Bat Boy: The Musical
Encyclopedia
Bat Boy: The Musical is a musical
with a book by Keythe Farley
and Brian Flemming
and music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe
, based on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News
story about a half-boy, half-bat
, dubbed "Bat Boy", found living in a cave.
Bat Boy premiered at Actors Gang Theatre
in 1997 and has since been produced off-Broadway
, in London
's West End
, at the Edinburgh Festival
and in scores of productions throughout the world.
' Actors Gang Theatre
on October 31, 1997. Directed by Keythe Farley
, and choreography by Derick LaSalla. The cast featured Deven May
as Bat Boy and Kaitlin Hopkins
as Meredith Parker.
The musical opened off-Broadway
at the Union Square Theatre
on March 21, 2001 and closed on December 2, 2001. Directed by Scott Schwartz, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli
, the cast featured Deven May
as Bat Boy and Kaitlin Hopkins
as Meredith, Sean McCourt
as Dr. Thomas Parker, Kerry Butler
as Shelley Parker, Kathy Brier
as Maggie/Ron Taylor, Daria Hardeman as Ruthie Taylor/Ned, Trent Armand Kendall as Rev. Hightower/Mrs. Taylor/Roy/Institute Man, Jim Price as Bud/Daisy/Pan, Richard Pruitt as Sheriff, Doug Storm as Rick Taylor/Lorraine. The swings and understudies included John Treacy Egan
, Stephanie Kurtzuba, and J.P. Potter. The show was musically directed/keyboards by Alex Lacamoire
, keyboards/assistant musical director Jason Debord, acoustic/ electric guitars Greg Skaff, electric bass Matt Rubano, drums Ed Fast. For the original cast album, the band was augmented by cello (Jeanne LeBlanc), french horn (Jeff Lang), flute/clarinet/oboe (C. Anderson), trumpet (Robert Millikan), and trombone (James E. Pugh
).
The musical opened in the West End
at the Shaftesbury Theatre
on September 8, 2004 and ran through January 15, 2005. It again starred Deven May
as Bat Boy, along with Rebecca Vere as Meredith, Johnny Barr as Dr. Parker and Emma Williams
as Shelley. It had previously played at the West Yorkshire Playhouse
.
The authors consider the London text the definitive version of Bat Boy: The Musical. The London revised script and score has been used for many subsequent productions around the world, including the Toronto run (2005) and the 2006 Edinburgh Festival production. The show has also proven popular in Korea
and Japan
. It was performed at the Wetzlarer Festspiele
in Wetzlar
, Germany
in June 2008 and in Melbourne
, Australia
in August 2008 at the Octave Theatre, Prahran,
It entered regional theatre
in 2002 beginning with the Phoenix Theatre
in Indianapolis
.
1992 story about Bat Boy, a half-boy, half-bat
found living in a cave inspired writers Keythe Farley
and Brian Flemming
to write a stage adaptation. They were joined by American composer
/lyricist
Laurence O'Keefe
and their first production premiered on Halloween
, 1997.
The later London production introduced significant changes to the script and score, including the replacement of the song 'In Your Heart' with 'Mine, All Mine'.
The musical differs in a few of its plot details from the Weekly World News portrayal of Bat Boy. In the musical, Bat Boy learns to speak from his adoptive family, yearns for acceptance and tries to join society, only to face hatred and violence from a town that fears him and jealous rage from his foster father.
The book deals with serious themes (such as hypocrisy, acceptance, forgiveness, racism, revenge and scapegoating), but often punctures the most serious moments with slapstick, surreallism, camp-horror and irony. The show also contains religious themes with biblical
allusion
s, such as the quoting of Psalm 23
and Genesis 9:4 in scene 9. Act II begins with a religious revival tent meeting featuring a faith healer
.
The score was written to be played by a five-piece band of guitar, two keyboards, bass and drums, but the original cast album (RCA Records
) contains seven extra instruments (cello
, flute
, clarinet
, oboe
, french horn
, trumpet
, trombone
). The music covers many styles, from rock
to rap
to horror-movie film score and opera
. The musical was written to be performed by a cast of 10, with six men and four women playing all the roles.
three teenage spelunkers
; Ron, Rick and Ruthie Taylor discover the Bat Boy, a deformed, humanoid creature. Bat Boy attacks Ruthie and is taken captive by Rick and Ron (“Hold Me Bat Boy”).
Ruthie is taken to the hospital and the Bat Boy is placed in the care of Sheriff Reynolds who brings him to the home of local veterinarian Dr. Parker. Meredith, Parker’s wife, agrees to take him in (“Christian Charity”).
