BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
Story & Book by Keythe Farley & Brian Flemming
Music & Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe
Directed by Billy Ensley

January 8 – 24, 2009.

Based on a story in the Weekly World News, BAT BOY is a heartwarming musical comedy/horror about a half-boy/half-bat creature discovered in West Virginia. After being befriended by the Parker family and taught to be a “normal” boy, Bat Boy is betrayed by the townspeople and learns the truth about his unholy origin.

MEET THE  PLAYWRIGHTS

Keythe Farley is a graduate of UCLA and is an active member of the Actors' Gang and Evidence Room theatre companies. Keythe has written for, produced and/or voice-directed episodes of "Rugrats", "As Told By Ginger" and "The Wild Thornberries" for Klasky/ Csupo Inc. Keythe is also the co-author of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL (with Brian Flemming and Laurence O'Keefe) which is the recipient of the 2001 Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Off-Broadway Musical.

Brian Flemming was born and raised in San Fernando Valley and studied English at UC Irvine. A member of the Actors' Gang, Brian got his start as a script reader for New Line Cinema and is currently an indie film director. Brian is also the co-author of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL (with Keythe Farley and Laurence O'Keefe) which is the recipient of the 2001 Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Off-Broadway Musical.

Laurence O'Keefe has had more than sixty productions of BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL produced nationwide. Larry wrote music and lyrics for Bat Boy, which began at the Actors' Gang in Los Angeles, won two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, was a hit Off-Broadway, and won the Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics' Circle Awards for Best Musical. Bat Boy went to England and the West End.

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MEET THE DIRECTORS

Billy Ensley directs and performs regionally and returns to ATC where he is excited to direct the ATC revival of BAT BOY. The original production opened in January 2004 and received numerous awards, including Metrolina Theatre Association’s Best Musical, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, and Creative Loafing Magazine’s Best Musical, Best Director, Best Choreography and Best Supporting Actor. Billy is enjoying working with many of the original cast members, as well as the exciting and talented new cast members joining the production for the revival. Billy also directed and played the title role in ATC’s HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH. Other local productions he has directed include SWEET CHARITY, EVITA, OLIVER!, and NUNSENSE. Recently, Billy played the role of Katurian in ATC’s THE PILLOWMAN and was honored to receive Best Actor awards from both the Metrolina Theatre Association and Creative Loafing.  Other shows he has performed in for ATC include VISITING MR. GREEN, PIAFF and YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY. Billy has received Charlotte Magazine’s “Best of the Best” award for performance, Creative Loafing’s “Entertainer of the Year” for his role as Hedwig and has twice received Creative Loafing’s “Actor of the Year” in 2001 and 2007. Billy will be directing the hit zombie musical EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL for ATC in June 2009. Some of the theatres Billy has performed and/or directed for include The Opera House Theatre Company, The Blowing Rock Stage Company, Opera Carolina, The Children’s Theatre, CPCC Summer Theatre, Busch Gardens, Spirit Square & Theatre Charlotte.

Marty Gregory (Music Director) teaches choral music at Sun Valley High School in Monroe and is the Music Director for Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Charlotte.  She has received three nominations for Creative Loafing Theatre awards for Music Director of a Musical Production (Actor's Theatre of Charlotte productions TICK, TICK…BOOM!, THE METHOD TO MY MADNESS, and JOHNNY GUITAR).  Three-time MTA nominee for Outstanding Music Director of a Musical Production (Actor's Theatre of Charlotte productions TICK, TICK…BOOM!, JOHNNY GUITAR, and THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL), Marty has also music-directed shows for Queen City Theatre Company, Collaborative Arts Theatre, Epic Arts Repertory Theatre, Queens University, Theatre Charlotte, and BareBones Theatre, as well as Sun Valley High School.  She composed and recorded incidental music for the Actor's Theatre of Charlotte production INTIMATE APPAREL.  Marty is a published songwriter, published hymnodist, and accomplished improvisationalist.

MEET THE CAST

Dennis Delamar (Dr. Parker) is a 25-year veteran Charlotte actor. Delamar toured nationally with JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT in 2006. For ATC he portrayed Dr. Parker in our 2004 production of BAT BOY, also Father in VIOLET and Dr. Dysart in EQUUS. As an actor he has also appeared with Charlotte Rep, Opera Carolina, Charlotte Symphony, CPCC Summer Theatre, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Ohio’s Porthouse Theatre, Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre, ECU Summer Theatre, and Theatre Charlotte. As a Charlotte director, his productions at ATC include RABBIT HOLE, THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, THE PILLOWMAN, I AM MY OWN WIFE, THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, PIAF, FLAMING GUNS OF THE PURPLE SAGE, and ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS. "Thanks, Billy, for the opportunity to practice creepy veterinary medicine again. So nice to be back on stage and in such great company."

