WHAT: Bat Boy the Musical
In rep with Passing Strange WHERE: Seacoast Rep BLURB: Off-the-chart oddball HIGH POINT: Incredible performances
When it comes to bizarre, "Bat Boy the Musical" is off the charts. It's also disquieting, gruesome, macabre, hilarious, and in the case of this production a work of art featuring an incredible cast, lead by the astonishing lynchpin performance by Jason Faria.
The horror, rock musical is offbeat from the get-go, and only gets more so as it goes on, descending into the outrageously bizarre and wholly intriguing tale.
A shortened synopsis of the musical, so as not to reveal all the twists and turns.
The Bat Boy/ later Edger (Jason Faria), half-bat, half-human complete with pointed teeth, and ears and disturbing eyes, is discovered by three teen siblings in the depths of a cave. Brothers Rick (Sean Mullaney) and Ron (Aidan Campbell) take it captive after it attacks sister Ruthie.
The two take Ruthie to a hospital, and then deliver the creature to Sheriff Reynolds (Sam Robert Rogers), who in turn takes the it to the home of veterinarian Dr. Parker (Tobin Moss), where he assumes it will be euthanized.
Meredith, Parker's wife (Alexandra Mullaney), who has been distant from her husband for years, convinces him to allow her to nurse the teen creature, in return for a renewed relationship.
Their daughter Shelly (Alyssa Dumas), initially repulsed, joins the mother in rehabilitating Bat Boy, now named Edgar, and grows deeply fond of him.
With time, Edgar is not only "housebroken" but proves himself a highly intelligent being. But, alas, things start going down hill.
Dr. Parker becomes jealous of the affection Meredith gives the boy, and starts plotting his demise, and the townsfolk start blaming him for all their problems. In addition, Ruthie dies, which sends the unbalanced Rick into a killing frenzy. ... Then there's lots of plot twists.
Co directors Ben Hart and Brandon James first and foremost have cast perfectly. The two took this comic book style tale, keep the camp, but importantly make the characters - cartoon or not - read real.
Everything is right, the movement, blocking, and the additional arts, such as the puppetry and masks that enhance the story.
Now the cast. Just flawless. Every actor on stage makes their character come to life.
So, how would a bat boy act? As Jason Faria portrays him is the answer.
From the early disturbing vocal and leaping, scrambling, cowering, vicious beginnings, to the upper-crust British accent, mannered transformation, he has outdone himself. It's a moving performance that will stay with the viewer for a very long time. - And of course there is that exceptional tenor voice that owns every song.
While no other role is as dramatic, they are as memorable.
Dumas as Shelley, Alexandra Mullaney as Meredith, and Tobin Moss as Dr. Parker are each perfect. Authenticity and great voices mark all three performances.
Rogers' sheriff is hilarious, Sean Mullaney's Rick is hyper and disturbing, again great voices, and so it goes with this stellar cast.
The music under the directorship of Walter Billy McCoy, is full, and rich.
Unfortunately the sound balance was off occasionally opening weekend, with the band drowning out the singers.
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