Shelley, the Parkers' teenage daughter, is repulsed by the Bat Boy and infuriated by his constant screaming but Meredith pities him and christens him with a new name; Edgar (“Ugly Boy”). Rick Taylor, Shelley’s boyfriend, arrives and, infuriated by Edgar’s presence, threatens to kill him with a knife (“Whatcha Wanna Do?”). This upsets Shelley and Meredith makes Rick leave. Meredith attempts to comfort Edgar (“A Home For You”).
Meanwhile the Mayor of Hope Falls and the local ranchers are worried by their cattle which are dying inexplicably. The rumours of the discovery of a Bat Boy lead them to believe he must be preying on the cattle (“Another Dead Cow”).
Dr. Parker returns home and is about to euthanize Edgar when Meredith intervenes. Meredith begs Parker not to kill Edgar and he consents when she agrees to sleep with him. Parker celebrates what he sees as an upturn in his failing marriage and feeds Edgar animal blood (“Dance With Me Darling”).
At the hospital Ruthie is delirious from her injuries, but her mother promises the Sherriff will kill the Bat Boy or be fired (“Mrs. Taylor’s Lullaby”).
With the help of Meredith’s patient teaching and Dr. Parker’s secret feedings of blood Edgar learns speech, etiquette and how to dress and obtains a high-school equivalency diploma (“Show You A Thing or Two”).
The town council implore Dr. Parker to prevent the reviled Edgar from attending the upcoming revival meeting
. Parker protests, insisting Edgar is not a threat to anyone, but is pressured into giving his word that Edgar will not attend the revival (“Christian Charity (Reprise)”)
Edgar begs the Parkers to let him go to the revival (“A Home For You (Reprise)”) and Meredith eventually relents. Incensed by Meredith undermining his word, Dr. Parker grabs her aggressively and Edgar instinctively attacks him. Meredith runs to comfort Edgar over her husband, leaving Parker humiliated and furious. Parker begins to devise a way to destroy Edgar and save his marriage to Meredith; he taunts a hungry Edgar with a live rabbit and Edgar struggles with his feral urges to kill. Just as it seems Edgar is overcoming his hunger, Parker draws blood from the rabbit and Edgar eats it. Parker gives Ruthie Taylor a lethal injection in her hospital room, intending to blame her death on Edgar (“Comfort and Joy”).
Dr. Parker arrives at the revival and reveals Ruthie has died, blaming her death on Edgar. The townsfolk are furious and, once again, turn on Edgar. In the ensuing struggle Edgar attacks Rick Taylor; under the pretense of tending to his wounds Dr. Parker administers Rick with a lethal injection to serve as further proof that Edgar is dangerous. The townsfolk form a mob, led by Parker, and pursue Edgar into the woods.
In the woods Shelley and Meredith look for Edgar. Together they decide that they will run away from Hope Falls and Dr. Parker, with Edgar. Shelley tells Meredith she is falling in love with Edgar and Meredith’s horrified response causes Shelley to run away deeper into the woods (“Three Bedroom House”). There she meets Edgar and the two comfort each other and confess their love for each other. The Greek God of nature Pan
arrives to preside over the union of Edgar and Shelley, with the help of the woodland creatures (“Children, Children”).
Ron Taylor, determined to get revenge for his brother and sister, searches the slaughterhouse for Edgar. The mob mistake the noise coming from the slaughterhouse as a sign of Edgar’s presence and Mrs. Taylor sets fire to the slaughterhouse, inadvertently burning her remaining child to death. The Sheriff asks Doctor Parker to placate the mob but, instead, he whips them into a bloodthirsty frenzy and the hunt for Edgar resumes (“More Blood/Kill The Bat Boy!”).
Back in the woods Edgar is hungry for blood and begs Shelley to leave him for her own safety. Instead Shelley offers her arm to Edgar for him to feed on (“Inside Your Heart”). Just as he is about to bite, Meredith arrives and reveals she is Edgar’s mother.
Overcome with grief and shame Edgar kills a cow and runs away to the cave where he was discovered. Incensed at Dr. Parker’s betrayal and Meredith’s deceit, Edgar pledges to kill the pair of them and embrace his inner beast (“Apology To A Cow”).
