Elizabeth Stanley as his love interest. Tony Award winner Harriet Harris plays Mrs. Vernon-Williams. But the show’s individual showstoppers are Alli Mauzey as psychotic Lenora who is obsessed with Cry-Baby, and Chester Gregory II who plays Dupree. Rob Ashford’s superb choreography especially the number that utilized license plates in the prison break scene is memorable. Mark Brokaw directs this musical which features libretto by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan with music by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger. Other credits: Scott Pask (Scenic Design); Catherine Zuber (Costume Design); Howell Binkley (Lighting Design); Peter Hylenski (Sound Design); Lynne Shankel (Music Direction, Incidental Music, Arrangements); Christopher Jahnke (Orchestrations); David Chase (Dance Arranger).

"Cry-Baby" plays the Marquis Theatre at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th Streets, where it opens on April 24.