Faith well placed in Noble Fool's charming 'Altar Boyz'
"Altar Boyz," may be rooted in the Catholic faith, but this musical sendup of boy bands, Christian pop and corporate sponsorship has ecumenical appeal.
The high-octane, inherently sweet, subtly spiritual show has several things going for it. Not the least of them is its subject: a pop culture phenom ripe for parody. Better still are the songs by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker - peppy, teen friendly, dance-pop music - paired with canny, innuendo-laced lyrics that adults can appreciate.
That said, the success of a musical parody also depends upon the ability of its performers to mimic the style they're satirizing - in this case, primarily boy bands - and the sincerity with which they do so.
Noble Fool's praiseworthy production does exactly that. Director John Gawlik's energetic revival features an imminently likable, absolutely genuine quintet of singer-dancer-actors who exude the nonthreatening sexuality and coy charm of teen mag pinup boys.
Accompanying them is a rocking, young quartet led by music director/keyboardist Brett Rowe and including keyboardist Jonathon Lynch, drummer David Agee and guitarist Troy Fannin. Also deserving mention is the 90-minute workout that is Gil Mata's aerobic, hip-hop inspired choreography.
Conceived by Mark Kessler and Ken Davenport with a book by Kevin DelAguila, the action unfolds on the final night of the Altar Boyz's "Raise the Praise" tour. The young, (mostly) squeaky clean, boyhood pals belt out vanilla funk ("Rhythm in Me" "Body, Mind & Soul"), artfully crafted ballads (the spot-on "Something About You," which includes the line "girl, you make me want to wait") and pop anthems (the confessional, metaphorical "Epiphany" about coming out as a Catholic) all in an effort to save souls, one funky beat at a time.
There's group leader Matthew (Mike Arthur), the all-American boy; Mark (Robert Deason), the lovestruck choreographer; dim but affable Luke (Courtney Crouse, ably supplying the show's comic relief), a Marky Mark stand-in; swivel-hipped Latin heartthrob Juan (Edward Fraim) and songwriter Abe (Frank Joseph Paul), the lone Jewish member and the band's resident Beastie Boy.
The plot may be negligible and the characters stereotypical, but "Altar Boyz" comprehends completely the genre it spoofs. Therein lies its charm. That the show also champions faith, tolerance and loyalty amounts to the cherry on the top of this sweet confection.
"Altar Boyz"
Rating: 3 stars
Location: Pheasant Run Resort & Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles
Showtimes: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; through July 12
Running time: About 90 minutes, no intermission
Tickets: $28, $39, dinner-theater options available
Parking: Free in adjacent lot
Box office: (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org
Rating: For teens and older, some sexual innuendo
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=1&type=video&item=243">Clip from Noble Fool's 'Altar Boyz' </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>