The mob arrives at the cave as do Parker and Meredith. Together they reveal to the town that Edgar was the result of an experiment gone wrong; a young Parker accidentally spilled a prototype pheromone on Meredith which caused him to go mad and sexually violate her. As Meredith ran home in tears, the pheromone also attracted a colony of bats that violated her as well. Nine months later she gave birth to Shelley and Edgar. Repulsed by the deformed Edgar, Meredith asked Parker to kill him, but he could not and instead left him at the mouth of the cave where the bats adopted him.
Edgar begs Parker to kill him, but he cannot; so Edgar reveals that he slept with Shelley. Furious and overcome with grief Parker slits his own throat causing Edgar to leap upon him and feed, whilst Parker stabs him in the back. Meredith tries to intervene but is stabbed as well and the three fall to the ground, dead (“Finale: I Imagine You’re Upset/I Am Not A Boy”).
In the aftermath Shelley and the townsfolk reflect on the tale and the lessons they have learned (“Hold Me Bat Boy (Reprise)”).
* Appear on the Original Cast Recording.
Note that "More Blood/Kill the Bat Boy!" is included on the Original London Cast Recording. Also, for the London West End production and cast recording, "Inside Your Heart" is replaced with the song "Mine, All Mine", and "Ugly Boy"/"Whatcha Wanna Do?" are replaced by a song called "Hey Freak". Additionally, this recording begins with the end portion of dialogue before (and segues into) "Hold Me, Bat Boy". It is underscored by a portion of the song "The Cave". The track is titled "Dude! What is It?".
Award, two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Outer Critics Circle Award
in 2001. Regional productions of Bat Boy have been nominated for and won awards including the 2003 Elliot Norton Award (New England). and the 1998 Ovation Awards
(Los Angeles).
The off-Broadway production received very positive reviews. The New York Times
review stated, "It's remarkable what [this show's] intelligent wit can accomplish". John Lahr
of The New Yorker
called it "a giggling cult hit" and "the only play in the history of the theatre whose hero ends Act I with a rabbit in his mouth, and who moves on in Act II to an entire cow's head." Curtain-Up praised : "Laurence O'Keefe's peppy and melodic pop-rock score... played by a five piece combo".
The West End reviews were less positive. The Curtain Up review notes: "...unless Bat Boy The Musical gathers a cult audience, I fear it will not linger. The newspaper critics do sometimes get it wrong, ...but they have been less kind to Bat Boy than the West Virginia
ns portrayed in the musical." The subsequent sell-out 2006 Edinburgh Festival
production of the revised score used in the West End received very positive reviews, with many suggesting the show suited this more 'scaled-down' style.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley is a voice actor, casting director, and voice director.-Video Game Roles:* God of War II - Door Guy, Soldier* Mass Effect 2 - Thane Krios, Fortack-Crew Work:* Adventure Time - Voice Director...
and Brian Flemming
Brian Flemming
Brian Flemming is an American film director and playwright.- Early career :Flemming was born and raised in California's San Fernando Valley, and studied English at the University of California, Irvine, graduating in 1998...
and music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe
Laurence O'Keefe (composer)
Laurence O'Keefe , also known as Larry, is a composer and lyricist for Broadway musicals, film and television.O'Keefe is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied anthropology and wrote humor for the Harvard Lampoon and sang with the Harvard Krokodiloes...
, based on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News
Weekly World News
The Weekly World News was a supermarket tabloid published in the United States from 1979 to 2007, renowned for its outlandish cover stories often based on supernatural or paranormal themes and an approach to news that verged on the satirical. Its characteristic black-and-white covers have become...
story about a half-boy, half-bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
, dubbed "Bat Boy", found living in a cave.
Bat Boy premiered at Actors Gang Theatre
The Actors' Gang
The Actors' Gang is an experimental theatre group based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1981 by a group of actors, including Tim Robbins, now a member of the board and Artistic Director of the troupe. The group states its mission is "to create bold, original works for the stage and...
in 1997 and has since been produced off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
and in scores of productions throughout the world.
Production history
Bat Boy: The Musical was developed at the Directors Company and premiered at Tim RobbinsTim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
' Actors Gang Theatre
The Actors' Gang
The Actors' Gang is an experimental theatre group based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1981 by a group of actors, including Tim Robbins, now a member of the board and Artistic Director of the troupe. The group states its mission is "to create bold, original works for the stage and...
on October 31, 1997. Directed by Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley is a voice actor, casting director, and voice director.-Video Game Roles:* God of War II - Door Guy, Soldier* Mass Effect 2 - Thane Krios, Fortack-Crew Work:* Adventure Time - Voice Director...
