WHO WE ARE

Atomic Vaudeville is an artist-driven collective in Victoria committed to fearless engagement with the community while redefining performance in the space between audience, artist & art. We have been creating live shows, cabarets and events locally and nationally for 19 years.

For six glorious Halloweens, Atomic Vaudeville produced the Rocky Horror Show in Victoria. We were also the OG producers of the hit musical Ride the Cyclone which was picked up by Broadway producers for a US tour. In 2020, when the pandemic stopped us in our tracks, we decided to use that time to dream up our own campy Halloween musical. Our audience would come with us on a new journey, wouldn't they… ? 

Enter Hank Pine.   We had been wanting to support a Hank-specific project for years, having successfully collaborated with him as a writer, performer, musician and designer. We commissioned Hank to write a new musical.

THE BATSHITS

We were bemoaning the absence of the outspoken and fearless female bands that emerged in the early 90's to challenge the status quo, write loud messy manifestos, and rock out HARD. And so THE BATSHITS were born!

THE BATSHITS are a 90’s goth punk band on the edge of stardom, hustling to stand out in a male-dominated and wickedly capitalist music industry.

In 2021, we produced a pilot episode for an adventure-musical-comedy TV series that follows three women in a goth-punk band as they face off against the urban legends of music in a male-dominated industry. There’s Samara: the witchy one, Kristy: the party girl and Lauren: the feminist riot grrrl. Together they battle the supernatural - the immortal Elvis, the devil, and hungry ghosts that haunt them with every turn of the wheel in their crusty brown tour van, Vangina.

Now, The Batshits are returning in a full-length original musical.

HALLOWEEN NEVER DIES

After a particularly awful show, The Batshits' crusty van breaks down and they end up at a Halloween party that never ends. Together, the Riot Grrrls must figure out how to break the curse and free themselves from the perpetual party.

THE BATSHITS: Halloween Never Dies is a 2-act musical with a punk edge and killer soundtrack featuring the Band (Samara, Lauren and Kristy), the Party Host and various guests.

In the Fall of 2023 we presented a workshop production over 4 nights at the Roxy Theatre in Victoria BC. It was an opportunity for people to see it in its initial phase and get invaluable feedback from an audience, which is how we developed Ride the Cyclone — the original Atomic Vaudeville production, which is the most successful musical to originate from Victoria. Ride the Cyclone was eventually picked up by Broadway producers for a U.S. tour, winning a Dora Mavor Moore Award along the way.

With songs by BC musician Hank Pine, the project has grown considerably over the past year. Atomic Vaudeville brought on Baroness Von Sketch Show writer Becky Johnson, who has helped shape the story arc of the latest edition. The long-term hope is to partner with another company that would allow Atomic Vaudeville to take the production across the country.

We’re looking at the musical as something that could become a Halloween cult classic.

We see the BATSHITS musical as the aesthetic kin to The Rocky Horror Picture Show . Part of what makes The Rocky Horror Picture Show so popular is audience participation, which we’ve included in The BATSHITS . There’s a few interesting parallels, be it the absurdity of the story or having the audience sing along or do the Pumpkinhead Dance..

WHAT THE MONEY IS FOR:

Full development into production including: 

• Professional Artist Fees (performers, designers, managers, crew)
• Theatre Rental for rehearsals and performance
• Materials and Labour costs for set and costume building
• Equipment Rental for sound, lighting and special effects

PRIMARY ARTISTS:

Hank Pine (Writer/Creative Director)

Hank is a Vancouver-based musician, writer, performer and comicbook artist.

Britt Small (Director)

Britt is the co-founder of Victoria-based company Atomic Vaudeville and an independent director, educator, creator and performer.

Becky Johnson (Book)

Becky is is a Canadian Screen Award winning writer and comedian whose credits include Baroness Von Sketch. 

“By looking back at the riot grrrls and punk women of the time, we can find that spark again, reignite that fire, unite the people, bring about change and make things better for everyone.”

-Hank Pine