Let's hear it for the boyz

The guys were preaching to the choir at Sunday's opening of "Altar Boyz." The knowing laughter coming from the enthusiastic crowd at Chicago's Drury Lane Water Tower Place confirmed it. The ecumenical appeal of this high-energy, spot-on sendup of prefab boy bands and Christian pop means audience members don't have to be part of the congregation to get the joke. And that should translate to an extended run for the off-Broadway hit (two years and counting) -- written by Kevin Del Aguila, with music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker -- that first played Chicago a year ago as part of a national tour.Don't expect any "come-to-Jesus" moments. "Altar Boyz" is pure fluff. But it's well-done fluff with amusing lyrics ("Jesus called me on my cell phone/No roaming charges were incurred" and "I believe in God so I must abstain/Girl, you make me wanna wait") and a score that includes a dash of gospel to the familiar hip-hop, RB and Latin-influenced synthetic pop. Director Stafford Arima and choreographer Christopher Gattelli (who memorably incorporates moves from Morris Day, Madonna and Michael Jackson in his dances) were members of the original creative team. They obviously have a keen appreciation of the genre they're spoofing. These boys almost look and sound legit, which is why "Altar Boyz" works as well as it does. The musical unfolds as the final concert on the band's "Raise the Praise" tour, a 90-minute rock 'n' revival that finds them saving souls while making teenage girls swoon. The show takes a shot at corporate sponsorships and comes seasoned with sexual innuendo; it tweaks organized religion but doesn't disparage faith; it's sweetly campy, never mean-spirited; and its cast is entirely sincere.The talented, fresh-faced quintet includes Devin DeSantis as Matthew, the group's likable, boy-next-door leader; Brian Crum, campy and comic as lovesick choreographer Mark who comes out as Catholic in the show-stopping "Epiphany"; and Tyler McGee in a funny, physical performance as the lovably dim Luke, the funkiest of the bunch. Adam Zelasko plays Juan the Mexican heartthrob and Nick Verina is songwriter Abraham, the boys' token Beastie and the group's sole Jewish member. Rounding out the cast is retired WGN radio personality Roy Leonard, who contributes a recorded cameo as the voice of G.O.D.Ultimately, "Altar Boyz" works not just because it convincingly spoofs a pop-culture phenomenon. It works because it's sincere about the values it promotes. Behind the satire, there's spirituality; behind the laughs, some lessons about faith, tolerance and loyalty. And that's something that bears repeating, even to the most devout members of the choir."Altar Boyz"Three stars out of fourLocation: Drury Lane Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., ChicagoTimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 5 p.m. Sundays; through Nov. 25Running Time: About 90 minutes, no intermissionTickets: $45-$55Parking: Discounted parking in nearby Water Tower Place garage with validationBox office: (312) 642-2000 or www.ticketmaster.com. Info at www.altarboyzchicago.comRating: For teens and older, contains sexual innuendo