Highly Recommended Theater: BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL (Morgan–Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica)

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by Tony Frankel on September 8, 2024

in Theater-Los Angeles

THIS BAT COMES OUT SWINGING

Bat Boy: The Musical is finally returning to Los Angeles for a run at Morgan–Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica September 28 through October 13, 2024. This outrageous comedy/horror Off-Broadway musical, which originated right here in L.A. at The Actors Gang in 1997, is a campy, off the wall musical that is a bravura piece of remarkable foolery.

Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming‘s book is based on an item in the rag sheet Weekly World News which said that a half boy/half bat creature had been discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. The fast paced musical is jam-packed with great songs, palpitating rhythms and campy dialogue. The upbeat score from Laurence O’Keefe (who later composed Heathers and Legally Blonde) includes pop, rock, tango, gospel, country and even rap.

Three teenaged cave explorers discover a Bat Boy (Aaron Ellis at Morgan-Wixson) that looks like something out of Nosferatu. The good ol’ boy sheriff (Lorne), unsure of what to do with the dangerous captive, decides to bring the boy to the home of Dr. Thomas Parker (Connor Tyler Gray), the town vet. The townspeople clamor for the boy’s destruction, since they believe he could be connected to a strange illness that is killing the local cows. The vet’s wife Meredith (Lauren Josephs) immediately has a maternal affection for the unfortunate boy and saves him from annihilation (and names him Edgar). The young daughter Shelley (Cassandra Caruso) also takes a strong liking to the boy, and romance blooms in the hearts of these young teenagers. The second act shows the cruelty of life, since the bat boy’s homelife is taken away due to the jealousy of the vet and the growing romance between Shelley and Edgar, and the townsfolk are up in arms because of the mysterious death of young Ruthie Taylor (Diana Cabell) who was bitten by the bat boy.

Bat Boy mercilessly ribs the conventions of musical theater, and you can see parodies of very popular musicals like My Fair Lady, Rent, Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King. The My Fair Lady scene is brilliant when the mother teaches the lad to act like a proper Englishman. The song “Show You a Thing or Two” is a wonderful takeoff of “The Rain In Spain.” The bat boy goes from guttural sounds to a proper upmarket English accent, compliments of BBC tapes.

Director/Choreographer Meghan Ripchik brings Bat Boy: The Musical to life with a unique new take on this cult-classic tale, taking cult to a literal sense and highlighting the hypocrisy that comes with worshiping idols. “Bat Boy is often produced for its phenomenal humor,” Ripchik said. “But I had to ask myself why I wanted to tell this story now, and with the election coming up, I knew the story I wanted to focus on was one of hypocrisy and how easily narratives can get twisted by those in power, leading to more prejudice. Our version of this production doesn’t take away from the comedy, but builds on it, using the campiness of the characters, intensive dance, and some surprising theatrical elements to emphasize these themes.”

Bat Boy: The Musical steps out of the norm, an unfamiliar story to many, but one with a following similar to those of musicals such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, due to its comparable style and niche genre. “Bat Boy has not been produced in the Los Angeles area in almost 10 years,” says Ripchik. “I’m truly so thrilled to be part of bringing this story back to the LA area because unlike so many musicals, most folks don’t know what they’re coming to see with this one, and I can guarantee they will leave the theatre stunned.”

In an effort to engage and grow the Morgan-Wixson community, Bat Boy has curated events surrounding select performances. There is a post-show September 28 opening night party for all patrons. Two post-show talkbacks occur after the October 4 and 10 performances; on Sunday, October 6, Bat Boy will be hosting a free to the public post-matinee karaoke event with the theme “Musical Theatre Villains”; a Saturday 2pm matinee has been added on October 5; and on Friday, October 11, there will be a late-night 10pm show with a costume contest prior, reminiscent of a late-night Rocky Horror showing.

Bat Boy: The Musical
Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica
September 28 through October 13, 2024
Thurs-Sat at 8; Sun at 2; Sat at 2 (October 5); Fri at 10 (Oct 11)
for tickets ($23-$30), call 310.828.7519 or visit www.morgan-wixson.org
easy, free parking is available a block west of the theater
contains adult themes and language; not recommended for children

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