October 8 - November 1

Bat Boy, The Musical

Perfect for spooky season, Bat Boy: The Musical is a darkly comic tale that blends horror, humor, and heart.

The Space

The Main Stage

More details on the space » 

More about the show

Based on a 1992 Weekly World News story, this off Broadway smash follows a half-boy, half-bat creature discovered in a cave, embarking on a thrilling exploration of love, acceptance and identity. With a rock-infused score and a campy, macabre vibe, Bat Boy delivers just the right amount of spooky fun, making it the perfect Halloween treat for those craving something uniquely eerie and unforgettable.

Bat Boy: The Musical
Story and Book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming
Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe

Creative Team

story & book by
KEYTHE FARLEY and BRIAN FLEMMING

Music and Lyrics by LAURENCE O’KEEFE

directed by
ERNIE NOLAN

music director
TY TUTTLE

 

scenic designer
LINDSAY MUMMERT

costume designer
STRIPES WILSON

lighting designer
DANNY LAWRENCE

sound designer
DAISY MELTON

stage manager
LACEY WILLIS

Performers

Ben Auxier

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Coming soon…

Christopher Barksdale

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MTH: Cabaret (Emcee) La Cage aux Folles(Jacob) CATS (Gus/Ensemble Camelot (Choreographer) Broadway: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ensemble) National Tour: Will Rogers Follies (Indian of the Dawn/Wrangler) Regional: LA Opera,Candide (Candide) Unicorn Theater: La Cage aux Folles (Jacob) The Ritz (Claude Perkins) The Arts Asylum/This Happy Breed: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) Black Repertory Theater of Kansas City (Five Guys,Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sarafina, The Coterie Theater: The Wiz (The Lion), Once On This Island (Papa Ge) He was a dancer with the Kansas City Ballet for 21 years and he has worked in theaters around the world and throughout the United States as a singer, dancer and choreographer. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Ballet at UMKC and teaches at Miller Marley School of Dance and Voice Christopher is excited to be back at MTH and working with the fabulous crew and cast. CHEERS!

Laurie Box

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Laurie is excited for an MTH debut. Regional: Ave Q (Kate/Lucy), Cabaret(Sally), Les Mis (Cosette & Eponine), All Shook Up (Natalie), Hairspray (Penny), Oliver (Nancy), First Date (Woman 1), Oklahoma (Ens/DC). Laurie has toured overseas and all over the
United States in tours such as Memphis, Girl’s Night, Late Night Catechism. Was a proud New Yorker for over 15 years but now resides in the home of the Chiefs. CCM and Circle in the Square graduate. Much love to D, Avi, and lil man. Proud mama of a rambunctious 4 year old.

Mary-Kate Griffin

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MTH: Bubbles & Broadway 2026. Select Regional and Local: Legally Blonde (New Theatre & Restaurant), RENT (KC Melting Pot Theatre/The White Theatre), West Side Story (The White Theatre). Mary-Kate holds dual BA degrees in Music (Voice) and Psychology from UMKC.

Taylor Jennings

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TAYLOR JENNINGS is a Kansas City native and University of Central Missouri alumni. MTH CREDITS: Maureen in RENT, Featured vocalist in Musical Monday and Tuesday: Tony Awards, Musical Monday and Tuesday: We Will Rock You. OTHER CREDITS: Cheryl in Evil Dead the Musical (Egads! Theater), Martha in Spring Awakening (Home Grown Theater Company), Ulla in The Producers (Slightly Off-Broadway Theater). Taylor is also a vocalist and emcee for Patrick Lentz Entertainment (The Patrick Lentz Band and KC FLO). She was also the rock band singer for Sweet Emoceans and featured vocalist for America Rocks onboard The Carnival Ecstasy 2019-2020. @tay.ann.jenn

Bryson Kendall

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Bryson Kendall MTH: Little Women (Laurie), Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie/US Sky), Brigadoon (Charlie), Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble/Jesus US/Judas US) REGIONAL: RENT (Mark Cohen), Ride the Cyclone (Mischa), COMMUNITY: Anastasia (Dimitry), Footloose (Ren McComack), The SpongeBob Musical (SpongeBob). He would love to thank his friends and family for all of their support! Instagram: bryson__kendall

Jessalyn Kincaid

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JESSALYN KINCAID (Meredith) MTH: Rent (dir.), Little Women, Secret Garden (dir.), Song & Dance (dir.), Company, 1776, Spectacular Christmas, The Fantasticks. Jessalyn has been a staple on KC stages for over 25 years, including turns at KC Rep, New Theatre, The Coterie, Unicorn Theatre, KC Actors Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, Quality Hill Playhouse, and Chestnut Fine Arts Center. When not onstage, Jessalyn is the Director of Development & Audience Engagement here at MTH, and spends her free time with the love of her life, Tim, in their best roles to date, parents to 8-year-old Bella.

