Something's batty in Boston

It's 3:00 p.m. and the last audience members are finding their seats at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts. The small, intimate black box style theater is completely sold out despite the fact that it is a rainy Sunday afternoon.

As the lights fade to black, we hear the dripping sounds of a deep cave and voices coming out of the darkness. The only light comes from the headlamps of three spelunking teenagers, dangling from ropes. While the three teens discuss the cave and light up a celebratory stogie, a very scantily clad shadowy figure flashes by in the background, frightening the young hoodlums. Who is this mysterious figure? Is it naked? Will our young crusaders escape with their lives?

Thus begins the SpeakEasy Stage Company's production of Bat Boy: The Musical, a hilarious show that is surprisingly not about an adolescent caped crusader. Rather, it is a story based on a series of tabloid articles about a half-man, half-bat found in a cave "many miles to the south" of the small town of Hope Falls.

The play begins as the local Sheriff takes the bat child to the home of Dr. Thomas Parker, the local vet, after it was captured by the teens in the opening scene. His wife answers the door and immediately takes a liking to the screeching pointy eared youngster. The two form a bond, which is almost shattered when Dr. Parker returns and is appalled to discover the vile bat kid in his home. Meredith only barely convinces him to spare the creature's life.

Bat Boy is then taken in by the Parkers, and their lovely nubile young daughter Shelley, who is very keen on having a new pet. However, Shelley has a young punk boyfriend named Rick _ one of the rambunctious young hooligans from the opening scene_ and the brother of a girl bitten by Bat Boy.

Meredith takes it upon herself to educate the creature, and transforms him into a mild-mannered well dressed bat gentleman, complete with a foppish English accent. Bat Boy, now educated, wants to see the world, and develops some sexy tension with Shelley. Of course by now there is an angry mob out to get him, since he is different and all, and that is where Bat Boy: the Musical begins to delve into plot territory that would give away the surprise ending. But one thing's for sure _ there are enough plot twists to rival any daytime soap.

Now, of course, all this crazy action happens amidst one of the best musical

soundtracks that not many people have heard. But they should. The rock opera songs are all catchy, touching, emotional and upbeat. You could say that Bat Boy is like Rent meets the Creature from the Black Lagoon. But you would be wrong. Bat Boy is a creature all its own.

The songs are performed by an amazingly talented and energetic cast that contains no weak links and give Bat Boy a vibrant liveliness that is extremely catchy. Miguel Cervantes (insert obscure joke referencing the Renaissance Spanish novelist here) is charming and charismatic as Bat Boy, transforming from a frightened howling beast, into a delightful young man, with a hell of a voice. While his performance seems effortless, he explained the difficulty in the role to audience members after the show: "Its not as easy as it looks. You have to keep working at it." He went on to discuss long method acting sessions spent alone in a cave with a dead rat.

Michael Mendiola is great as the chillingly wicked Dr. Parker, who is able to belt out his songs with a Broadway bravado. Austin Lesch, who looks enough like James Cagney to amuse to more elderly members of the audience, was wonderful as violently passionate Rick and was double cast as a female member of the town, along with several other actors. In a brilliant comedic directing move, all the actors who played more than one character appear in scenes featuring both of their characters, incorporating hilarious costume changing results.

The set is sparse, including merely a cage for Bat Boy, some furniture for the Parker's house, a couple trees in the forest, but creative use of such objects combined with the raw energy of the ensemble help bring the show to life. There are even funny signs letting the audience know what is going on ("Bat Boy gets girl", etc.)

By the time the curtain call rolls around, we have laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed Bat Boy. But the show is not purely superficial. For one thing, we are reminded not to treat people badly just because they are half bat and were found in a cave. While Bat Boy is comic and entertaining, it is also about recognizing that we are all different, but we contain some animal in us, our 'Id' according to Freud. More importantly, we are all just striving for a little "comfort and joy" out of life. This can only be brought about through understanding.

So go see Bat Boy and remember, there is a little Bat Boy inside us all. "Love your Bat Boy!"

'Bat Boy' plays at the Boston Center of the Performing Arts from Oct. 4-26.

More information and tickets can be obtained by calling 617-426-ARTS