We finally got to see Repertory Philippines' production of the off-Broadway musical, Altar Boyz, and it pleased us to no end that it was as entertaining as we thought it would be. No, wait, scratch entertaining--make that a real riot!
Just the thought of being "converted" by a boy band already had us giggling. Also fondly dubbed by fans as a “ploncert," the play is presented as a real time concert called "Raise the Praise," where the Altar Boyz perform songs complete with choreography a la boy band, and at the same time, try to reduce the number of burdened souls in their Soul Sensor machine to zero. And who exactly are the Altar Boyz?
There's Matthew, the reluctant leader of the Catholic boy band, played by the charming PJ Valerio of Villa Teatro’s Romeo & Juliet and ABC-5's weekly drama T.e.e.n.s.; Mark, "the sensitive one" and the band’s choreographer, played by a blonde Red Concepcion, who has already appeared in musicals by Trumpets and Rep; Luke, the bad boy and the band’s official driver, brought to life by Reuben Uy, who returns to theater after leaving it for a real boy band, and Juan, the Latino member played by theater rookie Reb Atadero. Completing the Altar Boyz is Abraham, played by Rep veteran Chevy Mercado, the band’s beatboxer and the occasional songwriter, and strangely, a Jewish boy who got into the band accidentally when he roamed into the church where the group was looking for members.
The songs had us roaring in our seats, and we actually had to try to stop laughing so we could focus on the lyrics, only to end up laughing again. For one there’s “The Calling” where the boys explain how God communicated with them: “he beeped me, he faxed me, he e-mailed my soul!” And because this is a boy band, there would be no escaping Matthew’s seranade to a girl (whom they pulled out of the audience--a good reason to aim for the front seats if you’re watching it) with “Something About You,” hoping she’ll understand why they’d have to wait until they’re married before they do the nasty.
'The songs had us roaring in our seats, and we actually had to try to stop laughing so we could focus on the lyrics, only to end up laughing again'
But even with their good intentions, you can’t exactly expect this to be feel-good all along. There's also a bit of drama about their singing career, their personalities, and their differences. But we'll leave that in the dark for you.
As a satire, the good thing about the very American Altar Boyz is that it works for the Filipino audience, even if most of us are devout Catholics since we also like to poke fun in our own beliefs sometimes. And we’ve got to admit it--we like to seek acceptance wherever we go, so we can easily relate to the boys' issues with their differences.
The guys themselves are unforgettable. Save for some instances where the raps and slang come out a bit warbled, or occasionally the backup singing drowns out the solos, the boys' harmony are lovely to the ears. It also helps that their easy good looks reminds us of the boy bands of our childhood, only these boys are less buff than the American cast, which isn't exactly a bad thing.
If you're not exactly a boy band fan, we'd still recommend this musical for the laughs and for those who'd want an alternative look at faith. You might even find yourself altered spiritually, or simply when it comes to digging or hating boybands. Who knows, maybe even both?
You can catch Altar Boyz at Onstage Greenbelt 1, Makati City, from April 4-27, 2008. Friday and Saturday shows are held at 8 p.m., with matinees at 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For ticket sales and inquiries, please call Repertory Philippines at 887.0710 or visit their website. You can also buy tickets from White Crane Entertainment by calling Lorna Lopez at 0917-9256505 or 0922-3875729.
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