, and choreography by Derick LaSalla. The cast featured Deven May
Deven May
Deven Shaw May is a Broadway performer, actor and photographer. He is most famous for his portrayal of the half-bat, half-human boy in Laurence O'Keefe's Off-Broadway musical, Bat Boy, for which he won a Theatre World Award for "Outstanding New York Debut," as well as Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel...
as Bat Boy and Kaitlin Hopkins
Kaitlin Hopkins
Kaitlin Hopkins is an American stage, screen, and television actress, the daughter of actress Shirley Knight and stage producer/director Gene Persson....
as Meredith Parker.
The musical opened off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the Union Square Theatre
Union Square Theatre
Union Square Theater is an Off-Broadway theatre, owned by Reading International, who also owns Reading Entertainment.- Productions :*Visiting Mr. Green by Jeff Baron*The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project...
on March 21, 2001 and closed on December 2, 2001. Directed by Scott Schwartz, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli
Christopher Gattelli
Christopher Gattelli is a choreographer, performer, and director for the theatre. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Choreography for South Pacific and the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Choreography for Altar Boyz. He won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreograper for...
, the cast featured Deven May
Deven May
Deven Shaw May is a Broadway performer, actor and photographer. He is most famous for his portrayal of the half-bat, half-human boy in Laurence O'Keefe's Off-Broadway musical, Bat Boy, for which he won a Theatre World Award for "Outstanding New York Debut," as well as Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel...
as Bat Boy and Kaitlin Hopkins
Kaitlin Hopkins
Kaitlin Hopkins is an American stage, screen, and television actress, the daughter of actress Shirley Knight and stage producer/director Gene Persson....
as Meredith, Sean McCourt
Sean McCourt
Sean McCourt is an American stage performer, born in Detroit. His Broadway credits include Wicked, Titanic and Mary Poppins.McCourt starred in the original Broadway cast of Wicked, as the Witch's Father, the Ozian Official, and many other characters in Oz. He also served as an understudy for both...
as Dr. Thomas Parker, Kerry Butler
Kerry Butler
Kerry Marie Butler is an American actress known primarily for her work in theatre.-Early life and career:...
as Shelley Parker, Kathy Brier
Kathy Brier
Kathy Brier is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Brier grew up on Staten Island, where she attended Moore Catholic High School before studying theatre and business at Wagner College, qualifying for a Bachelor of Science in arts administration.-Career:Brier played the role of Marcie Walsh...
as Maggie/Ron Taylor, Daria Hardeman as Ruthie Taylor/Ned, Trent Armand Kendall as Rev. Hightower/Mrs. Taylor/Roy/Institute Man, Jim Price as Bud/Daisy/Pan, Richard Pruitt as Sheriff, Doug Storm as Rick Taylor/Lorraine. The swings and understudies included John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan is an American actor and singer.-Career:Egan first appeared off-Broadway in When Pigs Fly at the Howard Fairbanks Theater in 1996. In 1997 Egan made his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde, playing the roles of Groom and Mike. He is also in the film version Broadway Television...
, Stephanie Kurtzuba, and J.P. Potter. The show was musically directed/keyboards by Alex Lacamoire
Alex Lacamoire
Alex Lacamoire is an American music director and orchestrator, who has worked on many shows both on and off Broadway.Lacamoire was born in Los Angeles, California, and began to play piano at age three. He and his family moved to Miami, Florida when he was 9...
, keyboards/assistant musical director Jason Debord, acoustic/ electric guitars Greg Skaff, electric bass Matt Rubano, drums Ed Fast. For the original cast album, the band was augmented by cello (Jeanne LeBlanc), french horn (Jeff Lang), flute/clarinet/oboe (C. Anderson), trumpet (Robert Millikan), and trombone (James E. Pugh
James E. Pugh
James Edward Pugh is a trombonist, composer, and educator. He is noted as the lead trombonist with Woody Herman's Thundering Herd and Chick Corea's Return to Forever Band . For 25 years, he worked as a freelance trombonist in New York City...
).
The musical opened in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the Shaftesbury Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
on September 8, 2004 and ran through January 15, 2005. It again starred Deven May
Deven May
Deven Shaw May is a Broadway performer, actor and photographer. He is most famous for his portrayal of the half-bat, half-human boy in Laurence O'Keefe's Off-Broadway musical, Bat Boy, for which he won a Theatre World Award for "Outstanding New York Debut," as well as Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel...
as Bat Boy, along with Rebecca Vere as Meredith, Johnny Barr as Dr. Parker and Emma Williams
Emma Williams (actress)
Emma Williams is a British actress. After, going to North Halifax Grammar School and studying at the Stage84 stage school in Idle, West Yorkshire, she has had a successful career in TV, film and on stage....
as Shelley. It had previously played at the West Yorkshire Playhouse
West Yorkshire Playhouse
The West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, England is a theatre which opened in March 1990 as part of the regeneration of the Quarry Hill area of the city...