Jon Parker Douglas (Bat Boy) is delighted and eternally grateful to be returning to Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte after his debut as Dan Berg in SLUT! Previous Charlotte theatrical experience includes Captain Hook/Mr. Darling in PETER PAN at Children’s Theatre, 42^nd STREET with CPCC Summer Theatre, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST with Charlotte Summer Theatre. Jon graduated from UNCG with a BFA in Acting this past May where he performed in such roles as Bobby Strong in URINETOWN, Pilate in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Jerry in TALES OF THE LOST FORMICANS, Anthony in SWEENEY TODD, and Gail in OUR LADY OF 121^st STREET. Other regional theatre experience includes BROTHER WOLF, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, and MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION at Triad Stage, VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM and CAROLINA JACK’S LAST ADVENTURE with Theatre 232, and PLAID TIDINGS with the Open Space Café Theatre. I love you Mom, this one’s for you!

Jes Dugger (Shellie Parker) graduated from Catawba College where she received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. Her favorite show credits include A NEW BRAIN (Nancy D.), THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO (Bette), SWEENEY TODD (Prostitute #2), AS YOU LIKE IT (Charles/Audrey), I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE (Woman #1), and DIE MOMMIE DIE! (Edith). Jes is thrilled to be working with such talented people here at Actors Theatre, and would like to send love and thanks to her amazing parents, Cindy and Kathy, for their endless support

Liz Hyde (Meredith Parker) is thrilled to be back home to revisit this fabulously bizarre show! In the 5 years since the first BATBOY, Liz has been performing steadily as the Iowa Housewife in MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL, both here in Charlotte and around the country, including New York, Maine, Alaska and Hawaii. Last year, Liz was here on the ATC stage as Bad Ass Betty in THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK. Also seen here in the show, VIOLET, she is now a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. A native of Gastonia, Liz has worked with Carolina Voices, Opera Carolina and the jazz vocal ensemble, Impromptu for many years. She sends all her love to husband, Marc, and her appreciation to Billy and this awesome cast and crew!

Corey Mitchell (Rev. Billy Hightower/Mother Taylor) is excited about returning to Actor’s Theatre to reprise the roles he had so much fun performing in Bat Boy five years ago. He is currently in his eight year teaching theatre at Northwest School of the Arts, was the 2008 recipient of the North Carolina Theatre Conference Outstanding Theatre Educator and Best Director for Having Our Say from the Metrolina Theatre Association. Some of his favorite past roles include Hysterium- A FUNNY THING HAPPENED…FORUM, Daddy- SWEET CHARITY, Simon- JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Old Deuteronomy- CATS and Sancho Panza- MAN OF LA MANCHA.

Candace Neal (Ron/ Maggie/ Bud) is thrilled to partake in her second production here at Actor's Theatre. A recent graduate of Catawba College, Candace is glad to be back in Charlotte after two glorious summers in Lake Dillon, Colorado where she performed in shows such as CHICAGO (Velma Kelly) I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE (Woman #2), and GYPSY (Louise). Other theatre credits include THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (Princess Puffer), HELLO DOLLY! (Dolly), and SWEENEY TODD (Mrs. Lovett). She hopes you'll check her YouTube page (http://youtube.com/user/stikobutta) where she is using the Internet as a vehicle for fame. She is forever grateful to her parents Hal and Linda, and sister, Taylor for their undying support.

Chaz Pofahl (Rick) is thrilled to be making his Actor's Theatre debut in this awesomely weird show.

The last year was busy for Chaz, who performed with Children's Theatre (THE B.F.G., MACBETH), Barebones Theatre Group (DEBBIE DOES DALLAS), and Collaborative Arts (ROMEO & JULIET, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING). Most recently Chaz was seen marrying his beautiful bride, Greta, at The Art House in NoDa.

Patrick Ratchford (Sheriff/Pan) is pleased to return to the BAT BOY family after appearing with the original cast in 2004. His performance earned a nod from Creative Loafing as “Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.” Other ATC productions include PIAF (Jacques/Multiple Roles) and VIOLET (Monty).

No stranger to area stages, Patrick has been seen in a variety of roles including EVITA (Che), WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (Nick), THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Jamey), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Capt. Von Trapp) and most recently, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (Frank Butler). Patrick is proud to have worked locally with Actors Theatre, Central Piedmont Summer Theatre, Theatre Charlotte, Charlotte Rep, Opera Carolina and Barebones Theatre and has received multiple awards from Metrolina Theatre Association, Creative Loafing and Charlotte Magazine. Enjoy the show…and hold your Bat Boy!

Lisa Smith (Ruthie) is happy to be back at ATC, last appearing as the agoraphobic housewife, Jeanne Garstecki in THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. This past year Lisa appeared as Jo March in the musical version of LITTLE WOMEN; in the revue CLOSER THAN EVER at Spirit Square; and as Percy Talbott in the award winning musical THE SPITFIRE GRILL.

Favorite past Charlotte roles include Kate in KISS ME KATE; Sally Bowles in CABARET; Ilona in SHE LOVES ME; and Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA. Love to her sweet parents and wonderful friends who make each day so much fun.

PERFORMANCE CALENDAR