The occasional sound of bats flying overhead is heard during the pre-show for the San Diego premiere of Bat Boy: The Musical. Billed as a musical comedy/horror show, it is truly a send-up of the 1950s horror films and much more. Dr. Rick Simas directs this Off Broadway hit of 2001 for San Diego State University's theater. Bat Boy, sired by a bat and a human, lived in a cave until his teens. He is discovered by the three trailer-trash teens (Kevin Maldarelli, Kelsey Vener, and Omri Schein) of Mrs. Taylor (Jamie Kalama). Sheriff Reynolds (Kelly Baldwin) brings Bat Boy to veterinarian Dr. Thomas Parker (Jay Cranford). Parker's wife, Meredith (Ryan Beattie), and daughter, Shelley (Nicole Werner), adopt him. The town folks and ranchers from the mountain community of Hope Falls, West Virginia ( Elizabeth Bourus, Heather Paton, Carolyn Correia, Johamy Morales, Juston Harlin, Brandon Maier, and Joseph Almohara), however, are intent on getting rid of this abomination. Laurence O'Keefe's music and lyrics can trace their heritage from rock operas such as Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, and Tommy to gospel and rap. There's even an operatic plot twist. The choreography of Alison Bretches also offers a wide range of styles, making Bat Boy: The Musical a truly fun-tastic musical romp. Jakko Maltis, playing Bat Boy, moves his character's vocabulary from simple monotone beeps (ala bat) to an excellent Transylvanian accent. He loves Dracula movies on the tube. Alas, being a bat, he also never loses his thirst for blood. A delightful performance. Nicole Werner (Shelly) is exuberant, first in her teen love for her trailer-trash boyfriend and, then, for her compassionate love for Bat Boy. Some of her finest moments are when she is reacting. You can almost read the thoughts of her character. She also has a very good singing voice, which is true of the whole, professional- sounding cast. Jay Cranford's Dr. Parker is totally off the wall. This is a camp show with everybody over the top quite regularly, Cranford even more than the others. Omri Schein, who plays two roles, burns white hot as Reverend Billy Bob Brimstone. He rocks, he rolls, he praises, he's full of damnation, he has the house swinging and swaying. Loren Schreiber's highly adaptable set includes a complete wagon-mounted living room, representational cave, woods, slaughterhouse, town hall, and tiny hospital room. His miniature of the slaughter house is amusing, too. Lighting Designer Brian Shevelenko creates many moods within each location, helped by three follow-spots. Sound Designer Ben Jezowski includes a myriad of effects enhancing every scene. Costumer Naomi Spinak brings forth a vastly varied set of costumes, even including animal skins that convert into something that could have been on the costume racks of The Rocky Horror Show. Bat Boy pokes fun at just about everything from rock opera to opera, from musicals to horror films. It is full of laughter, of the folks in white hats and the scum in black hats. Act II is full of surprises, including an hilarious sex scene. Even the video students shine; they offer a film/video that looks like an old 8 millimeter home film, complete with scratches and skipped frames. A nice multi-disciplinary touch to this uproarious musical.
