Ok, so I just got home, and I just have to say that “Bat Boy” was awesome! The staging of this musical was very well-done. My boyfriend and I very much enjoyed the “Children, Children” sequence, especially when the whale came out. So freaking funny! Overall, it was a hilarious and absolutely fantastic portrayal of the tragedy that was Bat Boy. (Loved every minute.)
We arrived to the News Journal Center about twenty-five minutes before the show began and were surprised at the availability of parking in the lot. In fact, when we actually took our seats in the theater, he and I both noted that less than half of the seats were full. And of course with my luck, by the time the first act had ended many more people had arrived. I was quite irritated. In fact, lots of them insisted on shuffling in front of me to find a seat. I must note, also, that I did see two members of my class, both of whom were very late.
Then came the intermission! The same people who were late also decided to get up during the intermission, and four of them were obese, which was very awkward. My boyfriend and I discussed the musical briefly, but our conversation soon steered toward getting Starbucks after the show if it wasn’t too late.
Another thing that I found particularly annoying was the number of people returning to the theater after the second act began. Among those I noticed were the previously mentioned obese people and one of my classmates (who didn’t come back for quite a while after the act started).
There was a very good audience response to the musical. We laughed when the action was funny, and we applauded at the end of every number. During the opening number of the second act, “A Joyful Noise,” many audience members started clapping along with the beat. That is one of, if not my number one, pet peeves when attending a live production. I played piccolo in a symphony in my hometown, so I know how bothersome it is. People don’t understand that if they clap when they hear the beat, the sound waves take a split second to reach the musicians, and it throws them off.
And I must sum it all up:
My fellow audience members were rather disrespectful to those who were punctual, as well as the players. Perhaps I have dwelled on it too much?
But audience aside, I absolutely loved “Bat Boy” and had an amazing time!
Image:
Bat Boy the Musical. Web. 31 Mar 2011. <http://www.conradaskland.com/blog/2007/11/bat-boy-the-musical/>.
