San Diego critics pick 'Catered Affair'

'Cry-Baby' takes home three awards

By GORDON COX

'A Catered Affair' took seven awards, including new tuner, from the San Diego Critics Circle.

'Cry-Baby' took home three kudos from San Diego crix.

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A pair of Broadway-bound tuners were among the contenders duking it out Jan. 21 for the San Diego Theater Critics Circle Awards, with "A Catered Affair" nabbing seven trophies and "Cry-Baby" taking three.

"Affair," which played a fall tryout at the Old Globe, walked away with the kudos for new tuner, score (John Bucchino), direction (John Doyle), lights (Brian MacDevitt) and orchestrations (Don Sebesky). The show, with a book by Harvey Fierstein based on the 1950s Paddy Chayefsky tale, also scored awards for lead actor (Tom Wopat) and actress (Faith Prince).

Meanwhile, "Cry-Baby," which ran at the La Jolla Playhouse in the fall, picked up the honors for lyrics (David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger), choreography (Rob Ashford) and featured actress (Alli Mauzey). The latest adaptation of a John Waters pic to hit Broadway, "Cry-Baby" has songs by Javerbaum and Schlesinger and book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan.

On Broadway, "Cry-Baby" begins previews at the Marquis March 15 for an April 24 opening while "Affair" bows at the Walter Kerr March 25 ahead of its April 17 opening. Also on the spring musical slate are potential Tony contenders "Passing Strange" (opening Feb. 28) and "In the Heights" (opening March 9).