With the super-market tabloid premise of the discovery of a “Half-boy, Half-bat”, Bat Boy, The Musical comes to Anderson Theatre on February 17. This 2001 pop-rock musical written by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe, is directed by Amy Seham and runs February 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 at 8:00 p.m. and February 19 and 26 at 2:00 p.m. in Anderson Theatre on the Gustavus Adolphus College campus.
Found in the cave outside a small southern town and taken in by a local middle-class family, the bat-boy is the object of wonder, as well as abuse and suspicion, as the news of his discovery spreads throughout the town. At the same time, the boy discovers what it means to be different. The story darkens with the mysterious deaths of local cattle and townspeople, providing the justification to point the finger of suspicion at the one who is “different.” A mob assembles and forces him and the family to flee.
With tuneful ballads and wacky humor, Bat Boy sharply satirizes society’s love/hate with anyone or anything it sees as different or threatening. As the creature gains some local celebrity, others scheme to do away with him in their twisted vision of “Christian charity.” The audience accompanies the bat-boy’s bizarre and emotional adventures of conflict and misunderstanding as he searches for acceptance, meaning and love in his life, and the community begins to struggle with its own little secrets, its bigotry and intolerance.
Tickets for Bat Boy: The Musical, go on sale February 1 at the Gustavus Ticket Center and can be reserved by calling 507-933-7590. Two matinee performances are scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on February 19 and 26. All other performances, February 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25, begin at 8:00 p.m.
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