Last year's Off-Broadway seems to have made its way a couple states north to Boston's SpeakEasy Stage Company. The Massachusetts venue known for its staging of Boston premieres boasts four of 2001's OB shows for its 12th season, namely Bat Boy: The Musical, A Class Act, The Shape of Things and Rude Entertainment.
Starting off the season, Oct. 4-26, will be Laurence O'Keefe's Bat Boy: The Musical inspired by a Weekly World News story. Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming wrote the book for the 2001 Lucille Lortel Award winner for Outstanding Musical when it played at OB's Union Square Theatre under the direction of Scott Schwartz.
The Edward Kleban tribute A Class Act which donned the Manhattan Theatre Club stage before transferring to Broadway will play Jan. 24-Feb. 15 at the SpeakEasy. The musical biography by Linda Kline and its director-star Lonny Price pieced together the songs and the life of the Tony Award-winning lyricist for A Chorus Line.
Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things, which starred Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd and Gretchen Mol in its OB run, will play Boston March 7-29. The play which takes the Pygmalion plot to extremes in a very LaBute manner played at the Promenade Theatre under the direction of the playwright.
Lastly, Rude Entertainment by Paul Rudnick (Jeffrey, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told) will play the MA stage June 6-28. The Drama Department presented this trio of one-acts under the direction of Christopher Ashley last year. For subscriptions, tickets or information on the SpeakEasy, 539 Tremont Street in Boston, MA, call the box office at (617) 437-7731. Visit them online at www.speakeasystage.com.
