Review: BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL, USD Department Of Theatre

The Department of Theatre at University of South Dakota's production of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL was a huge surprise in its production values of camp, shock, deep empathy, and grief.  Sure, there were some comedic lines to break the tension of some gruesome depictions of violence, and visual absurdities (the forest scene of an inter-species orgy) - hilarious!   Ultimately, the driving message of this production was also played out in “spades,” because “inclusion” is not just a buzzword of the new millennium, sadly, mob justice will be wrought out in whatever means necessary, and “being an outsider” can elicit searing pain to the human experience. 

The music in BAT BOY is aggressive, diverse, and an intricate body of work for a young cast, but the solos were all solid and sometimes so lyrically beautiful, that they seemed too pretty for the subject matter at hand. The ensemble sound was at its finest in the final moments, when story, emotion, and the dramatic climax of the weirdest storyline I have ever seen on stage played to its tragic end. The warnings of the grisly aspects of this show were pretty clear, on digital screens in the lobby and in various printed materials, but still, the shock of these moments was played out in such a way to bring flinches and gasps to this reviewer, followed by nervous laughter.  In all these aspects, Stage Director Mickey Morstad “delivered the goods”.

It must be acknowledged that Jamie Lennon was a “crazy good” Bat Boy. His physical transformation from creepy and  feral to indubitably sophisticated is a masterful study in the steps of adding multiple dimensions and layers to a characterization.  His vocal abilities were brilliant in both his spoken and musical expressions. 

Kaelie Vondra as Meredith Parker has the most bizarre backstory and yet, plays the eternally optimistic, caring, and passionate advocate for Bat Boy with an overly earnest interest. The revelations in Act Two bring her life experience to a head-shaking conclusion. Kaeli’s vocal contributions to this production are a lyrical and expressive delight in a story that can feel pretty creepy at times.  She brings the loving acceptance and possibility of humanity to Bat Boy in a gentle and kindly manner.

Zach Lopez as Dr. Parker, a Veterinarian with avoidant abuse issues in his marriage, has the smooth vocal tones of a crooner, so his villainous tendencies are a surprising contrast to his public persona. The revelations of his sordid past with Meredith are at best, bizarre.  He portrays all of these facets of personality with passion and purpose.

Vivian Klein as Shelley Parker, the vapid teenager turned staunch advocate and ultimately loving champion of Bat Boy has the hardest part in that the transitions for her do not seem to have the scripted nuances for all of those changes. Her vocal abilities are strong and she presents an energetic, passionate presence on stage. 

The supporting cast presents a myriad of characters in some masterful strokes of lightning-fast hair and costume changes.  Most notable musically, were the vocal riffs and solo work of Meg Cook. Her abilities in a variety of ranges were soulful and delivered some impressive moments in the group numbers.  The timing and presentation of some much-needed comic relief was expertly delivered by this ensemble of the various townspeople of Hope Falls, West Virginia. 

This production had some really nice technical effects, and the silhouetted characters and images portraying the narrated story revelations in the final moments of this production were beautifully done.  The choices in furniture on set were not quite on the mark.  There are so many options for acquiring mid-century modern pieces now, that a 1960s sofa would have really added to the authenticity of the presentation.  

USD Theatre has delivered a really interesting if not truly bizarre piece of musical theatre to the Vermillion audience in BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL. There were lots of great afterthoughts expressed and tension-relieving laughter on the way home from this show.

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