Altar Boyz is a dramatic concert musical, part of a trend that
has drifted far from the corn fields of Oklahoma. The play is a
performance by a boy band determined to "raise the praise" and unburden
the souls of the audience with the help of a mysterious device called
the Soul Sensor DX-12. The electronic monitor displays the number of
damned inside the theater. Saved or not, the audience clearly was moved
to praise the show.
The Fourfront Theater production was co-directed
by Gary Rucker and Kelly Fouchi, who also choreographed it. The
talented, limber cast of five (William Bryant, Brian Falgoust, P. J.
McKinnie, James St. Juniors and Keith Claverie) were pedal to the metal
for the entire 90 minutes, and it was a blast. A four-piece band under
the musical direction of Jefferson Turner played the show's 12 songs.
The concept worked because of full-throttle performances and the drama
between the group's characters. The original production — with
book by Kevin Del Aguila, music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael
Patrick Walker — won the Outer Critics Circle Award for
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical in 2004.
"American consumers are demanding more God than
ever before," says one of the Boyz at one point. That sentiment puts us
a long way from Notre Dame and Gregorian chant. We're in hip-hop
territory, with excursions into Rolling Stones strutting and rousing
rhythm and blues. "Jesus called me on my cell phone," is typical of
their inspirations.
Of course, the Boyz face many temptations. Will
they stay together as a group through thick and thin or sign lucrative
individual recording contracts? These kinds of moral dilemmas could
tear the harmonizers apart.
The production closed at Southern Rep but will
reopen for a run at Le Petit Theatre in May.
Mail Article
Print Article
Add to favorites
