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Director Shirly Sacks has put on the only show that might compete with Rocky Horror for the most over the top theater performance of this season.
MetroJacksonville.com got the pleasure of previewing the show and was pleasantly surprised by the performance.
It is everything that one might expect from a musical based on a vampiric half bat boy discovered in the coal mines of West Virginia, as chronicled by Americas most outrageous supermarket tabloid.
However this production is so packed with vocal and dance talent (as well as Monty Pythonesque breaks into completely unexpected territory) that its an actually enjoyable romp with moments that cross back and forth between creepy, hilarious and scandalously titillating.
We predict audiences are going to LOVE Lee Hamby in his various roles as white trash matriarch, Tent Revivalist, and mulletwearing redneck.
The showstopping forest sex scene (complete with fantasy fur, cartoon animals, and an all-singing, all-dancing Pan ) we guarantee will be a total departure from the normal predictable community theatre of seasons past.
The production team has gone out their way to make the set among the coolest that has ever been designed for Batboy anywhere, and the cast (Josh Waller, Miranda Lawson, Staci Cobb, Bill Ratliff, Michael Lipp, Russell Hainline, Maya Adkins, Lee Hamby, Julian Goldhagen, Josh Cohen, Renee Freeman, Tracy Olin, Rachel Hineman, Sam Willis and Tyler Ross) is one of the strongest vocal ensembles in recent history.
Also look for stand out choreography from Niki Stokes, and Sam Willis. This is apparently the season for great dance and choreography and these two have done a brilliant job in keeping the stage movement engaging and lush.
gitmo batboy
Fantasy forest dance/sex scene. The Greek demigod Pan is your host!
For more info on batboy, check out the wikipedia page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Boy:_The_Musical
For reservations and info for Players By The Sea check out their website at:
http://www.playersbythesea.org/Press/PressReleaseBatBoyTheMusical.htm
For more about The Weekly World News, check out the wikipedia entree
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekly_World_News
Stephen Dare
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graphicstation
July 14, 2007, 10:39:51 AMBat Boy - Not your typical Musical - fun, surprising with fantastic actors and outstanding vocals - possible Player's best musical yet (except perhaps for Pirates of Penzance) but worthy an award of its own!
stephendare
July 14, 2007, 11:02:51 AMI agree, graphic.
Did you see it last night?
stephendare
July 16, 2007, 02:12:26 PMgoing to see the show for the review on friday night!