Theater troupe is a labor of love

A year ago, local teens with entrepreneurial spirit created their own theater group called Staged Souls. The teens raised their own funds for licensing rights, theater rental, sets and costumes.

Now in its second season, Staged Souls will present “Bat Boy: The Musical” on weekends through Aug. 14 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks.

“We started as best friends who love theater,” said Randi Oerlemann, the group’s choreographer and a recent graduate of New York University. “There’s not a lot of opportunity in the Valley for our age group to do theater without having to pay for it. We wanted to create our own opportunity.”

Most of the company’s members range from ages 16 through 22 and are current students or recent graduates from Calabasas and El Camino High Schools.

The group debuted last summer in North Hollywood with a revival of “Working,” a musical based on the novel by Studs Terkel. The production earned two nominations for the Valley Theatre Leagues’ annual awards for Best Musical for a Revival and Best Ensemble Cast.

“We were in shock when we were nominated,” said Hallie Cooper, a junior at Calabasas High. “We were doing this for fun. It was so great to be recognized and appreciated for all our hard work.”

“It’s a unique way of gaining a first-hand perspective on what a professional theater company is like,” said Lucas Whitehead, a Calabasas graduate who is headed to the University of Chicago in the fall. “We’ve learned a lot.”

“Yeah, like who knew you had to buy insurance?” said Cooper.

“Bat Boy: The Musical” can be seen at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students, seniors and industry professionals.

The Whitefire Theater is at 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. For information, call the box office at (323) 960-1057.