BWW Reviews: ALTAR BOYZ 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert is Soul Lifting Fun

Following a successful trial run at New York Musical Theatre Festival, Altar Boyz opened Off-Broadway at Stage 4 of Dodger Stages (now New World Stages) on March 1, 2005. The award-winning, hit musical comedy closed after 2,032 regular performances on January 10, 2010, making it the 9th longest-running Off-Broadway musical. For two very special performances at 54 Below on March 1, 2015, many of the actors who played members of the now iconic fictional Christian boy band took to the stage to celebrate the show's landmark 10th anniversary with pizzazz, wit, and a whole lot of harmonizing.

For those unfamiliar, Altar Boyz is a boy band akin to MTV's 2gether or Jack in the Box's The Meaty Cheesy Boys. The musical, with a book by Kevin Del Aguila and music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker, is presented in real time during the final concert of the group's "Raise the Praise" tour. The high-energy show, with its smartly crafted pop music and clever lyrics doused in double entendre, easily wins audiences over as the boys on stage strive to save as many souls as they can.

Backed by a spirited band that sometimes featured Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker on piano, Paul David on drums, Sean Driscoll on guitar, and Mary Ann McSweeney on bass ensured the music was effervescent for last night's 11:30 p.m. concert. Sipping coffee because I was afraid I would need it, the enthusiastic crowd and electrifying performances kept the air buzzing with excitement, catchy syncopations, and fantastic harmonies. Ultimately, under music direction by Jason Loffredo, the band and the singers ensured the voltage of my coffee was exceptionally weaker than the live currents flowing off the stage.

Tyler Maynard, Andy Karl, Ryan Duncan, David Josefsberg, and Kevin Kern (swinging in for Scott Porter, who appeared at one point via pre-recorded video message) kicked off the evening with a rousing rendition of "We Are the Altar Boyz." This group of original Off-Broadway cast members took to the stage, bounding with youthful energy. Tackling "Rhythm in Me," "The Calling," "The Miracle Song," and "Church Rulez," a few handfuls of other previous cast members leant their harmonizing skills and pulsating dance moves to bring these infectious numbers back to life in NYC again. The surprise addition of Karl doing original lyrics for the final third of "The Miracle Song" illuminated the writing process and how things change in musicals. Adler further illustrated this, sharing "Latin Lover 2.0," which became "La Vida Eternal" once the lyrics changed. Then, Adler delivered a lovely rendition of "Leading the Way" accompanied by himself on piano and a handful of men who have played Juan.

The concert really came to life when James Royce Edwards and Kern took turns as Matthew, joining the rest of the original cast members for the concert's second half. Kern's beguiling voice perfectly delivered the solos in the hysterical "Something About You," while Josefsberg tickled the audience with his audaciously ostentatious back-ups. Josefsberg's comedic timing and expertly employed nasal timbre brought smiles to our faces during "Everybody Fits." Duncan served up Ricky Martin panache with "La Vida Eternal." Reminding us of Donnie Wahlberg, Karl owned the room as he tore off his Miami Heat jersey and danced on a table with charm and undeniable swagger for "Body, Mind & Soul." With a flair of divatude, an impressive upper register, and a splash of vocal glitter, Maynard brought the house down with "Epiphany," earning a rollicking standing ovation.

To deliver the audience from evil the original cast members exorcised the crowd with a vibrant rendition of "Number 918," in which all the assembled Altar Boyz jumped in and sprinkled water on the audience as they sang all around the venue. To close the show, the original cast members sang the uplifting anthem "I Believe" in bright, warm tones, sending the audience out into the dreary, snow covered streets of New York City with a smile on our faces and joy in our hearts.

For the fans of the musical, 54 Below's Altar Boyz 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert was a great way to relive what made them fall in love with the show in the first place. For those like me, the concert served as a great introduction to the beloved fan favorite and gave insight into how ridiculously fun the show must have been on stage.

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