WPCNR LEFT AND CENTER. Theatre Review by John F. Bailey. August 13, 2011:

Never had the fan thrill of seeing a pop idol band in a touring concert within touching distance?

ALTAR BOYZ! THE FAITHFUL FIVE!

Luke! (Travis Morin), Mark!(Adam Cassel) Matthew! (Ralph Meitzler), Juan! (Patrick Ortiz),Abraham! (Ian Joseph) Photos Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiola

The hilarious seriousness of this send-up-of-all-cult-bands everywhere comes out in over-the-top style when all of the “Faithful Five” perform the show-stopping, soul-uplifting, icon-invoking Number 918 that “Gets the Hell Out of You” using the power of God--beaming God’s power at you as Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham hold out cross, Bible, rosary beads,  and the Star of David in sequence to save the last souls left to be converted in the WBT hall.

No matter how closed you are, or skeptical of going to an hour and a half, all-music all-the-time, satiric, outrageous joke after joke about faith and driving hard rock music from 80s pop, rap,funk, soul and Barry Manilow balladeering to deliver a message of aggressive evangelical zeal--they save all souls in the WBT house every night.

According to their "Soul Sensor DS 12" meter of God, a soul scoreboard that hangs high above the stage to count down how many in the audience are left to be converted by the end of the hour and a half  “concert,” all souls in the house opening night were captured for the Lord and Jesus.

And they loved it: biz guys, power elite, birthday celebrants, 30 and 40-somethings, and seniors-in-training like me in suits,  and the young and restless  stood in standing ovation tribute to this irreverent work of redemption, starring five of the most energetic, dancingest young men you’ll see.

Altar Boyz ran off-Broadway for almost five years from 2005 to 2010. It delivers a simulated concert tour performance like Rock of Ages. 

Ian Joseph as Abraham, the Jewish member of the ecumenical rockers, tells his story, singing the Miracle Song.

Ralph Meitzler as Matthew, singing his story at the poignant moment when he is announcing he is leaving the band --will he stay or will he go? As  Adam Cassell (Mark), Travis Morin (Luke), Ian Joseph (Abraham), and Patrick Cruz (Juan) look on in shock.

Travis Morton, Patrick Ortiz, Ralph Meitzler, Adam Cassel and Ian Joseph, nail the  synchronized camaraderie that stylized the rise of the heart-throb all-boy groups like Boyz2men (did I spell that right, how quickly we forget), Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block with the unique concept of making their band the Altar Boyz, a Christian Evangelical Band. And it works!

From the high energy beginning of the concert riffed throughout by a solid bunch of sidelady and sidemen laying a driving “bed” for the earnest voices of the “Faithful Five,” the music grips you big time, no matter what your taste.

If you are Glenn Miller born-and raised, have doo-wop roots, are rap-sodic, the energy of the music and the relentless in-your-ears-in-your-face, cannot-ignore-God’s-power musical  story of the rocking evangeleers puts God back in your soul, while the appeal of the young men with their own special camaderie evokes great laughs. The humor, moms,  is adult.

This is a simulated concert, opening with fog, and the WBT stage turntable rising up to evoke the beginning of a typical rock concert experience. The glib book sets the tone as the boys individually sing how they came together.

There are no dull moments, number to number, though the sound levels of backup band tend to overbear the vocals—but that’s standard in a rock concert. However the lyrics are so good and funny you are a little disappointed not to make them out in their sanctimonious silliness. (But as Brenda Starr, my wife, says, I don’t hear well anyway.)

The songs are not hum-along tunes you’ll leave the theatre going out to buy the cast CD – but you might. From “The Calling, Jesus called me on my cellphone, there were no roaming charges” to Number 918, the fantastic “Get the H—L out of you” lyric where religious icons are held up to the audience by each of the five guys.  

Each song performed by the boys keeps reducing the number of audience members who are without God – sensed by the  Soul Sensor Scoreboard. The audience applauds itself as the convertants multiply, song by song, having the effect of a game show and a Billy Graham revival meeting.

The special effects of this concert venue are satiric.  The lighting effects by Andrew Gmoser and staging and choreography by director Carlos Encinias  deliver the flash-bang-senses-assaulting drama of a typical “tour” concert.  Gmoser and Encinias evoke the experience for those 70 and older who want to feel what the young people feel at these cultural phenomena concerts. The staging  cleverly connects with the 30s, 40s, and 50-somethings  who will remember, smile how the real thing was. This “concert” is an experience that wins over adults of all ages.

I have to make special mention of the energetic, committed Musical Director on keyboards Julie McBride,(Center) the bubbly, committed-to-the-music, key-pounding, head-shaking, blonde hair flying young woman who had all the moves of  Billy Preston (the charismatic organ-pounder man on the old Shindig Show). I thought she was going to crash her Yamaha in two she was pounding it so hard. It is great to see some enthusiasm in a pit band!

It is great to see the ensemble, too, you got the feel you were in a real concert.  Her sidemen included David Gardos on keyboards. David Shoup on guitar and Ken Ross on skins. They had as big a sound as any back-up band. With some sound adjustment…this show will get God’s message across!

You can catch their “Final” concert playing at the Westchester Broadway Theatre now through September 18. Call the box office at 914-592-2222, or visit the website, www.BroadwayTheatre.com

The exuberance of this non-stop hour and a half evangelical express makes all the stops on time and wins you over, sending you out with the Lord within you!