Show guide
Altar Boyz
Altar Boyz is a cheeky, high-energy send-up of the boy-band phenomenon, imagining a Christian pop group performing what they insist is the last stop on their farewell tour. It is one of the funniest, most self-aware original comedies of its era.
- Broadway premiere
- 2005
- Music by
- Adler & Walker
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- 2000s
Altar Boyz: quick answers
What is Altar Boyz about?
- Altar Boyz is about a Christian boy band from Ohio playing the final concert of its national tour, using a device called the Soul Sensor DX-12 to count how many burdened souls in the audience still need saving.
Did Altar Boyz play on Broadway?
- Altar Boyz never played Broadway. It opened Off-Broadway on March 1, 2005, at Dodger Stages (now New World Stages) and ran until January 10, 2010, for 2,032 performances, one of the longest runs of any Off-Broadway musical.
What kind of musical is Altar Boyz?
- Altar Boyz is a musical comedy staged as a live boy band concert, with an original pop score by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker and a book by Kevin Del Aguila. It parodies both boy bands and Christian pop.
Where and when is Altar Boyz set?
- Altar Boyz is set in the present day at the theatre itself, framed as the last stop on the band's national tour in New York City.
The story of Altar Boyz
Set in the early 2000s, Altar Boyz presents itself as an actual concert by a fictional boy band on a mission to save souls through pop music. The five members perform their set list while bantering with the audience, revealing their personalities and insecurities between songs in classic boy-band concert style.
The show plays with the format of a live concert rather than a traditional book musical, using audience interaction and pop culture parody to build its comedy. It gently spoofs both religious fervor and the manufactured sincerity of early-2000s boy bands, all while staying affectionate rather than mean-spirited.
The music and the makers
The songs were written by the composing team of Adler and Walker, whose score lovingly mimics the sound of turn-of-the-millennium boy-band pop, complete with tight harmonies, upbeat hooks, and over-the-top choreography. The music is designed to be immediately catchy and instantly recognizable as a genre parody.
Because the show is structured as a concert, the songs carry much of the storytelling weight themselves, layering comedy into lyrics and stage patter rather than traditional dialogue scenes.
Altar Boyz on Broadway
Altar Boyz opened Off-Broadway in 2005 and became a long-running cult favorite, beloved for its short runtime, high energy, and irreverent humor. Its small cast and simple concert setup made it especially popular with regional and college theatre groups.
Its appeal comes from its willingness to be silly and specific, poking fun at a very particular moment in pop culture while delivering genuinely catchy songs. It remains a favorite pick for audiences wanting something fast, funny, and full of heart.
Altar Boyz: frequently asked questions
When did Altar Boyz open?
Altar Boyz opened in 2005.
Who wrote the music for Altar Boyz?
The songwriting team of Adler and Walker composed the score.
What is Altar Boyz about?
It follows a fictional Christian boy band performing what they claim is the final stop of their farewell concert tour, blending comedy with boy-band pop parody.
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