We sat down with SLAC all star Robert Scott Smith* (Close Encounters in the Beehive, Sleeping Giant, Saturday's Voyeur) to discuss his experience playing Bat Boy in our original production of the show, and now returning as the antagonist Dr. Parker this go-round. Hear all about it below, then click right here to schedule your tickets to this campy, can't-miss, musical spectacular!
How does it feel to be returning to Bat Boy: The Musical in a new role more than 20 years later?
I have to start by saying that Bat Boy, originally when we did it at SLAC, probably goes down as one of the best experiences I’ve had as a performer. It came at time in my life when I had just finished grad school and moved to New York. It was around 9/11, and I was having a really tough time navigating the new landscape of our profession. After spending so much time in school, New York just didn’t feel right. So, I came back to Salt Lake City, just to find myself again—as an artist, as a performer—and to really figure out who I was.
In the few years I spent in Salt Lake City, I started looking for opportunities to perform, and along came this casting call for Bat Boy. I was excited, not just by the script, but by the musical itself. It was new, original, and something that really spoke to my inner child—the playfulness in me that loves work that’s a little quirky. The darkness of it was really interesting to me. But one thing I realized going into it was that I was not a musical theater student. I didn’t really consider myself a musical theater actor at all. So, when I saw what was being asked of me, I knew I had to really step up. I had to put in a lot of work—more than I’d ever expected.
During the audition process, I worked hard. A really good friend of mine, a musical genius of sorts, helped me with the music and with my audition prep. I remember walking into that audition, and the energy in the room was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. This was also a time when, during callbacks, everyone auditioned in the same room—which I’m grateful we don’t do anymore! But at the time, that was how it worked. I remember stepping up to sing “Apology to a Cow,” taking a deep breath, and just going for it. Afterwards, Brenda Sue Cowley, who was in the original company, told me she had been watching from behind me. She said she saw my back expand as I took in all that air, and she knew in that moment: That role was meant for you.
That experience was a gift. Playing Bat Boy, being part of that production—it was truly a gift. That’s just a little setup for why Bat Boy had such a huge impact on me. At the time, there was this cohort of actors in Salt Lake City, and we were all finding our community. The Olympics had just come through, and the city was changing. It felt like the perfect moment to introduce something new, to bring this story to life. It felt like Bat Boy had been waiting for us to tell its story.
What was your favorite part about being involved in the previous production?
Rehearsals were incredible. John Caywood was directing, David Evanoff was our musical director, and together, they were such a dynamic duo. John had a way of directing that was insightful but hands-off—when he did give direction, it was always inspiring. And David was just an incredible human being, not only as a musician but as a performer himself. He had a real gift for bringing out the best in all of us and making this rock musical feel alive.
Now, coming back to this show, it doesn’t feel like I’m chasing the experience I had before. It’s been more than 20 years, and I’m a completely different person— both in my craft and my experience as a theater-maker. The last two decades have deeply impacted me and changed me completely. In many ways, stepping into this production feels like the first time all over again. I see it through a completely different lens.
It reminds me of people who get stuck in high school—you go to a reunion, and they’re still living in their glory days. But for me, coming back to Bat Boy isn’t about reliving the past. Yes, my experience in the first production was life- changing. It had a huge impact on the community, and the passion and love we put into it really resonated. At the time, playing Bat Boy felt like the ultimate role for me. But now, stepping into Dr. Parker—it just feels right. That’s where I belong now. I see this role through a completely new lens, and it feels just as impactful to me as an artist today as Bat Boy did back then.
I don’t look at this as trying to recreate something. This is a brand-new project. A new experience. And because I always value the work in front of me, I can put my focus on this moment rather than dwelling on the past. Sure, there’s always that little fear— “Will this live up to what it was before?”—but I know this will be an entirely different production. It will feel fresh and powerful. Even for people who saw it 20 years ago, it will be a new experience. They’ll recognize certain moments, but this will be something else entirely.
