By Andrew Gans
10 May 2007

The cast of the hit Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz will make a cameo appearance on the May 19 broadcast of "Johnny and the Sprites," which stars Avenue Q Tony nominee and current Beauty and the Beast actor John Tartaglia.

The episode is titled "Basil's Band" and will air at 11 AM ET on the Disney Channel. The upcoming program is described in this manner: "Basil discovers something about making promises - and keeping them - when he joins a band and forgets about all of his friends." The original song "That's What Friends Do" — penned by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker — will be heard during the episode. Adler and Walker also wrote the score for Altar Boyz.

"Johnny and the Sprites" — which teaches children "about magic in the world around them" — airs Saturdays on the Disney Channel; check local listings. Tony winner Sutton Foster was a previous guest on the show, which features Avenue Q's Natalie Venetia Belcon in a recurring role as Johnny's next-door neighbor.

John Tartaglia made his Broadway debut in Avenue Q. He received a Tony nomination, a Theatre World Award and the Clarence Derwent Award for that performance. The singer-actor also appeared in the Children of Eden and Hair benefit concerts and in the City Center Encores! presentation of Carnival. His TV credits include eight seasons on "Sesame Street" as well as "Animal Jam," "Bear in the Big Blue House," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." Tartaglia was also seen in the Empty-Handed concerts at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and has performed solo evenings at the Ars Nova and Joe's Pub. He currently plays Lumiere in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast.

For more information visit www.disney.go.com/disneychannel.