Story and Book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming

Story and Book by Keythe Farley
and Brian Flemming
Music and Lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe
Directed by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Music Direction by Jonathan Kupper
Choreography by Kysa Cohen
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists
The Studio
at Long Beach Playhouse
Our five-play Studio season is presented with the gracious assistance of cast, crew
and house volunteers. Long Beach Playhouse is financially supported through
ticket sales; memberships; funding and grants from foundations, corporations and
government programs; along with contributions of generous patrons like you.
Coming soon...
The Collaborative Series
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A note from Executive & Producing Artistic Director,
Andrew Vonderschmitt
Hello and welcome to the Playhouse. I wanted to take a
moment of your time to say thank you. Thank you for your
continued support of the Playhouse and thank you for
supporting the arts in general. As an artist I understand the
commitment and responsibility I have to you, the audience.
Art is not created in a vacuum. It takes an observer to finish
the formula. This particular art form, on this particular day
and time, in this particular venue, is for you, and you alone. I
honestly hope that you enjoy your visit with us and that you will
return soon.
I am always open to comment, complaint, compliment, concern, or just plain
conversation. How’s that for alliteration? Of course, I enjoy compliments over
complaints, but who doesn’t learn from input of any kind? A healthy dialogue with
you, the audience, is very important to me. I can be reached via email, snail-mail,
phone, fax, or you can drop by the Playhouse. However you choose to contact me
and tell me how I’m doing, I welcome it.
Thank you, once again, for your patronage. Enjoy the show.
Andrew Vonderschmitt
[email protected] • Office: 562-494-1014 ex 503
Cell: 714-390-2107 • Fax: 562-961-8616
5021 E. Anaheim St. LB, CA. 90804
Director’s Notes
Bat Boy: The Musical is not really a musical, not as the typical American art
form. It is a play with music, or more aptly put, it’s a Sci-Fi/Horror Story told
with song. But don’t let that fool you, the music tells a story, and is incredibly
diverse, beautiful, fun and complex. To say this is a bucket list show would
be putting it mildly. I absolutely love a good challenge, and this script has
challenged me since the first time I read it.
Based on a series of tabloid reports in The Weekly World News about a
“Bat Boy” that was found in a cave, who later ran for president, and even
saved a family of ducks, etc. this story is, at its heart, a story about love
and acceptance. Edgar may be a monster, but he is a boy who represents
us all. The people of Hope Falls may be backwards thinking, but they too
represent us all. Our villain is not really a villain, no matter how villainous,
our ingenue is not just another pretty face, and they all grow in the end, if
not survive.
I took my first direction directly from the text, “You are here not to laugh, but
to learn.” What can we learn? The answer has been too enormous for one
page. So I invite you to immerse yourself in the world of Hope Falls and that
little cave many miles to the south, and explore it for yourself. Who knows?
We might learn something.
-Andrew Vonderschmitt
The Setting
Hope Falls, West Virginia
A Cave Many Miles to the South
Present Day
Behind the Scenes
Stage Manager
Alex Shewchuk
Alex is thrilled to be working on such a unique and interesting show. This is
his 2nd time working as a Stage Manager at LBP. The last show he worked
on was Jesus Christ Superstar as the live mixing and Mic Board Operator.
He loves interesting musicals, theatre and being a part of such wonderful
group of talented actors. He currently attends LBCC where he is studying
theatre. He hopes to continue with his passion and is excited to see where it
takes him! To the cast and crew, break legs and keep hub-bubbing.
Behind the Scenes
Director
Andrew Vonderschmitt
Andrew is still looking for a better word than thrilled to describe his
feelings of directing this show. Past directorial credits include, Jesus Christ
Superstar, Avenue Q, Little Shop of Horrors, On The Verge, Picasso at the
Lapin Agile, Frankenstein in Love, To Kill a Mockingbird and Moon Over
Buffalo to name a few. He would like to take a moment to thank this hard
working and talented team for bringing to life this beautiful, horrifying show.
They have given so much of themselves to this process that my job has
been enriched beyond words. He lives in Long Beach with his wife, Martina,
unborn child, and two cats, Laura Rosalyn and Jack Benny. Enjoy the show.
Musical Director
Jonathan Kupper
Jonathan N. Kupper is pleased to serve as MD for BatBoy: the Musical,
his debut at LBP. He is a composer, pianist, and musical director whose
endeavors have taken him throughout the US and the world. As a composer,
he has received several awards and honors including: the American Prize
in music composition, the Pete Carpenter Fellowship from BMI, and a
commission-prize fellowship from the Tanglewood Music Center. He has
studied and received additional scholarships at: the Eastman School of
Music, New England Conservatory of Music, NYU, USC, the Oregon Bach
Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and Interlochen Center for the Arts. In
2010, his original opera, The Monkey’s Paw, was selected to be part of
Opera Vista’s festival of new opera in Houston, and was later produced in
Pittsburgh and New York. As a pianist, Mr. Kupper has toured throughout
the US and Italy, and has previously served as MD for: Back to Bachrach
and David, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, A Christmas Carol, OUR
TOWN: 75th Anniversary, Nuncrackers: the Nunsense Xmas Musical, and
Fiddler on the Roof. Contact him at: [email protected]
Choreographer
Kysa Cohen
Kysa returns with great pleasure to the LBP Studio as choreographer of
Bat Boy. She previously directed Play It Again, Sam and Earnest In Love
at LBP and has directed, musical directed, and choreographed all over
Orange and LA Counties. She has just retired from 41 years of teaching
the Arts and lives with her husband, director Gregory Cohen, and their two
dogs, Bethy and Lovey.
