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| Nicholas Yocum plays the Bat Boy. (Photo by Kevin Replinger) |
By
SUE SUCHYTA
The rock ‘n’ roll show “Bat Boy: The
Musical” flies out of its cave and into the Bonstelle to close out the Wayne
State University undergraduate theatre’s 2012 – 2013 season.
The
musical, first performed on Halloween in 1997, drew inspiration from a 1992
fictional account of a Bat Boy chronicled in the tabloid “Weekly World News.”
“Bat
Boy” opened April 12 and runs for two weekends, with 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
shows and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. The theatre is on Woodward Avenue at Elliot
in Detroit.
Tickets
are $20 to $25 and are available by phone or online. For more information, call
(313) 577-2960 or go to www.bonstelle.com.
When
a local veterinarian and his family adopt a boy with bat-like features found living
in a cave, residents of their small town become suspicious.
The
townspeople exhibit hypocrisy, racism and revenge, which for some lead
eventually to understanding, forgiveness and acceptance. The show’s serious
themes are interspersed slapstick, surrealism and a campy sense of humor.
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| Nicholas Yocum (center, kneeling) as the Bat Boy and Bridgette Jordan (standing , center) as the Reverend attend a revival meeting with the townfolk. (Photo by Kevin Replinger) |
There
are Biblical allusions, and references to humans exploring their dark side or
animalistic urges as they answer the drive to fulfill their needs as a species
for food, sex, power and control. The play hints at the need for humans to
embrace their basic animal instincts so as a species they will no longer fear their
base desires and urges.
The
story is many things, and one senses from the beginning that the end will not
be happy – this is not a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Audiences accept
early on that death will happen, there will be sadness, and the survivors will
not be celebrants.
It
is, however, a different type of show, and well performed. Viewers will either love
or hate the storyline; indifference is not an option.
Likewise,
the acting and production talent is very much evident.
The
Bonstelle cast and production team are top notch. Directed by Michael Barnes,
with choreographer Jeffrey Michael Rebudal and music director Daniel Greig, the
actors display an energetic devotion to the show, delivering a fast-paced
production with strong acting, singing and dancing.
The
songs, while well-performed, are not as memorial as musical songs often are;
and while rock ‘n’ roll works fine for some musicals, there are not any
signature songs that one leaves the theater humming or singing.
Most
of the sixteen cast members performed multiple roles and all had rapid, multiple
costume changes.
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| Kelly Robinson (left) as Meredith Parker comforts Nicholas Yocum, the Bat Boy. (Photo by Kevin Replinger) |
Stand-outs
in the cast include Nicholas Yocum of Royal Oak as the Bat Boy, Kelly Robinson
as Royal Oak as Meredith Parker and Britta Peele of Harrison Township as Shelley
Parker.
Bridgette
Jordan of Southfield as the revival reverend, Alyssa Lucas of Garden City as
the mayor and Matthew Miazgowicz of Dearborn as Lorraine and other cameo roles
are notable as well.
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| Curtis Green's multi-level set and Brian Scruggs' lighting is creative and versatile. (Photo by Kevin Replinger) |
The
multi-level set designed by Curtis Green is creative and versatile, segueing from
a subterranean cave to a suburban home with a quick flick of the stage magic
wrist. Fred Florkowski, technical director, and stage manager Meghan Lynch,
contribute to the stage magic as well, with exceptional lighting design by
Brian Scruggs.
Kudos
to properties master Anthony Karpinski and costume designer Mary Gietzen.
The
casting is fascinatingly androgynous, perhaps to remind audiences that humans
are merely predatory mammals dressed in pseudo-civilizing sheepskin.
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