This weekend I saw the last presentation of Bat Boy: The Musical at the Carrollwood Playhouse in Tampa, FL. Being an avid reader of Weekly World News, I've been a Bat Boy fan since he was "discovered" in 1992. Now, thanks to the performers at the Carrollwood Playhouse, I was able to learn the true story behind the life and times of the most famous half-bat, half-boy this side of Batman.
First, a bit of a disclaimer. Bat Boy: The Musical was my first ever musical. Correction, my first voluntarily-attended musical. I went on a school trip to see West Side Story in 7th grade. In all honestly, I didn't really know what to expect. But after reading a really good review by a fellow Tampa blogger, I figured I would take a chance and try something new.
It was a really good decision.
Although only generally influenced by the Weekly World News character, Bat Boy: The Musical follows the story of the Bat Boy from his discovery in a West Virginia cave to his "civilization" to his public revealing to his love, his loss, and then to his epic conflict in the final scene (sorry, no spoiler!). As the story unfolded, I saw a lot of different influences in the Bat Boy musical. The story was part Edward Scissorhands, part Tommy, part Romeo and Juliet, and part Frankenstein, with Simpsons-esque cultural commentary peppered throughout. As a fan of those influences, the Bat Boy story was right up my alley. It is definitely a story I would see again.
As for the performance itself, I thought everyone involved did an amazing job. The performers put on an excellent show and each scene and song was great and kept the story moving. The music, the lighting, and the background were also all well-done. When it was over, I hardly believed I was there for two hours.
Overall, I had a great time. There is no doubt if any of their other performances are anything like Bat Boy: The Musical, I am definitely making a return visit to the Carrollwood Playhouse.
For a review with pictures of the performance, go check out My Tampa Life.
Here is another in-depth review from a fellow Tampa writer.
