BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL, through Dec. 38, Salt Lake Acting Company, 178 W. 500 North (363-7522, 355-2787). Running time: two hours, 30 minutes (one intermission).
This is not your mother's Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. It's more in the vein (pun intended) of "Little Shop of Horrors" or "Sweeney Todd" (on a good-hair day).
It's also fun, funky and a bit surreal around the edges.
SLAC put together the best possible team for this way off-the-wall musical comedy. Director John Caywood has a well-proven track record for edgy comedy — and the edges on this one are razor sharp.
The 10-member cast is probably the best ever assembled for a SLAC production. Most play multiple characters, rapidly switching costumes and gender.
The concept was literally ripped from the Weekly World News' tabloid headlines by collaborators Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming and composer-lyricist Laurence O'Keefe.
Three teenage siblings, exploring a West Virginia cave, corner a frightened half-bat, half-boy. The discovery quickly changes life in the small town of Hope Falls.
Bat Boy is left at the home of the Parkers — veterinarian Thomas, his wife Meredith and their daughter Shelley. Mom's home-schooling of the pointy-eared creature pays off. In barely 15 minutes and two songs, Bat Boy is changed from a whimpering animal to speaking flawless English (thanks to BBC language tapes). He earns a diploma and creates quite a stir.
The townfolk are up in arms. Cattle are dropping dead, and there's fear that Bat Boy may disrupt the upcoming social event of the year — Rev. Hightower's tent revival.
Robert Scott Smith's Bat Boy is a sympathetic character who despite gruesome eating habits teaches the town a lot about love and acceptance.
Polly Seale and David Spencer are both terrific as the Parkers, with Faith Sandberg also perfectly cast as their daughter. The rest of the ensemble, too, is packed with talent and boundless energy. Jason Tatom is a major presence in several roles — especially the cantankerous Mrs. Taylor and the hellfire-and-damnation preacher.
For what is essentially a "rock musical," the tunes are not obnoxiously loud. The score is a pleasant mix of soft-rock, gospel and some tender ballads — all nicely backed up by David Evanoff's five-piece band.
Keven Myhre's set (utilizing cage-style boxes in a variety of configurations), Brenda Van der Weil's costumes, Cynthia Fleming's choreography, James M. Craig's lighting and Cynthia L. Kehr's sound are all effective and well done.
Sensitivity rating: Staged violence, some graphic fake bloodshed, some simulated sexual movement.
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