Altar Boyz Returns to Chicago in Sept.; Open Call Held 6/19

The award-winning Off-Broadway musical comedy, Altar Boyz, will return to Chicago in an all-new production at Drury Lane Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut Street, in a limited engagement beginning Sunday, October 7, 2007 (previews begin September 28).  This new production will be directed by Stafford Arima and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, (of the original New York creative team) and will feature a cast of Chicago actors.

Open auditions for all roles will be held at Drury Lane Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut Street, on Tuesday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Equity Auditions and Agent Submissions will be held on June 20 and 21.)

Armed with catchy melodies, divine moves and gobs of hair product, Altar Boyz is a "hilarious, holy-inspiring musical comedy about five small-town boys – Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham – trying to save the world one screaming fan at a time.  Presented as a concert in real-time, Altar Boyz sweetly satirizes the phenomenon of boy bands, the popularity of Christian-themed music, and products in contemporary American culture.  The group's amusingly pious pop act features slick dance moves, heavenly harmonies, and laugh-out-loud lyrics such as 'Girl You Make Me Wanna Wait' and 'Jesus Called Me on My Cell Phone,'" state press notes.

Since debuting in September of 2004 at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and opening Off-Broadway in 2005, Altar Boyz has been lifting souls across the United States, as well as in Korea and Hungary, and was recently voted "Fan Favorite – Longest Running Off-Broadway Show" in the Broadway.com Awards.  The New York production also won the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best off-Broadway Musical and was nominated for seven 2005 Drama Desk Awards including Best Music, Best Lyrics, Best Book and Best Musical.  The national tour of Altar Boyz was presented in Chicago at the LaSalle Bank Theatre in October 2006.

Altar Boyz features a score by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker with book by Kevin Del Aguila, and is based on a concept by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport.  The new Chicago presentation of Altar Boyz is being produced by Joe McGinnis and Bart Kahn.  McGinnis' producing credits include the Tony Award-nominated production of Spring Awakening, as well as Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, and the National Tour of Altar Boyz.

Tickets, priced from $45 to $55, will go on sale in August via the Drury Lane Water Tower Place Box Office, by calling 312-642-2000 or online at www.Ticketmaster.com.  For more information on open calls, please visit www.altarboyzchicago.com.

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