Talk about a holy weekend. Last Saturday, I was with the choir (composed of Bukas Palad, Hangad, Kinema, and some Scholastics) for the ordination of Fr. Xavier Olin, S.J. and Fr. Nono Alfonso, S.J. It’s always a great experience attending these Jesuit ordinations. (And not just because of the free food after the celebration, or the belief of being showered with blessings.) It’s heartening to see these men dedicate themselves to a life of service to the Lord’s flock, especially considering the dwindling number of those applying to the religious life nowadays.
Sunday, we met another group of boys dedicating their lives to God in a more unconventional way… We were in for saving and blessings of another kind though Repertory Philippines’ Altar Boyz.
The premise is simple and ensures nonstop hilarity: What if there was an openly Catholic Boy Band ala-N’SYNC or the Backstreet Boys? The show is a mock concert—
the last of the group’s “Raise the Praise Tour.” Here, the Boyz sing and groove to save the burdened souls of the audience. (HOW they monitor this task is something you have to see for yourselves!)
To those among you who’ve followed my more recent theater-posts here, it must be obvious that I’ve been an Altarholic even before this Manila production. (Thus, forgive me for this quite lengthy review. I just have to get it out of my system, hehe.)
Coming into the theater, I expected a lot from this production. Fortunately, I had a great time and wasn’t disappointed.
Spot on
The casting was simply superb. Though the Boyz are younger than their international counterparts, they carried themselves well onstage and kept up with the energy the show demanded. PJ Valerio, Red Concepcion, Reuben Uy, Reb Atadero, and Chevy Mercado were very engaging to watch with their over-the-top boyband impressions, movement, and vocals.
With the cheers from the audience, it was evident that a lot of fangirls found PJ Valerio dreamy as he played Matthew, the group’s leader. His portrayal reminds one of the countless Philippine matinee idols the girls go gaga over, but this one has got real singing talent to boot! He nails his high notes and grooves really well in the more energetic portions. As some viewers have noticed, though, it is in the ironic comedy of some of his scenes that the portrayal still lacks body. Maybe a little more of flirtatious Justin Timberlake and a little less of square Joey Fatone? (No offense to Mr. Fatone, of course.)
Yamulke-donning Chevy Mercado was endearing as Abe, the only Jewish member of the group. Clean vocal lines and versatility characterize his performance for me. A close friend of mine compared him to “a completely charming nerd who just wants to fit in and turns out as the hero in the end.” He brings his comedy and sincerity at the perfect moments in the show.
Reuben Uy drew laughs as simple-minded Luke, the converted bad-boy. Ryu did justice to the role, all the way to the gangster/hiphop slang infused with religious references. (“Mary Magdalicious!”) Singing and break dancing wildly are hard to pair, so my qualms about his breakout moment in “Body, Mind & Soul” are understandable. Maybe I was just looking for fancier moves and a bigger and wilder James Brown ending that’ll just make the audience join him in “working out the soul”.
Though all the Boyz contributed to the life of the show, two stood out immediately: Red Concepcion as Mark, the über “sensitive one,” and Reb Atadero as Juan, the “Latino lover.”
Mark has always been my favorite character in the show both in the comedy his character brings and his memorable and melodic songs. Red was simply incredible with his comedic timing. From his ostentatious dance flourishes to sticky side-glances to Matthew (Valerio), this guy brought the house down. Although I always visualized him playing around more with the diva-like vocals and movement in his “coming out” anthem, “Epiphany,” the moment doesn’t take away from his over-all performance. I do pray that the spirits of Dreamgirls Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson continue to descend on him for the last few runs.
Reb, a relative newbie to professional theater, did a tremendous job as Juan. From the comments of one of the Boyz in an online forum, he even curled his hair, got a tan, and spent his free time listening and watching Latino singers do their thing. His method acting clearly paid off as his signature Latin moves and accent were spot-on. Not a second does his hold on his character waver, even while belting out his songs perfectly. Judging from his performance here, I’m sure we’ll see more of Reb in professional productions in the future.
Like all boy bands, it is not the defined stereotypes that stabilize the group; rather, how they jive together. In this, they succeed as well. The interaction of the Boyz was just genuine: like watching real brothers have fun onstage. Their repartee was just remarkable.
