Bat Boy, the latest musical by TheatreWorks, takes camp, satire,
comedy and poignancy to the ultimate level with a sensitivity
covered up by raucous pop rock, country music, gospel with a little
rap thrown in for good measure. It reaches into the gut of what
it
’s like to live as a reject on the fringe of society.
Bat Boy, the latest musical by TheatreWorks, takes camp, satire, comedy and poignancy to the ultimate level with a sensitivity covered up by raucous pop rock, country music, gospel with a little rap thrown in for good measure. It reaches into the gut of what it’s like to live as a reject on the fringe of society.
The bizarre story taken by the authors from a supermarket tabloid article about a half-human, half-bat boy who is caught in a cave somewhere in a West Virginia farm community and is taken by the town sheriff to the veterinarian’s house to be put down.
Bat Boy, with pointed ears and an pair of incisors, superbly and energetically played by Justin Greer, is put in a cage and the vet’s wife and daughter decide to tame and educate him. He is bright and a fast study and over time manages to learn to read and to speak with a British accent, picked up from listening to BBC broadcasts. He learns impeccable manners with, for the most part, a sweet disposition that makes him lovable while innocent.
Meanwhile, the small-minded town folk blame him for everything negative that happens in this boring, good-ol’ boy mentality burg. I know! I know! What kind of weird plot is this and how can it work? And a musical yet! Well trust me, it does and in spades.
As usual TheatreWorks successfully trods the edge and – while a challenge – director and choreographer Linda Goodman deftly undertook the venture and created this outrageous lesson in morality and the pressures of good and evil. At the same time, she shocks the senses with music and humor on a dark road of emotions and sometimes revulsion.
The music runs from country, pop rock to gospel to rap – not usually my cup if tea – but here it fits. It is so very well handled by a super fine cast, most playing multiple parts. (Dracula is looking for a stake to end this very dark comedy. Vampires are not suppose to be funny or have love returned.
Of course TheatreWorks’ ultimate secret weapon is in their resident musical director William Liberatore who handles the baton and makes five orchestra members sound like a full symphony. The production would not be as powerful, no matter how talented the cast, without Liberatore and his group.
Just about every musical currently running somewhere has a moment aimed at it from My Fair Lady, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King or Shakespeare with a little of the Bible. Watch closely – you might miss some of the inferences.
A production to definitely be experienced and enjoyed.
Produced by TheatreWorks
Book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming with lyrics by Lawerence O’Keefe.
Where: Lucie Stern Theatre
305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays,
8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturdays
2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays
2 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 7
Through August 16
Tickets: $20.-$48.
Information and reservations: (650) 903-6000 or visit www.theatreworks.org
