Altar Boyz!

Neil Haskell (Luke), Mauricio Perez (Juan), Michael Kadin Craig (Matthew), Travis Nesbit (Mark), and Ravi Roth (Abraham)

I have been working with the Off-Broadway hit show Altar Boyz since last fall, (www.altarboyz.com) in the role of wardrobe maintenance.

While I can't take credit for the costume design, it has been a really great experience to work on an ongoing project like this.  Each week, I work at the theater laundering, ironing, and mending the costumes for the show.  There is a new and different challenge every week.  Sometimes cast members go on vacation, sometimes they leave and a new cast member comes in, and sometimes they're just ill for one show.  This means that whomever replaces them for that show, that week, or on a more permanent level needs properly fitting costumes.  We have many sets of the costumes, and it's my job to make sure they're all ready to go for each show, no matter who is in the cast.

The cast consists of five "altar boyz" and two swings.  The swings are able to go on into any of the five main roles, so each swing has a entire set of costumes (one for each character).  

Here is a fantastic description of the show from their website:

Altar Boyz, the acclaimed musical comedy now in its fourth year at New World Stages and winner of the coveted Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Off-Broadway, is the longest running new musical comedy to open in New York in years!

 

Full of sharp parody, sinfully spectacular dancing, and irreverent humor, this spoof about a heavenly guy-group is adored by audiences and critics alike. With an extraordinary mix of side-splitting songs convincing enough to be played on MTV, uncontrollable laughs and lighthearted fun, this award-winning and totally original new musical is 90 minutes of pure delight that's suitable for all ages and will have the whole family laughing and singing along.

 

Hailed as "high-octane entertainment" (Talkin' Broadway), Altar Boyz tells the holy inspiring story of 5 small-town boys - Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham - trying to save the world one screaming fan at a time. Their pious pop act, including lyrics like "Girl You Make Me Wanna Wait" and "Jesus Called Me On My Cell Phone," worked wonders on the Ohio bingo-hall-and-pancake-breakfast circuit. But when fate brings them to New York, will the boyz take a bite out of the forbidden apple? With angelic voices, sinfully spectacular dancing and a touching story, Altar Boyz is destined to rock the masses of all denominations!

I highly recommend seeing this show if you are in the New York City area---it's great for all ages, it's hilarious, and it just makes you smile.  I was a big fan even before I started working for the show.  I often watch it, not only to make sure the costumes are still "performing," but because it's just so entertaining!