Bat Boy: The Musical tells the story of a half-bat, half-man creature found in a cave and his adoption into a small town by the name of Hope Falls. Throughout Act One, Bat Boy is adopted by the Parker family (Shelly, the daughter; Meridith, the mother; and Dr. Parker, the father) and is raised to start acting like a “normal” human being.
As Bat Boy, later renamed Edgar, becomes more civilized, a major problem arises: his need for blood. This along with his failing marriage causes Dr. Parker to start a killing spree which he blames Edgar for.
In Act Two, as the town finally starts accepting Edgar for who he is, Dr. Parker is able to convince the townsfolk that Edgar is responsible for the murders, causing Edgar to run away and go on a cow-killing rampage.
In the end, after his rampage, Edgar gets cornered by Dr. Parker and the townsfolk. Edgar is able to push Dr. Parker to his wit’s end, which results in Dr. Parker taking his own life. The sight of blood makes Edgar burst onto him resulting in the death of him and Meridith after she tried to intervene.
Gabriel Sanchez ‘29 leads this show expertly with his lively performance as The Bat Boy. Whether it was his impressive high notes or even more impressive backflips, his talent always let him take center stage and win the crowd over.
London Perez ‘28 was able to capture the complexity of Dr. Parker perfectly. His amazing acting and singing allowed for true insight of not only the madman he had become but the truly innocent insecure boy he was at heart.
Tucker Rowland ‘28 gives a winning turn as comedic relief, Sheriff Reynolds. His line delivery mixed with his stage presence always had the audience laughing. Lily Miranda and Alj Betancourt gave their characters a unique energy and flavor which only strengthened this show’s amazing cast.
Daniel Fernadez ‘28, a Hannon theater alum and Bat Boy: The Musical audience member thought the show was very enjoyable. “Bat Boy was an experience I will never forget. It always kept me on edge, and I never was sure what would happen next, which was only reassured by the dramatic ending.”
While most might see the musical as a blood bath with a few funny jokes mixed in, the production also taught valuable lessons about self acceptance and deviation from social norms. Director Carolyn Guido-Clifford often spoke about how important it is to be your true self and felt like this was the perfect show to share this message.
Cyril Rodriguez ‘29, a cast member on this show, stated that “Bat Boy means so much to me, and no, it isn’t because the songs are good or the jokes make me laugh every time, but it’s because it teaches us all a valuable lesson: you should be who you are, not how others want you to be. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know how hard it is to feel like others don’t support you or are pressuring you into being someone who you aren’t. I believe this show is able to teach everyone in the audience to embrace who they truly are and live life as themselves, not someone else.”
Throughout Guido-Clifford’s first year here, she has been able to bring stories that are meaningful to the community and teach important morals. Next year’s shows, The Tempest and Spongebob: The Musical, are certain to do the same.