.
The authors consider the London text the definitive version of Bat Boy: The Musical. The London revised script and score has been used for many subsequent productions around the world, including the Toronto run (2005) and the 2006 Edinburgh Festival production. The show has also proven popular in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was performed at the Wetzlarer Festspiele
Wetzlarer Festspiele
The Wetzlarer Festspiele is since 1953 annually a theatre festival, which taking place in the summer in the Hessian city Wetzlar. The festivals enjoy far an acknowledgment, going beyond Hesse....
in Wetzlar
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in June 2008 and in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in August 2008 at the Octave Theatre, Prahran,
It entered regional theatre
Regional theatre in the United States
Regional theaters, or resident theaters, in the United States are professional or semi-professional, theater companies that produce their own seasons. The term regional theatre most often refers to professional theatres outside of New York City...
in 2002 beginning with the Phoenix Theatre
Phoenix Theatre (Indianapolis)
The Phoenix Theatre is a professional non-profit theatre located in downtown Indianapolis, on Park Avenue near Massachusetts Avenue. It was founded by Bryan D. Fonseca in 1983, initially to perform the three-part science fiction play, Warp!...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Background
The Weekly World NewsWeekly World News
The Weekly World News was a supermarket tabloid published in the United States from 1979 to 2007, renowned for its outlandish cover stories often based on supernatural or paranormal themes and an approach to news that verged on the satirical. Its characteristic black-and-white covers have become...
1992 story about Bat Boy, a half-boy, half-bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
found living in a cave inspired writers Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley
Keythe Farley is a voice actor, casting director, and voice director.-Video Game Roles:* God of War II - Door Guy, Soldier* Mass Effect 2 - Thane Krios, Fortack-Crew Work:* Adventure Time - Voice Director...
and Brian Flemming
Brian Flemming
Brian Flemming is an American film director and playwright.- Early career :Flemming was born and raised in California's San Fernando Valley, and studied English at the University of California, Irvine, graduating in 1998...
to write a stage adaptation. They were joined by American composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
/lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
Laurence O'Keefe
Laurence O'Keefe (composer)
Laurence O'Keefe , also known as Larry, is a composer and lyricist for Broadway musicals, film and television.O'Keefe is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied anthropology and wrote humor for the Harvard Lampoon and sang with the Harvard Krokodiloes...
and their first production premiered on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
, 1997.
The later London production introduced significant changes to the script and score, including the replacement of the song 'In Your Heart' with 'Mine, All Mine'.
The musical differs in a few of its plot details from the Weekly World News portrayal of Bat Boy. In the musical, Bat Boy learns to speak from his adoptive family, yearns for acceptance and tries to join society, only to face hatred and violence from a town that fears him and jealous rage from his foster father.
The book deals with serious themes (such as hypocrisy, acceptance, forgiveness, racism, revenge and scapegoating), but often punctures the most serious moments with slapstick, surreallism, camp-horror and irony. The show also contains religious themes with biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
allusion
Allusion
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
s, such as the quoting of Psalm 23
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
and Genesis 9:4 in scene 9. Act II begins with a religious revival tent meeting featuring a faith healer
Faith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
.
The score was written to be played by a five-piece band of guitar, two keyboards, bass and drums, but the original cast album (RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
) contains seven extra instruments (cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, french horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
). The music covers many styles, from rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
to rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
to horror-movie film score and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
. The musical was written to be performed by a cast of 10, with six men and four women playing all the roles.
Act I
In the fictional town of Hope Falls, West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
three teenage spelunkers
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
; Ron, Rick and Ruthie Taylor discover the Bat Boy, a deformed, humanoid creature. Bat Boy attacks Ruthie and is taken captive by Rick and Ron (“Hold Me Bat Boy”).
Ruthie is taken to the hospital and the Bat Boy is placed in the care of Sheriff Reynolds who brings him to the home of local veterinarian Dr. Parker. Meredith, Parker’s wife, agrees to take him in (“Christian Charity”).
