November 8, 2005 > Ratman! Heroic, Goofy, and Completely Original

by Heidi Leung

It is very rare to see the first production of an original screenplay but you are about to be given that chance. Newark Memorial High School (NMHS) is preparing to debut Ratman, a parody of the Gotham's Caped Crusader, Batman. The play was written by Michael Greenhut, a NMHS class of 2005 alumni, and Brandon Harrington, who graduated from NMHS in 1998 and is currently a teacher of Drama and English at Newark Memorial.

This hilarious spoof begins with a bitter Ratman - out of shape and out of work for 15 years - due to the fact that Slotham City has been free of crime. His sidekick, Sparrow, has since become an actor. Factor into this already silly plot, villains such as Osama Bin Laden and Grunge Bob Square Pants, and we've got ourselves a rated "PG" (pretty goofy) play.

Audiences are bound to be delighted with this production. From my experience, NMHS has always had the most amazing sets and the talented Steve Harrington, veteran drama teacher (Brandon Harrington's father), co-directs and produces. Just a word of warning, there will only be five shows, so don't miss your chance to see Ratman now. If this play becomes a big Broadway hit that costs $300 dollars a ticket for admission, you're going to be unhappy you didn't see it the first time around.

Ratman

Newark Memorial High School

Nov. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 8pm

Nov. 20 at 2pm

Tickets: $8 pre-sale, $10 at the door, Groups of 10 or more $7

Ticket Information: (510) 818-4451