Encores! 2026 Update? — Page 5

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 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

Elizabeth Teeter as Shelley?

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.

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).

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

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

Taylor Trensch is Bat Boy

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

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.

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 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.

As I said, there have been a number of actors who played Bat Boy, and I’m guessing that most of them had their own take on the character. One production I saw had Bat Boy come in initially as something like Chris Kattan’s Mr. Peepers character on SNL. It was hilarious, but I’m not sure if Taylor Trench has that kind of extreme physicality in his bag of tricks. It will be interesting to see which way he takes the character.