Lucas Lowry

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LUCAS LOWRY (RICK) is stoked to be returning to MTH! Recent Credits include: Legally Blonde, Elvis & Elton, and Newsies (New Theatre); Milking Christmas (The Living Room); and Finding Nemo TYA, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and A Charlie Brown Christmas (The Coterie). Treat people with kindness. “No Pare Sigue Sigue!” Represented by Moxie Talent Agency. (Corinthians 13:4-8) IG: lucas_styles_lowry

T. Eric Morris

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T. Eric Morris (Dr. Thomas Parker) MTH: Moby Dick: A Sea Shanty, It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play, The Producers, Forever Plaid, Company, Ragtime, Oklahoma, Funny Girl, The Who’s Tommy, She Loves Me. Select Regional: Between The Lines, A Christmas Carol (KC Rep); The Comedy of Errors (St. Louis Rep); Pete the Cat (The Coterie); Chicago, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (McCleod Playhouse). Film: Nelly Don: The Musical. He holds a BFA in Musical Theater from the Webster University Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts.

Aidan Sarmiento

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Aidan Sarmiento (U/S Bat Boy, Dr. Parker, Sheriff, Rick ) MTH: The Fantasticks. Local: Songs for a New World (Summit Theatre Group); Cabaret (Faust Media); Go Outside: An Infrastructure Musical (Heartland Arts). He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and a BA in Music from Drake University.

Emily Shackelford

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MTH: Guys & Dolls, Song & Dance, Cats, 1776, Kiss Me Kate Off Broadway: Lucky Duck Select Regional: Sweeney Todd (Portland Center Stage); Life Sucks (Cygnet Theater); Indecent, (DC Arena Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, KCRep); The Wolves (Syracuse Stage); Between the Lines, Last Days of Summer, Sweeney Todd, Man In Love, A Christmas Carol (2016, 2017), Evita, Stillwater, The Fantasticks, HAIR: Retrospection, The Foreigner, Cabaret (Kansas City Repertory Theater). She holds a BFA in Theatre from Stephens College. Emily is a director and choreographer and currently serves as the Artistic Operations Manager at MTH. Instagram: @emilyareti.

Douglass Walker

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Performance credits include: Music Theater Heritage: The Wiz, Guys and Dolls, The Christmas Spectacular, STEVIE, In The Heights, Porgy and Bess, Ruby Room Series-For The Culture, Ruby Room Series- Songs Sung Blue, Ruby Room Series- Let’s Get It On, Ruby Room Series- That’s What Friends Are For, R & H Unplugged, In the Heights; KC Melting Pot Theatre: The Amen Corner; The Coterie Theatre: Alice’s Wonderland; Spinning Tree Theatre: Caroline or Change, Billy Elliot, Once On This Island; The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City: 5 Guys Named Moe (2016 & 2026), A Soldier’s Play, Memphis (2018), OTHELLO: A Hip-Hop Remix; The Black Repertory Theatre/The White Theatre at the J:Memphis (2022); Lead to Read/Read for 15 Reading Rally- host/emcee (2023 – 2026); Santa Claus.

Musicians

Ty Tuttle

Piano/MD

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Ty Tuttle is a KC based pianist and musical theatre coach. He recently received his Master’s degree in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Recent credits: Secret Garden, Titanic, Jump and Jive (MTH), Ordinary Days (Krannert Center for the Performing Arts), Mamma Mia! (Central Illinois Stage Co.), and Gianni Schicchi (Eastern Illinois University).

Charlie Betzelberger

Drums

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MTH: Bat Boy (debut) Local: Once Upon a One More Time (MTKC), The Wedding Singer (MTKC Pro) Songs For a New World (MTKC Pro), Evil Dead the Musical (Padgett Productions), The Little Mermaid (White Theater). Charlie has a BM in Percussion Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and performs and teaches regularly in the Kansas City Area.

Cindy Egger

Guitar

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Cindy Egger (Guitarist) MTH: Rent, Hair, Godspell. National Tours (PNC Broadway Series): Back to the Future, The Tina Turner Musical, MJ. Local: The Color Purple, Fun Home, Between the Lines (KC Rep); Newsies, Spamalot, School of Rock (Starlight Theatre); The Brightness of Life, Sondheim on Sondheim, The Sound of Music, West Side Story (Lyric Opera of KC); Legally Blonde, Elvis and Elton, Jersey Boys, Nunsense, Newsies (New Theatre). She holds a BM (Coe College) and MM (UMKC Conservatory of Music) in Classical Guitar Performance. She has been the guitarist/music director at Saint Andrew Christian Church since 1991.

Kassie Ferrero

Bass

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Kassie Ferrero MTH: Bassist for Jesus Christ Superstar (2026), Brigadoon (2026), A Ruby Room Christmas (2025), CATS (2025), La Cage Aux Folles (2024), A Chorus Line (2023), R&H Unplugged (2023), and The Secret Garden (2023).