Legitimate Theater: Cry-Baby (2008)

Cry-Baby

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

R.I.P. Adam Schlesinger (1967-2020)

Adam Schlesinger

On April 1, 2020, musician Adam Schlesinger passed away at the age of 52 in Poughkeepsie, New York after complications with the coronavirus. Over a storied career spanning 25 years, he created some of the most memorable tunes no matter what medium. In film he received an Oscar nomination for the titular song from That Thing You Do. He also was a founding member of the band Fountains of Wayne and wrote music for the musical TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It's impossible to summarize everything that he left behind, but it's likely that if you've so much as turned on a radio or TV, you've heard his work. His legacy will live on with some of the catchiest music that helped to make other people better.