The spirits of late Jerry Manning and the late Andrea Allen must be doing high-five. “Lizard Boy,” the indie rock musical they so lovingly nurtured, had its world premiere at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Of course, it opened on April Fools’ Day.
Directed by Brandon Ivie, the musical runs 90 minutes without intermission. We don’t need one: Ivie weaves three actors with a seamless fluidity.
Like a comic book fantasy, “Lizard Boy” unfolds with a hodgepodge flurry of pop culture potpourri, going all the way back to the Greeks — from Homer’s hero Odysseus, who survived the siren’s song, to the current comic book superheroes who defeat the villains to save the day. Add the Highlander’s “there-can be-only-one” destiny, X-Men powers and flying dragons reminiscent of the Bad Witch’s airborne fleet in “The Wizard of Oz.” Oh, did I mention the coming-of-age storyline?
Somehow, it all comes together.
Fitting in
The backstory: Mount St. Helens erupts. Out of the ashes arises a dragon that attacks a schoolyard full of children, spewing blood into a boy, which, in turn, develops into green scales.
Twenty years later, this part boy/part lizard has become a tragic hero who only goes out in public once a year, during the annual Monsterfest, a masquerade extravaganza at Seattle’s famed Crocodile. That’s the one time he fits in, garnering accolades for his costume.
The other 364 days and nights, he lives in solitude in his Seattle digs, where he plays his cello and writes songs. And if we read between the lines, he longs to be loved.
The stage is a disarray of trunks, wooden boxes and a pair of cowboy boots. Behind the clutter is a small stage area, and stage left is an upright piano. Other musical instruments are scattered about the set. By the end of the show, they will all be played — even the kazoo.
Written, composed and acted by cellist/singer/actor/composer Justin Huertas, the story is witty, intelligent and oddly touching. And the songs — an assortment of solos, duets and trios — are interspersed to advance the action.
Huertas stars as lonely, gay Trevor; Kirsten deLohr Helland, as foxy and deadly Siren; and William A. Williams, as dorky Cary. All three are enormously talented: They act, sing and play instruments.
Their performances are flawless, as is their comedic timing. The direction is masterful, while the lighting (including strobes) and projections of familiar comic book images on the back wall enhance the ambience.
This trio of musicians — all of them misfits — come together to wrestle with their demons. Meanwhile, Dragon Day approaches.
In skin-tight, sleek, red-fuchsia perfection, Siren has a body that would make Aphrodite jealous and a hidden agenda that would make Ceres proud. Opposite is hopelessly dorky Cary, looking ridiculous and vulnerable in his tight, white undies with red horizontal stripes. But the pièce de résistance? A boyish-man covered in green lizard scales — actually green dots that the costume designer asks us to imagine as scales. If he believes it, so can we.
It’s difficult enough to get a date, but nigh on impossible when you’re covered with scales. That is the plight of the hero in “Lizard Boy.”
The two men connect through Grindr, the worldwide gay mobile app. (The show could easily be called, “When Trevor met Cary.”) Eventually, after some hilariously awkward repartee, the duo heads to the Crocodile to see the singer Siren, who turns out to be the woman haunting Trevor’s dreams. Since he’s always in costume, he commands Cary to put on one as well. Cary has one choice: He dresses as a giant baby with a pacifier and blue jammies.
The immediate reaction here might be that this production is only about gay relationships, but that would be a mistake. A more thoughtful reaction would be that this musical as a metaphor for anyone who has ever felt different, been left out or alienated from the cliques in society. The shy, the ethnic, the nerd, the chubbies, the scarred, the motor moron…I could go on.
Who knows how close to Broadway this musical fantasy will land? But in a perfect world, Huertas’ talent will lead him to the stars.
Just one little quibble: The action leading up to the battle needs tightening — it droned on a tad too long before climaxing.
Deserving of a standing O
In Seattle, standing ovations are a dime a dozen. But, in this instance, “Lizard Boy” deserves its ovation. I, too, rose, sending a silent thank you to Allen and Manning.
To quote Pulitzer Prize winner James Alan McPherson, “I think that love must be the ability to suspend one’s intelligence for the sake of something. At the basis of love therefore must live imagination.”
This same approach should be embraced when watching “Lizard Boy”: If you cannot do so, you will be lost. If you can, you will be delighted.
“Lizard Boy” runs at Seattle Repertory Theatre (155 Mercer St.) through May 2. For ticket information, call (206) 443-2222 or go online to www.seattlerep.org.