ALTAR BOYZ II MEN!
THE CLOSING COMPANY OF OFF-BROADWAY’S LONG RUNNING HIT MUSICAL COMEDY
ALTAR BOYZ
COMMEMORATES 10 YEARS
“THE CALLING”
Music & Lyrics by Gary Adler
“Jesus called me on my cell phone…”
10 years ago the internationally acclaimed, award winning hit Off-Broadway musical comedy ALTAR BOYZ ended its 5 year record setting run at New World Stages in NYC. To celebrate this unique show and spread a little virtual ‘boy band’ love during these challenging times, the closing night company (Michael Kadin Craig, Travis Nesbitt, Mauricio Perez, Lee Markham, and Ravi Roth) and composer/lyricist Gary Adler gathered to sing one of the show’s signature songs, “The Calling.” This particular company performed the show together Off-Broadway for almost 2 years.
See it now at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjo1zeDeeic&feature=youtu.be
Here’s what the ‘Boyz,’ now ‘Men,’ have been up to since the show closed:
Michael Kadin Craig (Matthew) and his partner left NYC after Altar Boyz closed and moved to Ohio. He became the Artistic Director for a local non-profit theatre company in Perrysburg, Ohio for 5 years before stepping down. He is currently the Vice President and CFO of Craig Transportation Co, and married his partner 10 years (to the day) after the day they first met, which was coincidentally at an Altar Boyz show in 2008.
Travis Nesbitt (Mark). After several regional credits and 3 years performing in The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall under the Musical Direction of Altar Boyz composer Gary Adler, Travis moved to London where he received his Masters in ‘Creative Producing’ at The Royal Central London School of Speech and Drama. He founded The Boy Band Project, ‘a contemporary boy band cover group’ that has performed internationally, been featured on “Good Morning America” and NY1, opened for Todrick Hall’s 2019 Haus Party Tour, and received the 2019 Broadway World Award for ‘Best Group’ for their on going residency at The Green Room 42 called “Boy Band Brunch” (www.theboybandproject.com). He met his husband at an Altar Boyz press event in 2008.
Lee Markham (Luke). After Altar Boyz, Lee moved to California to perform at Disneyland, Princess Cruise Lines, and The Four Seasons tribute show Walk Like A Man. He then moved to Orlando to perform at SeaWorld, Capone's Dinner & Show and in various commercials. He now lives in Tampa where he sings with a barbershop chorus and was in rehearsals for Rent and Titanic: The Musical.
Mauricio Perez (Juan) His post Altar Boyz credits include Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys (Broadway, 1st National Tour), Paco in Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage (Off-Bway with Joyce DeWitt and Eve Plumb, Straz Center Premiere). Perez was featured on “The Today Show,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, CNN, in Playboy Magazine, performed at Super Bowl XLVIII, and sang the national anthem many times around the US and Canada.
Ravi Roth (Abe). Since the closing of Altar Boyz, he has toured with the Broadway company of White Christmas, played Motel in Fiddler of the Roof at Pioneer Theatre (Utah), and performed in A Letter To Harvey Milk Off-Broadway. He also hosts of his own queer travel show, @RaviRoundTheWorld, which has brought him to 32 countries.
Altar Boyz has music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker and book by Kevin Del Aguila (based on an idea by Marc J. Kessler and Ken Davenport). Full of sharp parody and irreverent humor, this spoof about a heavenly guy-group has been 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." It began an Off-Broadway run on March 1, 2005 and closed on January 10, 2010 after sixteen previews and 2,032 regular performances, making it the 9th longest-running Off-Broadway show of all time. The original production was directed by Stafford Arima and choreographed by Christopher Gatteli. It continues to be performed by companies around the world.