Photos by Benjamin Rose Photography.
‘Lizard Boy’ – Book, music, and lyrics by Justin Huertas. Directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox; Music Direction by Violet Wang; Scenic Design by Qingan Zhang; Sound Design by Sean Doyle; Costume Design by Zoë Sundra, Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage at the Calderwood Pavilion. Through Nov. 22.
By Mike Hoban
There are any number of musicals that examine the hardships of not fitting in − from the 1960s Rankin-Bass television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Nose Reindeer to Wicked to Bat Boy: The Musical. The challenges of “being different” and the struggle to be accepted can be compelling fodder for any storytelling vehicle, and SpeakEasy’s delightfully silly but poignant Lizard Boy is no exception.
The opening number, the hilarious “And He Dies At The End,” sets up the comic book-inspired tone for the show, before we meet Trevor, aka Lizard Boy (Keiji Ishiguri). His moniker is the result of a traumatic childhood incident, when his skin turned green as a result of being splattered with the blood of a dragon that was being slain by the army on the playground of his elementary school. (Remember, it’s comic book-inspired).
Trevor awakens with a start from a nap in his apartment, where he has been visited by a “scary blonde covered in blood”, who frequently haunts his dreams. It’s a special day: Monsterfest, which celebrates Trevor’s traumatic childhood experience with a Halloween-like celebration with people dressed as dragons in the city streets. Ironically, it’s also the only day of the year that he feels comfortable going out into the world, because his green hue is taken for a costume, and he finally “fits in”. As he tries to get up the courage to find a date for Monsterfest by posting his profile on a dating app, he struggles with the negative self-talk in his head − no one wants a Lizard Boy. “STOP IT! Spider-Man wouldn’t give up before making his Grindr profile,” he tells himself, and he’s soon on his way to meet his date, Cary (Peter DiMaggio), and the adventure begins. Along the way, he’ll learn about love and self-acceptance, meet a singer named Siren (a devilishly alluring Chelsie Nectow), the “girl of his dreams/nightmares”, and maybe save the world.
Lizard Boy plays like a musical version of an episode of Pee Wee’s Playhouse, with a distinct fringe theater vibe (the show ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022 before debuting Off Broadway in 2023). The indie rock musical numbers that drive the show and provide much of the backstory and inner thoughts of the characters are quirky and fun, with some real standouts, including the aforementioned “And He Dies At The End,” “The Woah Song,” and Siren’s solo number, “A Terrible Ride”. The musical numbers are devoid of drums, bass, electric guitars, and keyboards, with the actors themselves playing cello, kazoos, a ukulele, toy xylophone, recorder, upright piano, and acoustic guitars. The musical style works beautifully, especially since the actors are mic’d up and the lyrics are much clearer than most musicals with a full orchestra, so we don’t miss out on these hysterically demented gems:
Suddenly, the giant monster’s roar,
Rumbles through the playground bark and you’re,
So certain you don’t stand a chance,
Recess sucks, and now you’ve peed your pants
Without giving too much away, one could argue that Lizard Boy owes as much to The Wizard of Oz as it does to Wicked or Batboy. It reminds us that we often only learn that the power to control our own destiny lies within after enduring adversity. The production is not without its flaws, as the plot gets really muddled towards the end of the show, and the whole superpowers angle makes little sense. But the strength of the production is in the performances by the players, who also harmonize beautifully on the full company numbers (brilliant work by music director Violet Wang), which constitute most of the show.
As Trevor, Ishiguri conveys a real vulnerability as the traumatized man/boy who doesn’t realize he’s a prisoner of his own fears, and DiMaggio brings a charming and kind goofiness to the role of Cary. Nectow, whose whiskey swigging Siren − clad in a skin-tight blood red outfit, complete with six-inch stiletto heels reminiscent of New Wave icon Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons – brings the requisite Patti Smith-esque snarl to the role, and when she tells Trevor, “I’ll let you sing me one song, and then I’ll kill you,” it’s simultaneously humorous and menacing. Scenic designer Qingan Zhang has created a multifunctional set highlighted by the backdrop of a punk rock club straight out of the CBGBs/Rat era. Zoë Sundra’s costumes perfectly capture the retro Seattle vibe (and Cary’s “Sexy Baby” outfit is a scream).
Lizard Boy will have a special appeal to those who have felt left out (former high school punk/goth types, theater majors, mathletes, etc.), but it also has a broad appeal for anyone who enjoys whimsical musical theater. As Siren reminds Trevor when he refers to himself as a “monster” − “No one is normal!” See it.
For more information and tickets, go to: https://speakeasystage.com/shows/2025/10/lizard-boy/
