Bat Out of Hell is all revved up at New York City Center, and ready to take its audience on a wildly entertaining ride. Following successful runs in Toronto and London, the show finally makes its New York premiere, with some of the original leads intact, and with the wild ride that would expect from a musical that utilizes the extensive catalog of Meatloaf music.
In the dystopian world of Bat Out of Hell, we find a Romeo and Juliet like love story. Raven (Christina Bennington) has fallen in love with Strat (Andrew Polec), the leader of The Lost, a group of kids who are frozen at the age of eighteen. But Raven's father, Falco (Bradley Dean) has kept her away from the world of The Lost and opposes any relationship she could have, while having his own relationship problems with his wife Sloane (Lena Hall).
Jim Steinman's music lends itself to becoming a musical more than you might think. Songs from "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" to "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" feel like they were meant for these characters. Steinman also wrote the shows book that weaves its way through the music with little trouble, though the songs take up more of the show than the plot.
What makes the show such a fun and enjoyable ride is its cast. Every single person gives 110 percent, breathing life into the story and giving the classic rock songs a new life that both uplifts them and makes them feel completely new. While it's not a perfect show, it is some of the most fun you will ever have in a theater, and you'll be humming the music for many weeks to follow.