Bristol Riverside Announces ALTAR BOYZ As Final Show, Runs 5/12-5/31

Bristol Riverside Theatre has announced a change to its final show of the 2008-2009 season and is pleased to present an original production of the Off-Broadway smash, Altar Boyz, from May 12 through May 31. BRT's production brings to Bristol two of the play's creators - Music Director Gary Adler, who co-wrote the music and lyrics, and Director and Tony-nominated Choreographer (and Bristol native) Christopher Gattelli, who handled the original Off-Broadway choreography.

Altar Boyz is a spoof about a heavenly guy-group - 5 small town boys named Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham - trying to save the world one screaming fan at a time. Their pious pop act worked wonders on the Ohio bingo-hall-and-pancake-breakfast circuit. But when fate brings them to New York, will the Boyz take a bite out of the forbidden apple? With angelic voices, sinfully spectacular dancing and a touching story, Altar Boyz is a foot-stomping, rafter-raising, musical comedy.

Altar Boyz was conceived by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport, with a book by Kevin Del Aguila and music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker. The play received seven Drama Desk nominations and won the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical.

Gary Adler and Christopher Gattelli both have ties to Bristol Riverside Theatre. Adler began his musical directing career at BRT with A Day In Hollywood/A Night In the Ukraine almost exactly 20 years ago. Adler received Drama Desk Award nominations for outstanding music and outstanding lyrics for Altar Boyz. As a musical director, he has worked both on Broadway and Off-Broadway for numerous shows including: Avenue Q, The Fantasticks, Chicago City Limits, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Adler also composed the incidental music for Avenue Q, and he created the musical world for Disney Channel's "Johnny and the Sprites."

Gattelli grew up in Bristol and attended Bristol High School. He returns to Bristol to direct and choreograph the BRT production. Gatelli won the 2005 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreographer for Altar Boyz and previously earned a 2001 Lucille Lortel Award for his direction in Bat Boy: The Musical. He was also nominated for 2008 Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Choreography for South Pacific. His other Broadway credits include Sunday In The Park With George, The Ritz, 13 a new musical by Jason Robert Brown, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, and High Fidelity. His Off-Broadway credits also include tick,tick... BOOM!, 10 Million Miles, Adrift In Macao, I Love You Because, Silence! The Musical (Best Musical Fringe ‘05), and Hair with Jennifer Hudson. Gatelli was also the resident choreographer for the Rosie O'Donnell Show.

The cast features Xavier Cano as Juan, Matt DeAngelis as Matthew, Jonathan Fadoul as Abraham, Travis Morin as Luke, and John Pinto, Jr. as Mark.

Altar Boyz begins previews at BRT on May 12, opens May 14, and closes May 31, 2009. Tickets are $34 - $42, with $15 student tickets, and are available by calling the Box Office at (215) 785-0100 or visiting the theatre at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, with information online at www.brtstage.org. (Tickets for Man of No Importance, originally scheduled for May, are being honored for the date and time that have been reserved for subscribers and single ticket buyers who have purchased in advance.)

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintained a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 50 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker and Founding Producing Director Susan D. Atkinson, BRT is in its 22nd season.

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