Last week, as I watched the State University Theatre rehearse Bat Boy: The Musical, it didn’t take me long to figure out that this was definitely no My Fair Lady.

I’m sure that everyone has come across the freaky face of Bat Boy in the checkout lane of your local grocery store at some point. Now he has his very own rock opera.

Bat Boy is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, W. Va., and taken to live with Dr. Parker, a veterinarian, and his family. Eventually, the family accepts the creature and teaches him to become civilized. Meanwhile, Shelley, the daughter, falls in love with Bat Boy. After Dr. Parker’s wife, Meredith, reveals a dark secret about Bat Boy, the citizens of Hope Falls turn on him. Shelley and Bat Boy must struggle for their bizarre love.

Between scenes, Nolan Hayes, who plays Bat Boy, showed off his disturbingly realistic fangs and described how physically-demanding his role is. Until he transforms into Edgar, the civilized Bat Boy, he has to move like a half-bat half-boy, including hanging from the bars of a cage. He also spoke on behalf of the cast when he said how excited everyone is about doing something “different.”

Director J.D. Ackman explained that Bat Boy is not a traditional musical.

“It has the basic elements of the classic boy-meets-girl love story, but, in this case, the boy is half-bat.”

He found Bat Boy appealing because it contains tragedy, horror, comedy and rock music.

Bat Boy: The Musical runs October 26 through 28 at 8 p.m., and the 29 at 2 p.m. in Doner Auditorium. Tickets are free with a student ID, and in case you were wondering, that is Nolan’s face on the posters.

The dance minor is back this semester with a variety of courses for everyone interested in movement.

Technique classes include tap, ballet, modern and jazz, while other classes include Dance Fundamentals, Choreography and Composition, Dance for the Musical Theatre, Multicultural Dance and Creative Movement for Kids.

Melissa Hauschild-Mork, the sole instructor of classes for the minor, explains that the program is connected with dance primarily as a performance art. She wants her students to gain an “understanding of dance as an art form and its relationship to the other arts.”

This philosophy will become a reality with the Harvey Dunn Project, a collaboration of visual art, poetry, music, theatre and dance. Mork approaches the project as a “focus on the content, style, and textures of Harvey Dunn’s Feminine Images with the inclusion of interpretation of his work through poetry” by Darla Bielfeldt. This fusion of the arts to create a live performance is an exceptional opportunity for South Dakota audiences and will debut at the 2006 South Dakota Theatre Festival at SDSU.

This isn’t the first time dancers have had the opportunity for artistic collaboration. In September, Mork performed with a group of students at the South Dakota Art Museum. Unannounced, the dancers took inspiration from the artwork of Signe Stewart and began performing by improvisation. Those attending the gallery exhibit were surprised and delighted to watch such artistic expression happening right before them.

SDSU is the only university in the state that has a dance minor, and Mork has created a program that fosters fresh artistic perspectives as well as providing an opportunity for physical fitness.

#1.884960:4172814915.jpg:dancer01_cw.jpg::