Musical Review
AMERICAN STATESMAN
NAUGHTY AUSTIN GIVES WINGS TO 'BAT
BOY'
A lot of theater-types will tell you that the American
musical is dead. And while that isn't exactly true, it's arguable
that the musical has fallen victim to the same disease that afflicts
two-thirds of the American public: obesity. Musicals have
gotten fat, weighed down by bloated scores and dense books. One
of the chunkiest clunkers to come along in a while is 2001's "Bat
Boy The Musical," Laurence O'Keefe, Keythe Farley and
Brian Fleming's ripped-from-the-tabloid-headlines tuner.
A second rate "Tommy," really.
Despite the show's considerable cellulite, director Blake
Yelavich has turned Naughty Austin's mounting of the show
into a svelte, engaging piece of theater.
"Bat
Boy" is the sensational story of a boy-bat hybrid
discovered in the mountains of West Virginia. He is
taken to live with a doctor's family, the Parkers, on whom
he has a profound, if initially inexplicable, effect. As
time passes, Bat Boy morphs from a cave-dwelling beast
into a proper English-sounding chap.
For his production,Yelavich assembled a team of top-tier Austin
talent. Music director Dennis Whitehead can be
credited with salvaging the more derivative offerings from the score. From
the opening number, in which the company begs, "Hold me Bat Boy/Touch
me Bat Boy/Love me Bat Boy/Save me Bat Boy" ("See
me. Feel me. Touch me. Heal me," anyone?), and
through the finale, Whitehead added some much-needed
punch.
The
performances were all worthy, with a few particular
standouts. Playing the ragingly pubescent Shelley Parker, Larissa
Wolcott presented a Clorox-clean depiction of adolescent
agitation. As her mother, Toni Smith (who looked
too young for the role) sang beautifully when the songs fell
in her range. Supporting player Kirk German, who shifted nicely
among several roles (both in and out of drag), demonstrated
the most vocal control of the men. And in the title
role, Tyler Rhodes was heartbreaking. His earnest handling of
the lines and high vocal register forged a tragic
portrait of lost innocence.
Arts
on Real, 2826 Real Street, $22, 472-2787
— Tommy O'Malley for the American Statesman
Tyler Rhodes And Toni Smith
"A Home For You"
a
a
|
 Bryan
Schneider, Gregg Wiggans,
Larissa Wolcott, Tyler Rhodes,
and Aicardo Rivera
"Children Children"
|
Toni Smith and Tyler Rhodes
"Show You A Thing Or Two" |
 Tyler
Rhodes and Larissa Wolcott
"Inside Your Heart" |
 Aicardo
Rivera, Dan Wood (hidden), Fred Lugo,
Emily Bem, Kirk German, Tonya Hunter (hidden),
and Gregg Wiggans
"Another Dead Cow "
|
 Larissa
Wolcott, Tonya Hunter, Bryan Schneider, Aicardo Rivera,
Dan Wood, Grady Basler, and (on chairs) Tyler Rhodes
and Toni Smith
"Joyful Noise" |
 Larissa
Wolcott and Tyler Rhodes
"Inside Your Heart" |
 Back:
Aicardo Rivera, Bryan Schneider, and Gregg Wiggans,
Front: Larissa Wolcott and Tyler Rhodes
"Children Children" |
Click Here To Read The BATBOY review
in the Austin Chronicle