Shelley, the Parkers' teenage daughter, is repulsed by the Bat Boy and infuriated by his constant screaming but Meredith pities him and christens him with a new name; Edgar (“Ugly Boy”). Rick Taylor, Shelley’s boyfriend, arrives and, infuriated by Edgar’s presence, threatens to kill him with a knife (“Whatcha Wanna Do?”). This upsets Shelley and Meredith makes Rick leave. Meredith attempts to comfort Edgar (“A Home For You”).
Meanwhile the Mayor of Hope Falls and the local ranchers are worried by their cattle which are dying inexplicably. The rumours of the discovery of a Bat Boy lead them to believe he must be preying on the cattle (“Another Dead Cow”).
Dr. Parker returns home and is about to euthanize Edgar when Meredith intervenes. Meredith begs Parker not to kill Edgar and he consents when she agrees to sleep with him. Parker celebrates what he sees as an upturn in his failing marriage and feeds Edgar animal blood (“Dance With Me Darling”).
At the hospital Ruthie is delirious from her injuries, but her mother promises the Sherriff will kill the Bat Boy or be fired (“Mrs. Taylor’s Lullaby”).
With the help of Meredith’s patient teaching and Dr. Parker’s secret feedings of blood Edgar learns speech, etiquette and how to dress and obtains a high-school equivalency diploma (“Show You A Thing or Two”).
The town council implore Dr. Parker to prevent the reviled Edgar from attending the upcoming revival meeting
Revival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
. Parker protests, insisting Edgar is not a threat to anyone, but is pressured into giving his word that Edgar will not attend the revival (“Christian Charity (Reprise)”)
Edgar begs the Parkers to let him go to the revival (“A Home For You (Reprise)”) and Meredith eventually relents. Incensed by Meredith undermining his word, Dr. Parker grabs her aggressively and Edgar instinctively attacks him. Meredith runs to comfort Edgar over her husband, leaving Parker humiliated and furious. Parker begins to devise a way to destroy Edgar and save his marriage to Meredith; he taunts a hungry Edgar with a live rabbit and Edgar struggles with his feral urges to kill. Just as it seems Edgar is overcoming his hunger, Parker draws blood from the rabbit and Edgar eats it. Parker gives Ruthie Taylor a lethal injection in her hospital room, intending to blame her death on Edgar (“Comfort and Joy”).
Act II
At the revival meeting Reverend Hightower offers a faith healing (“A Joyful Noise”). Meredith, Shelley and Edgar arrive and Edgar volunteers himself for the faith healing. The town are disgusted by his presence but Edgar implores them to accept him (“Let Me Walk Among You”). The townsfolk are won over by Edgar’s eloquence and civility and embrace him (“A Joyful Noise (Reprise)”).Dr. Parker arrives at the revival and reveals Ruthie has died, blaming her death on Edgar. The townsfolk are furious and, once again, turn on Edgar. In the ensuing struggle Edgar attacks Rick Taylor; under the pretense of tending to his wounds Dr. Parker administers Rick with a lethal injection to serve as further proof that Edgar is dangerous. The townsfolk form a mob, led by Parker, and pursue Edgar into the woods.
In the woods Shelley and Meredith look for Edgar. Together they decide that they will run away from Hope Falls and Dr. Parker, with Edgar. Shelley tells Meredith she is falling in love with Edgar and Meredith’s horrified response causes Shelley to run away deeper into the woods (“Three Bedroom House”). There she meets Edgar and the two comfort each other and confess their love for each other. The Greek God of nature Pan
Pan (mythology)
Pan , in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein , meaning "to pasture." He has the hindquarters, legs,...
arrives to preside over the union of Edgar and Shelley, with the help of the woodland creatures (“Children, Children”).
Ron Taylor, determined to get revenge for his brother and sister, searches the slaughterhouse for Edgar. The mob mistake the noise coming from the slaughterhouse as a sign of Edgar’s presence and Mrs. Taylor sets fire to the slaughterhouse, inadvertently burning her remaining child to death. The Sheriff asks Doctor Parker to placate the mob but, instead, he whips them into a bloodthirsty frenzy and the hunt for Edgar resumes (“More Blood/Kill The Bat Boy!”).
Back in the woods Edgar is hungry for blood and begs Shelley to leave him for her own safety. Instead Shelley offers her arm to Edgar for him to feed on (“Inside Your Heart”). Just as he is about to bite, Meredith arrives and reveals she is Edgar’s mother.
Overcome with grief and shame Edgar kills a cow and runs away to the cave where he was discovered. Incensed at Dr. Parker’s betrayal and Meredith’s deceit, Edgar pledges to kill the pair of them and embrace his inner beast (“Apology To A Cow”).
