John Waters’ smash hit Cry Baby recently made its Broadway debut to a packed house and followed the opening with an after party held at the exclusive Mansion in the West Chelsea section of Manhattan.

The debut of John Water's smash hit "Cry Baby."

In a town where socialite often outweighs celebrity the two were mixing, mingling and dancing the night away at the very trendy Mansion which was, for this evening, transformed to a 1950’s over-the-top sock hop. Think Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. At first glance one would not think this theater crowd would be the singing type, but this crowd had the words on their lips and the tunes in the heart and there was no stopping them. The dance floor was filled to capacity with party-goers standing in the balcony watching, singing and dancing.

Welcoming the party-goers with the directions "good girls go upstairs; bad girls stay with me!"

The guests were met at the entrance of the dance floor by a woman who offered, “If you want to be bad you can stay here with me or if you want to be good you can go upstairs.” Behind her, male and female dancers in black and white convict uniforms were dancing on elevated cage platforms on either side of the guest DJ. Upstairs, where the good girls go, all the lights were on and there were cute girls wearing poodle skirts with high neck sweaters playing with hula hoops. Downstairs, well, we all know what goes on when the lights are low.

The good girls stayed upstairs where all the lights were on.

Strobe lights and huge disco balls sent multicolored meteor showers from floor to ceiling and wall-to-wall with neon flashes of fuchsia, orange, red and green circling the room. Dancing was in abundance to the tunes that my parents grew up singing, the tunes that I grew up singing, the funky sound of Motown, disco, R&B, it was a timeline of tunes that every knew, everyone liked and everyone enjoyed. One could envision John Belushi singing Shout! as everyone was dancing close to the floor to “a little bit softer now” waiting for, well, you know the rest. As did everyone else! 

The room was spinning with a meteor shower of multicolored lights as the capacity crowd danced way past midnight.

An ala carte American picnic was recreated in mass with Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches from the Peanut Butter & Company. Cheese Wiz on Ritz crackers, Beans & Franks, Green Bean casserole, the cheesiest Macaroni & Cheese, Tatar Tots, and traditional Fried Chicken served in strips with dipping sauce were served to the thousand or so who braved the long cafeteria style line. The party guests were also offered the traditional fruit & cheese, fried wontons stuffed with ricotta, Swedish meatballs and an assortment of other fast finger fare. Dessert included a decorative sheet cake on display of the stage scene in Cry Baby.

The decorative dessert cake celebrating the Broadway opening of John Water's “Cry Baby.”

Upon entering each guest was given a brown paper sack to fill with the gift items of their choice. Stations were set up at the parameter with displays of Altoids Breath Mints accompanied by an Altoids Kissing Booth, Tarte Make-up with the very tart make-up artist, upstairs stations included, TastyKakes gift boxes, Tasty Treats gift certificates, a leering doctor with a prescription bag filled with childhood candies, including Smarties, Old Fashioned Candy Buttons on a strip, Candy Necklaces', Candy Lipsticks and Necco Candy Wafers.

The Altoids kissing booth were all your secrets are safe.

John Waters’ celebration for the newest Broadway sensation Cry Baby was the best after party of the theater season! It was very fun and a very good time.

If the after party is any indication of the show – the memories will last long past closing time.

For theater, times and location: http://www.nytheatre.com/

Photos taken by Janet Walker. Courtesy of Pulse Point Productions, Inc.

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