Bat Boy: The Musical

Hope Falls, West Virginia, is atwitter with news that one of the Taylor children has been attacked by something neither fully animal nor human. Fortunately the Taylors have captured the creature, which is now in the custody of the town veterinarian. The doctor's wife takes pity on the half-bat, half-human thing. She names him and begins teaching him about Christian morals and the importance of education. But the people are skeeved out, and become more agitated when their cattle start dying in strange ways. The Laurence O'Keefe, Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming show Bat Boy: The Musical, draws inspiration from a Weekly World News tabloid story and deals with our fears of the other, as well as our twin addictions of hypocrisy and violence. Stray Dog Theatre closes its current season with the off-kilter musical. Performances take place at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday (August 4 to 20) and 8 p.m. Wednesday (August 10 to 17) at Tower Grove Abbey (2336 Tennessee Avenue; www.straydogtheatre.org). Tickets are $20 to $25.