The mob arrives at the cave as do Parker and Meredith. Together they reveal to the town that Edgar was the result of an experiment gone wrong; a young Parker accidentally spilled a prototype pheromone on Meredith which caused him to go mad and sexually violate her. As Meredith ran home in tears, the pheromone also attracted a colony of bats that violated her as well. Nine months later she gave birth to Shelley and Edgar. Repulsed by the deformed Edgar, Meredith asked Parker to kill him, but he could not and instead left him at the mouth of the cave where the bats adopted him.
Edgar begs Parker to kill him, but he cannot; so Edgar reveals that he slept with Shelley. Furious and overcome with grief Parker slits his own throat causing Edgar to leap upon him and feed, whilst Parker stabs him in the back. Meredith tries to intervene but is stabbed as well and the three fall to the ground, dead (“Finale: I Imagine You’re Upset/I Am Not A Boy”).
In the aftermath Shelley and the townsfolk reflect on the tale and the lessons they have learned (“Hold Me Bat Boy (Reprise)”).
Characters
- Bat Boy - Also referred to as "Edgar." A bat boy.
- Meredith Parker - Wife to Thomas.
- Thomas Parker - Also referred to as "Doctor Parker." The town veterinarianVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
. Husband to Meredith. - Shelley Parker - The rebellious daughter of Thomas and Meredith. Girlfriend of Rick. Falls in love with Edgar.
- Sheriff Reynolds - The local sheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, coming up for re-election. Sometimes doubles as Delia. - Rick Taylor - A rowdy, spelunking teenager. Kin to Ron and Ruthie, son of Mrs. Taylor. Boyfriend of Shelley. Commonly doubles as Lorraine and Mr. Dillon.
- Ron Taylor - A rowdy, spelunking teenager. Kin to Rick, and Ruthie, son of Mrs. Taylor. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Commonly doubles as Maggie. - Ruthie Taylor - A rowdy, spelunking teenager. Youngest of three. Kin to Rick and Ron, daughter of Mrs. Taylor. Commonly doubles as Ned.
- Mrs. Taylor - An overprotective, aggressive mother. Mother of Rick, Ron, and Ruthie. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Commonly doubles as Reverend Hightower and Roy.
- Lorraine - A townswoman. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Commonly doubles as Rick and Mr. Dillon. - Delia - A townswoman. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Sometimes doubles as Sheriff. - Maggie - The mayor of Hope Falls. Commonly doubles as Ron.
- Daisy - A townswoman. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Commonly doubles as Bud and Pan. - Mr. Dillon - A rancher. Sometimes doubles as Lorraine and Rick.
- Bud - A rancher. Commonly doubles as Pan and Daisy.
- Ned - A rancher. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Commonly doubles as Ruthie. - Roy - A townsman. Often doubles as Mrs. Taylor and Rev. Hightower.
- Clem - A townsman. Usually a dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
role. Often doubles as Ron and Maggie. - Reverend Billy Hightower - A preacher and faith healer who holds a travelling Tent RevivalRevival meetingA revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
/Barbecue. Commonly doubles as Mrs. Taylor and Roy. - PanPan (mythology)Pan , in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein , meaning "to pasture." He has the hindquarters, legs,...
- The GreekGreek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
satyrSatyrIn Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
-god of nature. Commonly doubles as Bud and Daisy. - A Doctor - Commonly doubles as Bud, Daisy and Pan.
- Institute Man - Commonly doubles as Mrs. Taylor, Roy and Rev. Hightower.
- Chorus - singer/dancers, additional townsfolk
Doubling
The musical is written for a cast of ten people to play all twenty-two roles. Except for the actors playing Bat Boy, Meredith, Dr. Parker and Shelley, every cast member plays multiple roles, including at least one of the opposite gender. The cast breakdown is usually thus:- Sheriff Reynolds/Delia (male actor)
- Rick Taylor/Lorraine/Mr. Dillon (male actor)
- Ron Taylor/Maggie/Clem (female actor)
- Ruthie Taylor/Ned (female actor)
- Mrs. Taylor/Roy/Reverend Billy Hightower/Institute Man (male actor)
- Daisy/Bud/Pan/Doctor (male actor)
Songs
(As they appear in the Piano/Conductor Score)- 1. Overture
- 1a. The Cave
- 2. Hold Me, Bat Boy *- Company
- 2a. Living Room Cue
- 3. Christian Charity *- Meredith, Shelly, and Sheriff
- 4. Ugly Boy *- Shelly
- 5. Watcha Wanna Do? *- Rick and Shelly
- 6. A Home for You * - Meredith and Bat Boy
- 7. Another Dead Cow *- Company
- 8. Dance With Me, Darling *- Dr. Parker
- 9. Mrs. Taylor's Lullaby *- Mrs. Taylor
- 10. Show You a Thing or Two *- Meredith, Shelly, Bat Boy, Dr. Parker, and Company
- 11. Christian Charity (reprise) *- Sheriff, Dr. Parker, and Company
- 12. May I Have This Dance?
