Off-B'way Review: Bat Boy The Musical; Oh Happy Day!

Two fantasy-based productions are currently running Off-Broadway, one darkly satirical, the other raucous yet reverential. The campy comedy is Bat Boy, New York City Center’s annual gala presentation, and the roof-raising and religious offering is Oh Happy Day! at the Public. Both have moments of joy, fun, and outrageous theatrical flair.

Taylor Trensch, Mary Faber, and
Christopher Sieber in Bat Boy The Musical.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Bat Boy opened Off-Broadway in 2001. It was one of many funny spoof-ical shows, satirizing pop culture and musical conventions. Inspired by a sensational tabloid story, Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming’s jokey book focuses on a bat-like youngster found in a West Virginia cave. A veterinarian’s family takes the boy in and attempts to assimilate him into their conservative community, but his natural blood lust, not to mention his vampirish appearance, causes issues. Like Little Shop of Horrors, Urinetown, Hairspray, Reefer Madness, and Book of Mormon, the goofy show takes a parodistic tone and Alex Timbers’ confident new staging combines a cartoonish viewpoint with slick professionalism.

Taylor Trensch, Alex Newell, and
Gabi Carrubba in Bat Boy The Musical.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Laurence O’Keefe’s songs still hit the bull’s-eye on their satiric targets, especially as staged by choreographer Connor Gallagher with a tip of the hat to Broadway tropes. The Sondheim-esque “Three Bedroom House” retains its driving energy, reminiscent of “Another Hundred People” from Company, delivered with humor and power by Kerry Butler as Meredith, Bat-Boy’s adoptive mother, and Gabi Carrubba as Shelley, his more than sisterly temporary sibling. (Butler originated the role of Shelley and has beautifully transitioned to the more mature role.)  “Show You a Thing or Two,” in which Edgar aka Bat Boy is given a crash course in history and culture, is a delightful tribute to Eliza Doolittle moments and Main Stem pizzazz, complete with a Chorus Line kick line, courtesy of Gallagher. “Children, Children,” a forest-set sexual fantasy with Edgar and Shelley teetering on the brink of sexual awakening, makes fun of Julie Taymor’s Lion King menagerie. The chorus is transformed into horny woodland creatures, led by a delightfully Dionysus-like Alex Newell as the God Pan. Jennifer Moeller’s crazy critter costumes are a hoot (as is David Korins’ Halloween-ish haunted-house set.)

Taylor Trensch, in ghoulish make-up by Suki Tsujimoto, skillfully performs Bat Boy’s animalistic body movements as well as conveying his sensitive soul, musically expressing his anguished conflict between sucking blood and belonging to civilized society. Christopher Sieber is hilariously torn as the vet rescuing the orphan, yet secretly scheming to destroy him. Andrew Durand, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Tom McGowan, and Jacob Ming-Trent also provide chuckles. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a transfer to a commercial run on or Off-Broadway.

Jordan E. Cooper’s Oh Happy Day! at the Public takes a more serious approach to its fantastic premise. It doesn’t go as hog wild into parody as Bat Boy. The characters are more realistically grounded even if their circumstances are based in fantasy. Cooper also places an outsider protagonist against a rigid community, but his premise is basically one note and he stretches it out to over two hours. There is some spectacular musical moments with Donald Lawrence’s original songs, precise direction from Stevie Walker-Webb, and powerful acting, but the show is too long by at least 30 minutes.

Latrice Pace, Sheléa Melody McDonald,
Tiffany Mann, and Jordan E. Cooper
in Oh Happy Day! Credit: Joan Marcus

Cooper whose previous Ain’t No Mo transferred from the Public to Broadway, stars as Keyshawn, an African-American gay hustler who has been murdered under mysterious circumstances, later to be revealed. In order to find salvation in the afterlife, God has tasked him with rescuing his estranged family from an oncoming flood of Biblical proportions. This dramatic action propels the plot and provides the conflict, spiced up with a chorus of three dynamic gospel-singing angels. The voice of God is delivered through Keyshawn’s family members. Cooper explores the rift between the African-American church-going and LGBTQ communities, giving equal dignity to each. He also examines questions of faith through the dialogues between Keyshawn and the various iterations of God. The only problem is the arguments are repetitive.

Cooper expressively limns Keyshawn’s tussle with divine forces, beginning with rage and struggling to find grace. Tamika Lawrence, Brian D. Coats, and Tamika Lawrence admirably juggle their dual roles of his contentious family and the sagacious deity. Tiffany Mann, Sheléa Melody McDonald, and Latrice Pace soar as the melodic heavenly messengers. Oh Happy Day! has plenty going for it, but it could stand some editing.

Bat Boy: The Musical: Oct. 29—Nov. 9. New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., Running time: two hours and 30 mins. including intermission. nycitycenter.org.

Oh Happy Day!: Oct. 15—Nov. 9. Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St., NYC. Running time: two hours and 10 mins. including intermission. public theater.org.