Bat Boy: The Musical: Difference between revisions

''Bat Boy: The Musical'' was developed at the [[theater non-profit|Directors Company]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://directorscompany.org/The_Directors_Company/History.html |title=Directors Company History |website=DirectorsCompany.org |access-date=2013-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408063835/http://directorscompany.org/The_Directors_Company/History.html |archive-date=April 8, 2012}}</ref> and premiered at [[Tim Robbins]]' [[The Actors' Gang|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bat Boy |url=http://www.theactorsgang.com/archives/batboy.htm |website=TheActorsGang.com |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820183850/http://www.theactorsgang.com/archives/batboy.htm |archive-date=August 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://theatredb.com/QShowCastOrig.php?sid=s2668 |title=ITDb: Show Original Cast: Bat Boy |website=TheatreDB.com |access-date=2012-01-15}}</ref>

The musical opened [[off-Broadway]] at the [[Union Square Theatre]] on March 21, 2001, and closed on December 2, 2001. Produced by Robyn Goodman<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bat Boy: The Musical|url=http://www.iobdb.com/production/72|access-date=2020-10-28|website=Internet Off-Broadway Database}}</ref> and [[Michael Alden]] and 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.<ref name=lortel>{{cite web|url=http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&title=Bat%20Boy%3A%20The%20Musical |title=Bat Boy: The Musical |website=Lortel.org |access-date=2013-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012065000/http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&title=Bat%20Boy%3A%20The%20Musical |archive-date=October 12, 2012}}</ref> Raquela Burt originally played Ruthie Taylor/Ned, but had to discontinue the show due to illness.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.raquela.com/about|title=About|author=Michael Jefferies|website=Raquela|date=2023}}</ref> 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]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.masterworksbroadway.com/music/bat-boy-the-musical |title=Bat Boy: The Musical – Original Cast Recording 2001 |website=MasterworksBroadway.com |date=2001-06-05 |access-date=2012-01-15}}</ref>

The musical opened in the [[West End theatre|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 (actress)|Emma Williams]] as Shelley. It had previously played at the [[West Yorkshire Playhouse]].<ref name=albemarle>{{cite web |title=Archive Page For - Bat Boy The Musical |url=http://www.albemarle-london.com/Archive/ArchiveShow.php?Show_Name=Bat%20Boy%20The%20Musical |website=albemarle-london.com |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917100616/http://www.albemarle-london.com/Archive/ArchiveShow.php?Show_Name=Bat%20Boy%20The%20Musical |archive-date=September 17, 2010}}</ref><ref name=curtain>{{cite web |last=Loveridge |first=Lizzie |title=Bat Boy Wings It To London |url=http://www.curtainup.com/batboy.html |website=CurtainUp.com |date=September 8, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hanks |first=Robert |title=A batty musical with bite, 3 stars |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/bat-boy-the-musical-shaftesbury-theatre-london-546049.html |website=The Independent |date=September 13, 2004}}</ref>

The off-Broadway production received very positive reviews. In his review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', Bruce Weber wrote, "It's remarkable what [this show's] intelligent wit can accomplish".<ref>{{cite webnews |last=Weber |first=Bruce |title=THEATER REVIEW; Who's the Guy Who Ordered the Bloody Mary on the Rocks? |date=March 22, 2001 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/22/theater/theater-review-who-s-the-guy-who-ordered-the-bloody-mary-on-the-rocks.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=November 27, 2021 |url-access=subscription |datearchive-url=March https://web.archive.org/web/20101031222139/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/22,/theater/theater-review-who-s-the-guy-who-ordered-the-bloody-mary-on-the-rocks.html 2001|archive-date=2010-10-31 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[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."<ref>{{cite webmagazine |last=Lahr |first=John |title=Bloodsucker's Ball: Camp, cult, and Complicite |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/04/09/bloodsuckers-ball |websitemagazine=The New Yorker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031172400/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/04/09/bloodsuckers-ball |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |date=April 1, 2001 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Curtain-Up'' praised : "Laurence O'Keefe's peppy and melodic pop-rock score... played by a five piece combo".<ref>{{cite web |last=Sommers |first=Elyse |title=New York Review of ''Bat Boy'' |url=http://www.curtainup.com/batboy.html |website=CurtainUp.com |date=March 22, 2001 |access-date=June 9, 2009}}</ref> [[Deven May]] received the [[Theatre World Award]] for his performance as Bat Boy.

[[Category:PlaysMusicals set in West Virginia]]