"Altar Boyz" at New World Stages, December 10, 2010
After an almost 5 year run, "Altar Boyz" is closing January 10, 2010, having played over 2,000 performances. I've seen the show on two other occasions during its run, as it evolved from a full two-act production, to a 90 minute one-act. Hatched from a successful premiere at the New York Musical Theater Festival in September, 2004, it moved quickly to its current home in February of 2005.
The first two visits were to a tightly-run performance, with some nuance and detail in the story of the Christian boy band of Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. In this last visit, the age is showing with character performances reduced to mere stereotypes. Guiltiest of this was Travis Nesbitt's Mark, played more like a 15 year old girl, rather than the twink of questionable sexual orientation that Mr. Nesbitt's predecessor's accomplished more credibly. Michael Kadin Craig's Matthew is also missing some of the pretty boy glamour of those who came before him.
Still it's a high energy evening, with plenty of heavy-handed laughs.
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