Dr. Horrible shifts from Web to stage

Students opened one of the first stage productions of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog: The Musical” this weekend, which was written during the 2008 writers’ strike to bring entertainment to the masses for free.

The musical started out as an independent project and turned into a worldwide phenomenon.

The state of Indiana is no stranger to this phenomenon. Ben Beaty, a current student at Ball State University, drove to Bloomington with his friends to see the show.

“I don’t know anyone in the show here,” said Beaty, who previously saw the musical online. “I just love the show, and I think that they did a really good job of adapting it to the stage.”

Directed and written by IU senior Josh Cohen, this project has been in the works as early as May, when he began writing the script. 

“I visualized it being performed on stage and knew that I wanted it to be my directorial debut,” Cohen said to audience members. 

The set is simplistic, with two brick walls on both sides of the stage, and center stage there are two rotating squares that dictate where the scene is taking place.

When the show opens, squares that appear similar to laundry machines give the impression of a laundromat. 

The stage-right wall was used as the computer screen where protagonist Billy, also know as Dr. Horrible, played by freshman Kevin Phillips, broadcasts his blog to the world. 

The beginning of the show opens with Billy’s blog on the wall and is very similar, if not identical, to the original script. The show follows Billy’s attempt to become as horrible as he has always dreamed of becoming and defeating his arch nemesis Captain Hammer, played by senior Justin Klein.

Billy’s most recent goal is to join the evil league of evil, run by Bad Horse.

Billy is joined by his side-kick Moist, played by freshman Max Singer. Moist’s ability to help him in his endeavor is difficult since the worst thing he can do is to make things soggy. 

Billy is also madly in love with Penny, a girl from the laundromat, played by senior Elizabeth Bohannon. Penny is a down-to-earth girl who is trying to open a homeless shelter.

Audience members were laughing throughout the show, including Alicia Whitney, a student at DePaul University who, like Beaty, had driven with her friends to see Dr. Horrible. 

“It’s great. This is like nothing I have ever heard before,” Whitney said. “I’m really glad that people did this just for the fun of it. I think that’s really neat.” 

Penny ends up meeting Captain Hammer and they start dating. This causes a lot of turmoil for Billy, who isn’t sure what to do about it.

Billy finally realizes that in order to show Penny “the true evil in me” and get into the evil league of evil, he must kill Captain Hammer. This plan goes horribly wrong, and the show ends with something unexpected. 

Audience members said they left the show having enjoyed it.

“It’s really funny, and the good versus bad is interesting,” audience member Amanda Ison said. “It’s quirky in an adorable way.”