Sara Deutscher

Last week, as I watched the State University Theatre rehearse Bat Boy: The Musical, it didn’t take me long to figure out that this was definitely no My Fair Lady.

I’m sure that everyone has come across the freaky face of Bat Boy in the checkout lane of your local grocery store at some point. Now he has his very own rock opera.

Bat Boy is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, W. Va., and taken to live with Dr. Parker, a veterinarian, and his family. Eventually, the family accepts the creature and teaches him to become civilized. Meanwhile, Shelley, the daughter, falls in love with Bat Boy. After Dr. Parker’s wife, Meredith, reveals a dark secret about Bat Boy, the citizens of Hope Falls turn on him. Shelley and Bat Boy must struggle for their bizarre love.

Between scenes, Nolan Hayes, who plays Bat Boy, showed off his disturbingly realistic fangs and described how physically-demanding his role is. Until he transforms into Edgar, the civilized Bat Boy, he has to move like a half-bat half-boy, including hanging from the bars of a cage. He also spoke on behalf of the cast when he said how excited everyone is about doing something “different.”

Director J.D. Ackman explained that Bat Boy is not a traditional musical.

“It has the basic elements of the classic boy-meets-girl love story, but, in this case, the boy is half-bat.”

He found Bat Boy appealing because it contains tragedy, horror, comedy and rock music.

Bat Boy: The Musical runs October 26 through 28 at 8 p.m., and the 29 at 2 p.m. in Doner Auditorium. Tickets are free with a student ID, and in case you were wondering, that is Nolan’s face on the posters.