Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Comes Alive

From left, Dr. Horrible (Eric Ankrim), Captain Hammer (Jake Groshong), and Penny (Annie Jantzer) in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog at Balagan Theatre (Photo: M. Elizabeth Eller)

There's a lot of backstory to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, but I am going to dispense with it on the assumption that if you haven't heard about it by now, it can't possibly be your thing. (That doesn't mean you won't enjoy seeing the show--just go in blindly and let it wash over you.)

A "musical tragicomedy" web series created by the Whedon boys and Maurissa Tancharoen during the writers' strike of 2007-08, it starred Neil "How I Met Your Mother" Patrick Harris and Nathan "Castle" Fillion, as Dr. Horrible and Captain Hammer, respectively. (Oh look! A fansite.)

It also clocked in at just 42 minutes, so the Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog that Balagan Theatre is presenting (through September 4) has material that will be new to Dr. Horrible fans, but is delightfully faithful in tone and spirit. My only reservation was that Balagan isn't by trade a musical theatre, so could they come up with the goods? Hell yes. It's wonderfully sung, and leads Eric Ankrim (Dr. Horrible) and Jake Groshong (Captain Hammer) do much more than sub in for NPH and NF.

Dr. Horrible (Eric Ankrim) (Photo: M. Elizabeth Eller)

The work itself is both spoofily funny (it opens with Dr. Horrible addressing his webcam audience, reading emails, and crossing his fingers on his application to an evil league) and touching (Dr. Horrible's alter-ego Billy is a shy nerd, impotent and bullied). The songs are trademark Whedon--bouncily meta musical narratives, or desire-driven power ballads.

Ankrim is co-director with M. Elizabeth Eller, and the two have found a multitude of ways to work around the fact that the original cost $200,000 to produce. In fact, they take it up a notch. Besides Penny (the winning Annie Jantzer as the hotly contested girl-next-door-with-a-heart-of-gold), there are seven cast members who operate as bit players and chorus members (Diana Huey has a breakout number).

It's like a chamber Broadway musical down there in the basement of Boom Noodle. There's also a functioning webcam, a Freeze Ray, a Death Ray, and the requisite shiny black gloves for Dr. Horrible, along with a multipurpose set from Maridee Slater. The program lists the Horrible Musicians as Kim Dare, Greg Bagley, Alex Lathum, and Zachary Stove. Fun, people, has a new address. Make a note of it.