BWW Reviews: Street Theatre Company's ALTAR BOYZ will win your heart and soul

Street Theatre Company scores yet another great big hit with its inspired production of Altar Boyz - the musical tale of four devout young Catholics and one very talented Jew, on a divine path toward pop music superstardom. Impressively sung and acted, STC's Altar Boyz is great fun from start to finish, as the earnest young men attest to their faith while delivering a fast-moving concert that sends up every boy band group ever to be created by some Machiavellian agent on the make.

While the Boyz' tale is elaborately plotted and almost laughingly convoluted, it nonetheless comes from a place of genuine affection and, we daresay, reverence for its subject matter. The five characters' appeal could easily become cartoonish given the broad strokes of comedy that punctuate the 90-minute performance, but thanks to the witty repartee provided by the script and the actors' total conviction, what you find is a disarmingly heartfelt paean to Catholicism, pop culture, the music business and the travails of finding oneself in this crazy, wacky world.

In the process, you can rest assured that the Altar Boyz will win your heart and soul for their cause.

Together, the five men in the cast create a totally believable musical ensemble, their shared sense of fun and adventure obvious throughout the concert, drawing audiences into the Boyz' individual and collective stories. Kevin Del Aguila's book is sharply focused, with a keen eye cast upon the realities of growing up Catholic - and the circuitous route to stardom taken by so many hopeful musicians - and he creates five characters who are appealingly relevant, thanks be to American Idol and other shows of its ilk. Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker's songs sound vaguely familiar, each one reminiscent of the scores of innocuous boy band songs that have charted the Top 40 since the 20^th century.

The four-piece band that performs with the Boyz - known as "The Rockerz" - provide expert musical accompaniment for the singers. Kudos to musical director Rolin Mains, Kelsi Fulton, Ben Bruce and JJ Street for adding an authentic sound to the entertainment. Street should also be credited for the production's strong sound design, while Steven Steele's set and lighting design provides the ideal backdrop, transforming the Street Theatre Company space into a concert venue.

Altar Boyz offers something for everyone in the audience (don't worry, you don't have to be a 'tween-aged girl to find the Boyz attractive and appealing) and if you find yourself smiling broadly throughout the show and falling just a little bit in love with each of the guys in the ensemble, then don't be at all surprised. In fact, if you don't feel that way at curtain, you might consider consulting your physician or making a trip to the confessional at your neighborhood church.

Led by the multi-talented and uber versatile Michael Holder, who plays head hunk Matthew with a certain smarmy charm and a non-threatening sex appeal, the Altar Boyz' boys each represent some sort of pop music/boy band archetype. Mark (Taylor Casey) is the cute guy with the perfectly coiffed hair whose questionable sexuality makes him attractive to all genders; Luke (director/choreographer Bakari King, stepping in for the ailing actor originally cast) is dealing with his own personal set of "issues" and brings a certain street cred to the band; Juan (Humberto Figueroa) adds an ethnic flavor to the mix and his longtime search for his parents (poor Juan is an orphan) adds some pathos to the story; and finally there is Abraham (Alan Smith), the Jewish tunesmith - where would musical theater be without those guys? - who spreads the word of Christ like a quintessential Messianic Jew for Jesus, yet somehow remains faithful to his Hebrew heritage.

Holder's confident and self-assured portrayal of Matthew sets the tone for the ensemble, while Casey's no-holds-barred performance as Mark counter-balances it with witty stagecraft. Figueroa's wide-eyed delivery is a perfect reading of Juan, while Smith's Abraham is a resolutely and hilariously on-target skewering of showbiz stereotypes. King's Luke is hysterically over-the-top, underscored by a certain menacing tone that lends credibility to his street-worthy character.

Lynda Cameron-Bayer's  superb costume design helps the actors to more easily become their characters, each one wearing  his crucifix (or Star of David, in the case of Abraham) like a talisman of faith and unabridged hotness.

Altar Boyz. Book by Kevin Del Aguila. Music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker. Conceived by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport. Directed and choreographed by Bakari King. Musical direction by Rollie Mains. Presented by Street Theatre Company, 1933 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville. Through September 24. Visit www.StreetTheatreCompany.org for details.

To post a comment, you must register and login.