Taking time
I enjoyed the show, but still had some minor misgivings.
I was first concerned that the band wasn’t visible. To not see them at all times just took a little from the over-all conceit of the show being a concert. I mean, when we go to live concerts, we always see the band and the performers interacting with them, right? The use of the rotating scrims was ingenious as well as functional (I loved what happened to them during “Everybody Fits”!). I still feel, though, that a fully exposed band could have added to the vibrancy of the show.
Lights could have been a little more playful too. The opening lighting was exciting, but it started to turn vanilla shortly after. It is, after all, a boy band’s concert and wilder lighting could have energized the numbers and the audience as well.
One thing to look forward to in Altar Boyz productions is the choreography, judging from the wealth of dance excerpts online. For the Philippine production, Jason Zamora of the famed Manoeuvres took on the reins and infused his own style. Nevertheless, I missed some of the defining “moves”. Some Altarholics consider some movements to be standard, some of which were still seen in the opening number of this cast. It’s possible I was just over-expecting it too. Don’t’ get me wrong; the dancing was not bad at all. I’m sure too that each show was a work-out for the Boyz. Kudos to them for achieving that—it’s something I know I can never do!
My biggest concern with the show had to do with the tempo of the songs. For me, the production could have benefited more from movement: the transitions of the speed and nature of the numbers. My over-all impression was that everything was a tad rushed. You just have to take time with songs like, “The Calling” and “Something About You” to appreciate their wit fully. Even the raps and dances seemed rushed at times. Some of the viewers I knew struggled comprehending the lines. At one point in “Something”, PJ and the band weren’t jiving in tempo and only caught up with each other upon hitting the second verse. Let’s hope this was just an isolated case.
Still, these facets couldn’t take from the fun and entertainment the show brings. You just leave the theater feeling exactly what the “Raise the Praise Tour” intended: a sense of joy and a lighter heart.
Everybody Fits
How have Catholic Filipinos taken this unlikely marriage of religion and the ludicrous parody of a boy band? Surprisingly well, based on the comments and reviews of the religious who’ve seen it. In fact, part of the audience that afternoon was my Theology 141 professor with his family and a prominent Jesuit figure here in ADMU. (Just ask me who personally!) A week before, a large group of religious saw the show and enjoyed it as well. Take a look at the varied backgrounds of these reviews in TheBachelorGirl.com.
If it takes a production like this for people to start having an active awareness or even questioning of their faith, then great. Sure, there are some lines in there that may be dogmatically questionable (based on my n years of theology in Ateneo), but that shouldn’t stop one from seeing it. After all, it is an active questioning and grappling with one’s faith that leads to growth and meaning, not a blind belief on structures imposed on us.
In the end, the show just tells us (in a very enjoyable way at that) to have faith- in ourselves, in those we love and count on, and in the One who guides us in our lives’ journeys.
Congrats to REP, especially to the Boyz and Chari for another tight production!
Go see the Boyz during the last two weeks of the run! I’ll see it with another group soon and can’t wait to be “saved” again. To quote Theatermeister Gibbs Cadiz: Consider it a sin to fail to catch this exhilarating exercise in expert musical silliness.
Altar Boyz plays at the Onstage Theater Greenbelt 1 from April 4 to 27, 2008. Shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:30pm. Tickets are at Php550, Php350, and Php 250. For tickets, reservations, and information call the Rep office at 8870710 or Ticketworld at 891999. You may also log on to www.repertory-philippines.com or www.ticketworld.com.ph. Tickets are also available at the REP office located at 2316 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City and at the gate before every performance. REP has the license to the show for the entire year and is also open to touring. Just inquire.
Videos
(From the site of Ms. Ria Pangilinan, Assistant to the Artistic Director of REP)
Altar Boyz Opening Scene
Manila Cast sings Something About You
Previous Posts on Altar Boyz
So Who are the Altar Boyz Anyway? (A primer on the original production)
Altarholics Anonymous (The Altar Boyz press conference)
More Altarholics
Gibbs Cadiz' Review (Complete with production shots)
The Bachelor Girl (Compiled reviews of Lorna's guests)
Repertory Philippines (Extensive, compiled reviews of bloggers)
This post has ended. Go in peace.
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