 |
| Tyler Greggory, Joe Ogren, Sam Primack, Joseph DePietro, and Kirk Sobject Photo by Scott Samplin |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through September 16th.
"With a name like Altar Boyz, you might think this musical is either a love letter to religion or possibly a condemnation of the Christian faith. The good news is that it's neither. Instead, it's a lovable, upbeat musical which centers on a Christian boy band that is universally appealing, whether you are religious or not. It pokes fun at religion, and boy bands, but also has a sweet tone, some infectious tunes with soaring blended vocals, and a book and characters that are full of humor and heart. Altar Boyz displays some really good messages about the power of friendship and helping out your fellow man. Arizona Broadway Theatre's smartly directed and tightly choreographed production features five actors who deliver the required near non-stop dance moves and soaring vocals of the show while also creating characters that are entirely lovable. The show's theatrical conceit is that we are at the final concert of the Christian boy band group the Altar Boyz as they end their national "Raise the Praise" tour. They are in Peoria, Arizona, to help cleanse our souls through their funky fresh beats and hip hop moves. However, the boys end up learning a lot about themselves and each other on their mission to save the residents of Peoria....Through Seth Tucker's direction, the cast create realistic portrayals even though they are all basically classic boy band archetypes. ...His staging flows seamlessly with Lynzee 4man's choreography, which is a constant mix of ever-changing steps and moves that both perfectly emulate and make fun of the classic '90s boy band moves. ...All five cast members provide strong vocals, expert dance moves, and fine comedic skills...ABT's production of Altar Boyz is a crowd-pleaser, full of energy, bright and brisk dance routines, sharp parody, plenty of irreverent humor, and a cast and band that deliver. You don't have to be Christian, or religious, or have been in a boy band, to enjoy it and, while it might be a slight show, it sure is a lot of fun........ " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
"While the small-scale production is no theatrical ground-breaker and Del Aguila’s book lacks any bite or sharp edge to its humor – if anything, for a show that satirizes Christian rock, the jokes are surprisingly gentle and occasionally a little too obvious with almost nothing to offend a thin-skinned religious soul – there’s still much to make you laugh, or at the very least, raise a smile." -David Appleford, Valley Screen and Stage (click here to read the complete review)
No comments:
Post a Comment
In order to avoid spam, comments will be moderated. Anonymous comments no longer will be allowed. If your comment is from an actual person it will be approved and posted in a timely manner.