And stepping into a new role is thrilling. It’s such a great opportunity to view the show from a different perspective. I still have my original script from the first production, with all my old blocking and highlighted lines from playing Bat Boy. Looking through it now, as I prepare to play Dr. Parker, feels almost like checking out a library book—like finding a script someone else has marked up with their own character analysis. You get to see someone else’s notes and think, “Oh, maybe I’ll borrow this idea.” It’s fascinating.
Robert Scott Smith* as Bat Boy and Faith Sandberg as Shelley Parker 2003 Photo by Scott Peterson
What are fun or interesting memories from the previous production that stick out to you?
As for favorite memories from the first production—there are so many. I hate to bring this up because I don’t want it to be the memory, but we didn’t have understudies or swings at the time, so if you were sick, you still showed up. And it was winter, so of course, the cold season hit us. One of the first things that happened was that our Dr. Parker lost his voice. I remember our final dress rehearsal before our first audience—David Spencer, who played Dr. Parker, walked the track but didn’t sing. Instead, David Evanoff, our musical director, stood behind us with the band and sang the entire role. It was wild!
Then the cold kept spreading through the cast, knocking out more leads. Eventually, we had to cancel some performances because it was just impossible to do the show. On top of that, Salt Lake City got hit with one of the biggest snowstorms in recent history. I don’t know the exact numbers, but we had to cancel even more performances because of it. I think we lost about a week’s worth of shows in total.
But the moments I hold onto the most are the ones on stage. I’ll never forget the feeling during the finale. There’s a moment when the music swells, and everything comes together—I remember stepping onto that stage and feeling lifted. It was like a spiritual experience. It’s rare to have those moments in theater, but when they happen, they stick with you forever. And, of course, I loved performing “Apology to a Cow.” That number was such fantastic storytelling. I wish I could remember who built the cow’s head for us, but I loved that entire sequence. To this day, I still remember every detail of it.
What are you most looking forward to in the new production?
Looking ahead to this new production, I’m excited to see what I can bring to Dr. Parker from where I’m at today as an actor. It’s a challenging role—vocally, physically, and the choreography is even more intense than before. The caliber of talent I’m working with is incredible. There are new artists, people I haven’t worked with before, and that’s exciting.
Right now, we’re only a week into rehearsals, and I already feel challenged—but in the best way. That’s what I love about this art form: the opportunity to push myself, to work harder, to be better. Every day, I’m buzzing with excitement—about the show, about sharing it with the community, about stepping into the rehearsal room and asking, “What’s next? What story are we telling today?” It’s thrilling.
And I think audiences are going to see something new. Something they’ve never seen before. They’re going to experience an incredible ensemble, led by an amazing director and music director, with a design team that is going to transform the space. My hope is that when audiences walk in, they feel like they’ve been transported—into a cave, into a world where Bat Boy exists. And hopefully, they walk away with something—who knows what? Let’s find out.
Tickets and more information about our production of Bat Boy: The Musical are available right here.
Robert Scott Smith* as Bat Boy 2003 Photo by Scott Peterson
About Robert Scott Smith*:
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory, Associate Professor and Area Head of the BFA Actor Training Program at the University of Utah. As a professional actor, NYC credits include Kreutzer Sonata (United Solo Festival), Keeping Ishmael (Workshop); Pericles (SLANT); SLC acting credits include Close Encounters In The Beehive, Sleeping Giant (World Premiere), Saturday’s Voyeur, Climbing with Tigers, Rapture Blister Burn, Good People, Charm (World Premiere) and Bat Boy (Salt Lake Acting Company); Gold Mountain (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Murder On The Orient Express, Mary Stuart, The Crucible and Two Henrys (PTC); A Streetcar Named Desire, and Our Town (The Grand Theatre); and Ice Front (World Premiere), Kreutzer Sonata (World Premiere) and Bash (Plan-B). Film credits include AESOP (Episodic Series), Kill the Babysitter (UK FrightFest 2020), Jewtah, Wildlife (Official Selection Cannes Métrage Selection 2015) Blessing, and Animae.
- *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