Fight Choreographer
Matt Franta
This is Matt’s third show at the Playhouse, having previously choreographed
violence for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Shakespeare’s R & J. He
holds a BA in Drama/Speech from Clarke University, and is a graduate of
the International Stunt School in Seattle. Matt is a member of the Society of
American Fight Directors, the International Order of the Sword & Pen, and
he teaches stage combat at Swordplay LA in Burbank. www.MattFranta.com
Behind the Scenes
Assistant SM
Set Design
Light Design
Costume Design
Makeup Design
Sound Design
Band- Piano
Band- Drums
Band- Bass
Prop Master/Designer
Board Operator
Live Sound Mixer
Costume Shop
Photography
Promotional Design
Meet
Jerica Bornstein
Naomi Kasahara
Donny Jackson
Donna Fritsche
Emilie Rose
Jessica Westerfield
Stephen Olear, Jonathan Kupper
Chris Arechiga
Nick Shewchuk
Larry Mura
Jesse Bosworth
Jerica Bornstein
Rosy Anselmo, Abertha Montgomery,
Rebecca Roth, Jill Soloway, Analidia
Lopez
Michael Hardy
Daisy Ramirez-Gutierrez
The Cast
Russell Malang (BATBOY/EDGAR)
Russell is very excited to be making his debut
performance in the Studio theater as Batboy.
Previous performances at LBP include Jesus
Christ Superstar and Fiddler on the Roof. Other
roles include Finch in How to Succeed in Business.
This is a dream come true. He is so honored and
blessed with such a talented cast and crew!
Graham Wojcik (RICK)
This is Graham's first show with LBP and he is very
pleased to be joining this very talented cast. Most of
Graham's experience has been in children's theater,
primarily with OCCT. He has enjoyed such roles as
Charlie Cowell in Music Man and Vince Fontaiine in
Grease. He also performs on the Millikan HS stage.
His latest role being Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of
Horrors. He would like to give a shout out to all of
his fellow actors from OCCT and Millikan.
Meet
The Cast
(in order of appearance)
Brianna Beller (RUTHIE)
Brianna is 16 years old and is currently a junior
at Trabuco Hills HS. She is excited to play the
part of Ruthie in this production of Bat Boy. This
is Brianna's second show at LBP, where she
played Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird. Other roles
include Alice in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Emily in
Legoland's Christmas Show, and Mary Poppins in
Mary Poppins Jr. She'd liked to give a big thanks to
her mother for being a good sport and driving her
around everywhere! #savethecows
Halley Hardy (RON/MAYOR MAGGIE)
Halley Hardy is excited to be involved with her
4th production here at the Playhouse! After
choreographing such shows as Spring Awakening,
Avenue Q, and Little Shop of Horrors, she is
making her first SoCal on-stage debut. She would
like to thank the cast and crew, her hometown of
Grangeville for the inspiration, and the support of
her new husband Mike #fullmarm
Austin Book (BUD/PAN)
Austin is thrilled to make his LBP and musical
debut in Bat Boy: The Musical. His previous work
includes: The White Rabbit in Alice: Curiouser and
Curiouser! (San Diego State University), Sigmund
Freud/Matthias in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
(SDSU), Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs (San
Ramon Valley) and Austin in The Big Funk (SRV).
Austin is studying Theatre at California State
University, Long Beach as a transfer Junior.
Courtney Duncan (SHELLEY PARKER)
Courtney (Cori) debuts at LBP in Bat Boy. She has
been acting for 17 years; her favorite roles include
Little Sally in Urinetown, Amy in Little Women &
Viola/Cesario in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Her TV credits include WHOA! & The Belmont
Shore Party. Courtney would like to thank her
vocal teachers Casey Solow & Aaron Schwartz for
always being there & her family for their support.
Meet
The Cast
(in order of appearance)
Phie Mura (MEREDITH PARKER)
Phie developed her love for musical theater
through watching her older sisters perform. She
is exceedingly grateful for the chance to work on
Bat Boy as it is such a unique blend of bizarre and
awesome, much like herself. Phie would like to
give special thanks to her mom, her sisters Katie,
Elizabeth, and Stephanie, and her brother-in-law
Steven, who has been quite like a sister to her- a
very manly sister indeed.
Sean Gray (DR. PARKER)
Sean graduated from CSULB with a BA Degree
in Performance and has worked at LBP for the
last seven years as the T.D. Some of his acting
credits include Noah Curry in the Rainmaker, Leon
Czolgosz in Assassins, The Dentist in Little Shop of
Horrors, and John Dickinson in 1776. Sean would
like to thank his loving friends and family. AJ, this
one’s for you!
Rick Reischman (SHERRIF)
Rick has been on the stage for over 20 years. This
marks his 4th performance at LBP. You may have
seen him here as Bob Cratchet in A Christmas
Carol, or maybe as a Bad Idea Bear in Avenue
Q. He was most recently seen in Rehearsal for
Murder as Lloyd at the Westminster Community
Theater. When he's not on stage, he enjoys
writing, producing, and starring in his own short
films. He encourages you to look them up on his
YouTube channel, Rick Reischman Productions.
LeVanna Atkinson-Williams (MRS. TAYLOR/
REV. HIGHTOWER/ROY)
LeVanna was most recently seen onstage during
the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival as "Effie" in the
World Premiere of Alien Vs. Musical. Favorite past
roles include Ella Hammer (Cradle Will Rock) and
Clytemnestra (Iphegenia: A Contemporary Event).
She is delighted to make her LBP debut in Bat Boy:
The Musical. Follow her bon mots on Twitter:
@LVSheWontStop #LoveYourBatBoy
BOARD OF DIRECTO
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Roxanne Patmor
Treasurer
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Vice President
Tony Diaz
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Artistic Director
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Emmett W. Fry, Bob Boyce, and the Cast, Crew and Design team for Bat Boy! Many
thanks.
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