Altar Boyz to Hit Show 500 on May 12

By Robert Simonson
09 May 2006

Altar Boyz, the hit Off-Broadway musical which has spawned a breed of fan called the "Altarholic," will mark its 500th performance Off-Broadway on May 12.

Altar Boyz opened March 1, 2005. The 90-minute entertainment about a fictional Christian boy band is directed by Stafford Arima and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli. Altar Boyz has music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker with a book by Kevin Del Aguila, based on a concept by Marc Kessler and Ken Davenport.

As previously reported, Altar Boyz will soon bring its message of faith and funk to the lower 48. It will begin a 30-week national tour on Oct. 10 with a three-week engagement at the LaSalle Theatre in Chicago.

A complete tour schedule will be announced soon.

Meanwhile, in New York, the original production recently welcomed back one of its founding cast members. Ryan Duncan, who created the part of Juan (as in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Juan) rejoined the show on May 1. He replaced Clyde Alves, who left April 30.

Jason Celaya became the musical's new Matthew on April 3. He is making his New York debut in Altar Boyz. Regional credits include Annie Get Your Gun, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Tyler Maynard, Andrew C. Call and Dennis Moench are also currently in the New York cast.