Encores! 2026 Update?- Page 5

[kurtal]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:28am

Regarding Bat Boy's commercial aspirations...

The show was wildly critical successful when it opened off Broadway in March 2001.  It won the Lortel and the Outer Critics Circle Award that year.  There was definitely a lot of chatter that it would transfer to Broadway.  And then 9/11 happened and no one knew what to do with a satirical show with a bizarre premise.  I watched audiences evaporate, not just because of the subject matter but because it was at the Union Square Theatre (RIP), so a bit too far downtown for comfort.

Add to that Urinetown opening on Broadway that September, taking up the dark comedy slot for the season.  So the show ultimately closed in December with a bit of a whimper and some strong "what could have been" energy.

Three years later, the show opened on the West End and bombed.  I (weirdly and coincidentally -- I promise I'm not a stalker) happened to live around the corner from the Shaftesbury Theatre during its run, and British audiences and critics just didn't know what to do with it.  The humor didn't translate.  The quirky little off Broadway show was swallowed up by a 1400 seat theatre.  It closed in a few months, essentially killing any remaining Broadway aspirations.

In 2014, O'Keefe and team brought the show to Harvard as a way to keep working on in with clear aspirations of a return to NYC.  (https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-dance/2014/11/11/bat-boy-goes-harvard/wzazxBsvChRexhKdKgFitO/story.html). While nothing materialized then, it's clear that O'Keefe has a bit of unfinished business with the show.

Over the years, the show has built a really strong cult following.  It's a favorite of colleges across the country.  It's smart and funny and has an excellent score.  

And here we are now.  I am very cautiously optimistic about this.  I love this show with all my heart.  I think it can work in a commercial run.  I do think a commercial off-Broadway run in the current Little Shop mold (or NWS I guess) is a better idea than trying to make it work on Broadway, but we'll see. 

Whatever happens, I'm glad the show is getting a shot at new life and a return to the NYC stage.  And I'm glad I'll get to see it again!

[Back Row]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:30am

I was checking out Wikipedia to refresh my memory of Batboy, and I was surprised at the amount of talent attached to the original off Broadway production. Kerry Butler and Sean McCourt in the cast, as well as Kaitlin Hopkins (who soon went on to establish the musical theatre program at Texas State). Christopher Gattelli was the choreographer, and Alex Lacamoire played keyboards. The Boston production, which was extended a number of times and ran for several months, included Miguel Cervantes (Hamilton) and Sarah Chase (The Great Gatsby) as Edgar and Shelley. 
 

I remember it being a fun show with a great score, with plenty of opportunities for the supporting cast to ham it up to the max. Looking forward to seeing the casting choices. 

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:51am

Bat Boy

 

give us a Laura Benanti Meredith.

She would understand the humor SO well and bring so much to the table.

 

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:57am

tomorrowBIGLITES said: "Bat Boy



give us a Laura Benanti Meredith.

She would understand the humor SO well and bring so much to the table.

"

this is a good idea, especially when it will have at most a run of two weeks 

Updated On: 6/11/25 at 11:57 AM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 12:00pm

some great people have been doing the readings.  Expecting many of those Broadway names to end up at City Center.

[Back Row]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 12:12pm

Elizabeth Teeter as Shelley?

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 12:14pm

nmartin said: "" I think everyone complaining about Billy Porter should re-watch this trailer from the Sam Pinkelton production at Pasadena Playhouse... there is no way in hell Porter could be worse"

Preach it, sister! I saw that thing."

There is a difference between a gay show and a queer show and that Pasadena production just didn't quite understand that. Cheyenne Jackson was great, though!

[Huss417]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 2:21pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Two of the funniest things I’ve ever seen live were the original productions of “Bat Boy” and “Urinetown” and seeing how Encores sucked every ounce of joy from “Urinetown” a few months ago, I’m just praying they don’t do that again."

I hope they prove us wrong as far as Bat Boy.

It seems odd to me to have this as the show for the gala. The article mentioned new orchestrations but I'm assuming this will not be taking advantage of the full orchestra but at max maybe 10 musicians and that even seems like a lot.

Curious to see how this show flies. No pun.

[Back Row]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 7:04pm

It’s been a long time since Bat Boy was produced in New York.  Perhaps people will remember it in it’s revised form: Dear Evan Hansen.

[Yessica Haircut]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 8:10pm

Huss417 said: "I hope they prove us wrong as far as Bat Boy.