- 13. A Home for You (reprise) * - Bat Boy
- 14. Parker's Epiphany- Dr. Parker
- 15. Comfort and Joy *- Dr. Parker, Meredith, Shelly, Bat Boy, and Company
- 15a. Comfort and Joy (part II) * - Dr. Parker, Meredith, Shelly, Bat Boy and Company
- 16. A Joyful Noise *- Reverend Hightower and Company
- 16a. Come on Down!
- 17. Let Me Walk Among You * - Bat Boy
- 18. A Joyful Noise (reprise) * - Reverend Hightower and Company
- 18a. A Joyful Noise (playoff)- Reverend Hightower and Company
- 19. All Hell Breaks Loose- Company
- 20. Stop the Bat Boy!- Company
- 21. Three Bedroom House * - Meredith and Shelly
- 21a. Babe in the Woods
- 22. Children, Children * - Pan and Company
- 22a. Burn, You Freak, Burn
- 23. More Blood/Kill the Bat Boy!- Company
- 24. Inside Your Heart * - Bat Boy and Shelly
- 25. Is All That You Taught Me a Lie?
- 26. Apology to a Cow * - Bat Boy
- 26a. Hello, Father
- 27. Revelations
- 28. Finale: I Imagine You're Upset *- Bat Boy, Shelly and Company
- 28a. Finale: I Am Not a Boy * - Bat Boy
- 29. Finale: Hold Me, Bat Boy * - Shelly and Company
- 30. Bows
- 1opt. Optional Overture
Note that "More Blood/Kill the Bat Boy!" is included on the Original London Cast Recording. Also, for the London West End production and cast recording, "Inside Your Heart" is replaced with the song "Mine, All Mine", and "Ugly Boy"/"Whatcha Wanna Do?" are replaced by a song called "Hey Freak". Additionally, this recording begins with the end portion of dialogue before (and segues into) "Hold Me, Bat Boy". It is underscored by a portion of the song "The Cave". The track is titled "Dude! What is It?".
Awards and critical reception
Bat Boy: The Musical won the awards for best Off-Broadway musical including the Lucille LortelLucille Lortel
Lucille Lortel was an American actress and theater producer who is remembered as the namesake of an off-Broadway playhouse and theatrical award....
Award, two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Outer Critics Circle Award
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
in 2001. Regional productions of Bat Boy have been nominated for and won awards including the 2003 Elliot Norton Award (New England). and the 1998 Ovation Awards
Ovation Awards
The Ovation Awards are a Southern California award for excellence in theatre, established in 1989. They are given out by the Los Angeles Stage Alliance and are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. They have been called the "...highest-profile contest for local theatre..." by the Los...
(Los Angeles).
The off-Broadway production received very positive reviews. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
review stated, "It's remarkable what [this show's] intelligent wit can accomplish". John Lahr
John Lahr
John Lahr is an American theater critic, and the son of actor Bert Lahr. Since 1992, he has been the senior drama critic at The New Yorker magazine.-Biography:...
of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
called it "a giggling cult hit" and "the only play in the history of the theatre whose hero ends Act I with a rabbit in his mouth, and who moves on in Act II to an entire cow's head." Curtain-Up praised : "Laurence O'Keefe's peppy and melodic pop-rock score... played by a five piece combo".
The West End reviews were less positive. The Curtain Up review notes: "...unless Bat Boy The Musical gathers a cult audience, I fear it will not linger. The newspaper critics do sometimes get it wrong, ...but they have been less kind to Bat Boy than the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
ns portrayed in the musical." The subsequent sell-out 2006 Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
production of the revised score used in the West End received very positive reviews, with many suggesting the show suited this more 'scaled-down' style.
External links
- Bat Boy: The Musical http://www.batboymusical.com/
- Bat Boy: The Musical official site
- Bat Boy plot, song list, productions at The Guide to Musical Theatre
- Brief plot summary with detailed character descriptions
- Inside Your Heart - Bat Boy
- Bat Boy: The Musical at Internet Off-Broadway Database