THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR APR 10 - APR 16 

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Bat Boy: The Musical @ SLAC
Time comes at you pretty fast: It's been more than 30 years since the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News published a story claiming the existence of a strange "bat boy" who grew up in a cave. It's been more than 25 years since writers Keythe Farley & Brian Flemming and composer Laurence O'Keefe turned that oddball story into a satirical musical. And astonishingly, it's been more than 20 years since Salt Lake Acting Company first brought Bat Boy: The Musical to local audiences.

That production—telling the story of a strange-looking youth found in a West Virginia cave, then taken into the care of local veterinarian Dr. Parker and his family—featured actor Robert Scott Smith in the role of Edgar the "bat-boy." This time, Smith takes the role of Dr. Parker, and he says in a promotional interview that this isn't simply a case of chasing a formative creative experience. "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," he notes. "But for me, coming back to Bat Boy isn't about reliving the past. ...Stepping into Dr. Parker—it just feels right. That's where I belong now."

Salt Lake Acting Company's production of Bat Boy: The Musical comes to the Upstairs Theater (168 W. 500 North) April 9 – May 4, with performances Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. and additional special dates. Tickets are $35 - $45, with special student and under-30 pricing. Visit saltlakeactingcompany.org to purchase tickets and for additional information. (Scott Renshaw)

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Alton Brown Live: Last Bite
Alton Brown has certainly taken an interesting path to becoming one of the most famous food experts in American media. His career started in TV commercials and music videos, including serving as cinematographer for R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" video. But in the mid-1990s, he pivoted to a desire to shake up the format of the conventional cooking shows he saw on television. After graduating from culinary school, in 1999 he launched Good Eats, a program dedicated to the art and science of home cooking that ran for 13 years on Food Network, and subsequently became a high-profile presence on that network with roles as studio host for Iron Chef America, Cutthroat Kitchen and more.

As a consequence, he has also been able to develop a successful career taking his unique approach to food out on the road for live shows that include food demonstrations (sometimes with a touch of danger involved), culinary hacks, audience participation segments, comedy and music in an engaging multi-media spectacle. His current road trip, dubbed Last Bite, is being dubbed as the 62-year-old Brown's "farewell tour"—and as he noted in a YouTube video announcing the tour's launch, "When I say 'farewell tour,' I really mean it!" So take advantage of one final opportunity to see the master at work in person.

Alton Brown Live: Last Bite comes to Kingsbury Hall (1395 E. Presidents Circle) for two performances on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Tickets are $41.75 - $86.75; visit artstickets.utah.edu to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

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Ali Wong
Ali Wong can seemingly do no wrong. She recently won a Golden Globe for her stand-up special Single Lady, the fourth in a series of Netflix specials that have brought her widespread recognition. Add to the fact that she's also the recipient of a Golden Globe and two primetime Emmy Awards for her starring role in the Netflix dark comedy series Beef, making her the first Asian woman to win a lead acting Emmy.

If you're not impressed already, consider this: She was also named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People" in both 2020 and 2023. She initially gained fame as a cast member for six seasons on American Housewife before being tapped as a writer for the successful sitcom Fresh Off the Boat, voicing characters on the animated series Tuca & Bertie and Big Mouth, and writing and starring in the romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe. She's also appeared in primetime and become a regular on the late night talk show circuit. Nevertheless, she's most at home onstage, as evidenced by the fact that in 2011, Variety—the veritable Bible of the entertainment industry—proclaimed her one of "10 Comics to Watch." She's not only funny, but also assertive, insightful and intelligent—all based on lessons she's learned.

Ali Wong's "Work In Progress" tour comes to Wiseguys at the Gateway (190 S. 400 West) at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., April 14 - 15. Tickets for the 21+ shows cost $100; the April 14, 8:30 p.m. performance was sold out at press time. Go to wiseguyscomedy.com. (Lee Zimmerman)