by Barry Willis *

An old Napa Valley legend morphs into an outrageous musical comedy at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in Napa through November 8.

The decades-old story purports that the hills surrounding the valley are home to hybrid critters—part ape, part bat, and with the aid of a mad scientist in the wake of World War II, part robot. As in tales of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, many people claim to have had encounters with the Rebobs, but nobody has ever produced incontrovertible proof. 

A specialist in exposing such legends, a truth-seeking journalist named Randy Candeux (Jeremy Kreamer) begins an investigation that quickly becomes an enormously entertaining exercise in absurdity as we meet both Rebobs and many quirky Napa residents. Candeux’s first inquiry is with a local named Candy Mandrew (Taylor Bartolucci) on Partrick Road near the edge of a redwood forest, nicely depicted in a huge painted backdrop. The spot is both a makeout scene for local teens and a site of supposed encounters with the fearsome creatures—often reported, never verified.

Written by Lucky Penny co-founder Barry Martin, also the show’s director, the deliciously silly tale is amplified by great locally-themed music by composer Rob Broadhurst, the show’s music director and sound engineer. It’s an enduring spoof of 1980s pop music, made more absurd by Bartolucci’s fantastic choreography. Wildly interpreted characters include “The Old Man Who Lives on the Hill” (Sean O’Brien, in fine voice as always), “Scott the Jock” (Skylar King) a thirty-something Napster who’s still psychologically in high school, a trio of smart-mouth Goth girls (Sarah Lundstrom, Emma Sutherland, and Victoria Speed), and local busybody Janet (Jenny Veilleux).

The entire cast takes on multiple roles including the troupe of troublesome hybrids. Story, music, dance, and performance are off the chart. A reprise and an improvement of a show that debuted last year, Revenge of the Rebobs! is a delightful diversion and a welcome relief from the burden of ordinary reality —especially during election season.

An unusual benefit for fans of this show is the release of the cast recording “The Revenge of the Rebobs! A New Musical” on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify.

Playing through November 8, 2026 in the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way, Napa.

Click HERE for more information and tickets.

Photos by Kurt Gonsalves/KMG Design

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, the Marquee Theater Journalists Association, and past president of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com