FPC to find out the identity of Bat Boy

by  Tom Ahronian

Exchange Staff Writer

     The FPC production of "Bat Boy," based off of the original off Broadway musical, is set to begin on Tuesday April 18^th, at the Warehouse Theater.

     "Bat Boy" is a musical, comedy, a tragedy, a horror show and more. It was inspired by the "Bat Boy" stories the emerged over a decade ago in the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. The FPC production of "Bat Boy" is expected to follow the original off Broadway musical format.
    
     "It's very close to the original off Broadway musical set, score and script, but there are also things that make it our own production," said choreographer Wendy Dwyer. "Expect the unexpected."

     "Bat Boy" tells the tale of a half boy, half bat discovered deep in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia, and follows the boy's struggle to find his own place in the world. The lead role of Bat Boy is played by Roger Snell. Snell also played the lead role as the narrator in the FPC original Everything is going to have to be put back.

     "The role of Bat Boy is so much more demanding," Said Snell, "mostly because of the singing, the accent, and the funny teeth and ears." The musical also contains a love story, and some social commentary. The character which goes by "Bud," played by Sophomore Rocco Tripaldi, holds a deep hatred towards the main character.

     "The hatred is a fear, and the townspeople all fear the Bat Boy and everything he symbolizes," Said Tripaldi. "Their fear causes them to act like wild, crazy a stupid animal which is ironic, because that's what the Bat Boy symbolizes to them."
 
     "Bat Boy" is Tripaldi's first musical. "We stay pretty close to the script. Wendy Dwyer has done some truly original stuff with the choreography," he said.

     The cast and crew of "Bat Boy" have been rehearsing as much as five hours everyday. With shows running from Tuesday April 18^th through Sunday April 23^rd. The FPC production of "Bat Boy" features director Nancy Stone, music director Dorothy Yanish and set design by Richard Block. Also included in the cast are Catherine Joseph, Sterling Anderson, Joe Smith, Patrick Mcgranaghan and Dan Mason.

     The original “Bat Boy” off Broadway musical was written by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’keefe. It’s the product of a somewhat historic alliance between three play writers from Los Angeles and Weekly World News.