"Lizard Boy: A New Musical" - by Justin Huertas - SpeakEasy Stage Company (Boston, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“The world ends tomorrow. Might as well listen to some music.”
- (“Siren”) / Justin Huertas
SpeakEasy Stage Company
Presents Justin Huertas'
"LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL"
Book, Music and Lyrics by Justin Huertas
Directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox
Music Director Violet Wang
Cast Includes: Keiji Ishiguri* as “Trevor,” Peter Dimaggio* as “Cary,” Chelsie Nectow* as “Siren.”
Additional Creative Team:
Assistant Director - Reyn Ricafort; Sound Design - Sean Doyle; Props Coordinator - Emme Shaw; Production Stage Manager - Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez*; Assistant Stage Manager - Em K. Ross; Lighting Design - Deb Sullivan; Technical Director - Ren Squier; Scenic Design – Qingan Zhang; Costume Design - Zoë Sundra.
*Member Of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in The United States
Performances:
October 24, 2025 through November 22, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood / BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. 02116
TICKETS:
Contact the Box Office # 617-933-8600 or visit www.speakeasystage.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
(Additional Warning: puns ahead)
SpeakEasy Stage Company presents the quirky Indie-Rock show "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" telling the story of a young man with a peculiar condition who goes on a blind date which leads him into an unexpected quest of mythic proportions.
First of all, let’s get the elephant, er “bat” out of the room by stating emphatically that "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" should IN NO WAY be confused with “BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL” – the two have zero in common and, if you like one, chances are you may not like the other.
Me? I like them both - but for very different reasons.
I won’t compare the two any further here other than to say that, with “BAT BOY,” elevated camp succeeded, but with "LIZARD BOY" an elevated sense of sincerity succeeds.
Featuring a diverse and accomplished cast of three, the SpeakEasy Stage musical, with book, lyrics and music by Justin Huertas, was supposedly not only inspired by the musical “Spring Awakening” (which is pretty evident in how the musical structure flows) but also by comic books including “X-Men” and “Spider-Man.”
(Photo: Keiji Ishiguri as “Trevor” in a scene from "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
Before hitting the SpeakEasy Stage, the show first debuted in 2015 in Seattle and, by 2023, the show moved to Off-Broadway in a staging at Theatre Row.
The show, much like a Draco lizard, flew pretty well under the radar at the time, but yet it received high critical praise even with the absent publicity, and "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" would also ultimately be nominated for three Drama Desk Awards.
As directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox, with music direction by Violet Wang, in the comic-book stylized "LIZARD BOY," we are introduced to Trevor (Keiji Ishiguri), an anxious young man beset by his own self- consciousness brought about by his noticeable green scaly complexion.
As the "LIZARD BOY," Ishiguri gives an almost “chameleon”-like performance, blending in the background playing music when not the focus of the story at the moment - but those moments are rare since when Trevor is the focus, Ishiguri completely stands out.
As Trevor, Ishiguri gives an aura of sensitivity with his insightful, layered performance – So, does that make this "LIZARD BOY" (wait for it) a “karma chameleon?”
(Photo: Peter DiMaggio as “Cary” in a scene from "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
Using the Grinder app, Trevor agrees to meet a stranger named Cary (Peter DiMaggio) who aggressively pursues Trevor for sex the moment he arrives at his apartment.
Things don’t get off to a good start between the two as Cary mistakes Trevor’s appearance as a costume for the “Monster Fest” event taking place in the city.
DiMaggio is quite amiable as the blind date who, through his earnest musical number "Cary's Song" quickly becomes Trevor’s only ally. The actor also brings to the role impressive comedic timing.
As the two agree to slow things down and to get to know one another as friends first, Trevor sees a magazine in Cary’s apartment that has the face of Trevor’s "Scary Blonde/Dream Girl" on the cover.
We learn the “Scary Blonde” is actually a local singer known as “Siren” (Chelsie Nectow) but Trevor explains to Cary that he has been haunted by Siren who appears in his dreams as a “Scary Blonde” calling out to him.