It seems odd to me to have this as the show for the gala. The article mentioned new orchestrations but I'm assuming this will not be taking advantage of the full orchestra but at max maybe 10 musicians and that even seems like a lot."

I was just thinking about this recently. Don't get me wrong, I have been wanting for a major Bat Boy revival ever since I was a teenager playing the original cast album on my iPod on repeat, but it's such a quirky show that it just...feels like it would be better suited as an Encores production; I guess it's more of an aesthetic thing, if that makes sense. Honestly, La Cage aux Folles feels more Gala-quality (I get that the timing of this upcoming production lines up with Pride Month, but still).

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing a professional production of Bat Boy. Honestly, with the right team and the right theatre, I could see that show doing well on Broadway. I'm curious about casting as well; if you had asked me about a decade ago, I would have probably said Jeremy Jordan as Edgar, but now...maybe a Jeremy Jordan type? Also, if he could handle the score, Rainn Wilson could be a great Dr. Taylor (I liked him as Cladwell, but the whole time I couldn't help but picture him as a hypothetical Dr. Taylor in a hypothetical Bat Boy production).

[singer234]

Posted: 6/12/25 at 11:19am

The Wild Party is one of my all time favorite scores. So excited for this. I'd love for Megan Hilty to reprise Queenie from her Carnegie Mellon days. Could also see someone like Alex Brightman as Burrs, Ari Stachel or Jordan Donica as Black, Adrienne Warren as Kate...she's a little young but even throw Nicole Scherzinger in there as Dolores. You could cast this thing a million ways to Sunday.

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/12/25 at 11:46am

David Dastmalchian would also be a great Doctor in Bat Boy if they wanted a cult film and TV star cameo.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/12/25 at 11:55am

I would love to see Amber Iman as Kate in Wild Party.

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 6/12/25 at 12:46pm

Has anyone ever noticed how much the plot of Bat Boy bares resemblance to Edward Scissorhands?

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/12/25 at 12:48pm

I assumed that's one of the many many stock "outsider in love" storylines the musical is deliberately parodying and referencing.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 12:14pm

Taylor Trensch is Bat Boy

[Kad]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 12:19pm

That's great casting.

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 1:09pm

I’d love to see Kerry Butler move up to the mom role!

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 3:17pm

thirtythirtyninety said: "I’d love to see Kerry Butler move up to the mom role

I mean, Encores would be fools to not consider this idea. People would freak out

[Ke3]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 6:57pm

Vanessa Williams was originally set to play Queenie in the LaChiusa Wild Party and there was going to be a whiteface element to compliment the blackface of Burrs. He's said before that he wishes they had still been able to explore that element after she had to leave the production. So I would love a Black Queenie but he also said that in 2001. Who knows if he still feels that way or if anybody involved in this production cares!

Random but if Vanessa Williams hadn't dropped out I'm like 98% certain that The Wild Party and Marie Christine would've made Michael John LaChiusa the first (and only?) composer to have two shows starring Black women on Broadway at the same time. But of course having two shows on Broadway at the same time is already really rare so this isn't a hard stat to claim lol.

[CJRochester]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 7:18pm

KevinKlawitter said: "Taylor Trensch is Bat Boy"

This would make me want to see the show. Congrats Taylor! 

[kurtal]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 10:32pm

I love Taylor's casting.  I had a feeling it would be an Evan Hansen.  I'm glad it's this one.

Keeping my fingers crossed for Kerry to appear as Meredith.

Dream Dr. Parker?  Paul Alexander Nolan, please.

A Deven May cameo as Pan would be a coup...but he lives in Vegas now and I think is retired from performing, so seems unlikely.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 10:42pm

I've heard another DEAR EVAN HANSEN alum is being linked to the role of Edgar.

[Back Row]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 11:07pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "I've heard another DEAR EVAN HANSEN alum is being linked to the role of Edgar."

Edgar is the name for the Bat Boy character. 
 

The show has been around so long in regional and school productions, I’m guessing that the list of current or recent Broadway performers who at one time played Edgar is pretty long, including Jonathan Groff and Miguel Cervantes. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 11:09pm

Back Row said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "I've heard another DEAR EVAN HANSEN alum is being linked to the role of Edgar."

Edgar is the name for the Bat Boy character.


The show has been around so long in regional and school productions, I’m guessing that the list of current or recent Broadway performers who at one time played Edgar is pretty long, including Jonathan Groff and Miguel Cervantes."

Ah... silly mistake.

 I was hearing Gaten Matarazzo.