Trevor goes to where Siren is performing and meets with her backstage where, as they talk, Siren informs Trevor that they share a unique bond.
Nectow is simply magnificent as the dominating Siren, rendering her own plight through the song "A Terrible Ride."
(Photo: Chelsie Nectow as “Siren" in a scene from "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
Siren and Trevor are the last survivors of six children who got caught up in an historic “dragon attack” many years ago, leaving the children with superpowers.
Believing these dragons are returning soon to attack once more, Siren turns out to be more ruthless and “cold-blooded” compared to Trevor who, as the supposed "LIZARD BOY" actually comes across as a person filled with great gentleness…and warmth.
Exposed as the true villain of this comic book saga, Siren, in her blind rage, admits to wanting Trevor's “help” to defeat the dragons as they strike again – but it would come at a catastrophic cost.
All accompaniment in the musical is performed exclusively by the three actors, alone or together, and all are skilled musicians as they play cello, guitar, ukulele, piano, kazoo, beatbox and other instruments.
In great superhero fashion, as Trevor confronts all things villainous and monstrous, he must also confront his own insecurities and self-loathing.
Trevor must look deep inside to figure out how to not throw away the only chance he has had at a genuine friendship with Cary, a person who, even after having just met, completely accepts Trevor as he is.
(Photo: The CAST of "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
The show is not going to appeal to everyone, and at times, some might even find the story content a bit amateurish.
However, what is not amateurish is the collective performance and level of professionalism displayed by this wonderful trio of actor-musicians.
At the October 26th SpeakEasy Stage matinee there was a technical issue which interrupted the "LIZARD BOY" performance for approximately 15 minutes with director Lyndsay Allyn Cox addressing the audience and apologizing for the interruption.
This was appreciated but turns out unnecessary as once the production resumed, the players continued undeterred, concluding a pleasing triumvirate performance.
What also works is the onstage chemistry and, coming across as especially genuine, is the bond shared between Ishiguri and DiMaggio as Trevor and Cary.
There are multiple plot twists and turns in Huertas' script that, by the conclusion of the show, get tiresome, trite and downright silly – and yet, otherwise, this is one of those smaller <ahem> “scaled” shows that tries to convey a larger message - and on that level it succeeds.
There are a number of fine songs that include "4th and Vine" sung by Cary and Trevor, "Another Part of Me" and "Truth is What Matters" sung by the trio of actors supplying simply gorgeous vocal harmonies.
The performers harmonize so well that, if an updated official cast recording were to be issued, you would absolutely want this trio singing on that CD.
(Photo: The CAST of "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" by Justin Huertas now playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until November 22, 2025. Photo credit Benjamin Rose Photography)
"LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" continues at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston until November 22nd, 2025 - and you certainly wouldn’t iguana miss this show.
Coming up next at SpeakEasy will be “JOB” by Max Wolf Friedlich, beginning January 16th and running through February 7th, 2026.
For tickets and more information, contact the SpeakEasy Box Office at # 617-933-8600 or visit www.speakeasystage.com
BUY TICKETS
Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
In Justin Huertas'"LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" - Trevor doesn’t get out much—but tonight, everything changes.
What starts as a first date turns into an unexpected adventure in this funny, offbeat, and deeply moving new musical.
Featuring a genre-blending indie-rock score and three Drama Desk nominations, "LIZARD BOY: A NEW MUSICAL" is a heartfelt and wildly inventive coming-of-age story about self-acceptance, connection, and becoming the hero of your own life.
“Fantastical”, “Mysterious”, and “Lovely” – The New York Times
ABOUT SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY
SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY is a non-profit theatre company located in the South End of Boston and is led by award-winning Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault. SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY was named the Pavilion Resident Theater for the Boston Center for the Arts in 2007 and produces 28 weeks of new plays and musicals each season at the Nancy and Ed Roberts Studio Theater in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.
