Quotable Quotes: Bonding with the Boys Behind Altar Boyz
WHAT: Opening night of Altar Boyz, the new off-Broadway musical about a Christian boy band
WHERE: Chelsea nightclub Crobar
WHEN: Tuesday, March 1, 2005
"It's been a three and a half year process of taking it from the page to the stage, so to see it in that light this evening was a huge kind of celebration. It was a great evening."—Director Stafford Arima
"The music is great and the idea was so interesting and fun that I thought if there's a way to make this more than just one joke, you know,
then it could be something."—Writer Kevin Del Aguila on coming up with the concept
"It's fun to see it realized. That's really what the joy is, to see what you've written go to the level you thought and beyond with these guys on stage every night."—Songwriter Michael Patrick Walker on watching the cast perform his music
"Tonight was outrageous. It was absolutely fantastic."—Cast member Ryan Duncan on the high-energy opening night performance
"I think Joan River's face actually fell off during the show tonight. That's how great it was."—Andy Karl on one of the starry first-nighters
"I'm beaming! I haven't even had a cocktail!”—Tyler Maynard, who plays Mark in the show
"I cannot say enough good about the five regular players and the two swings that we have. They are the nicest bunch of guys. The most talented bunch of guys that I've ever worked with."—Michael Patrick Walker
"It was a little intimidating, but they are just so awesome. Open Arms. I couldn't have asked for a better cast."—Scott Porter on stepping in as a new cast member
"I am so thankful that we have these five boys on stage every night. They're remarkable to watch. Each one of them has little moments that make me laugh every single performance and I'm really indebted to them for what they've given."—Songwriter Gary Adler
"I am so blown away by these guys. On stage their talent inspires me. Off-stage they amaze me."— Ryan Duncan on his relationship with his co-stars
"They're so filled with creativity and life and joy that in working with them and developing these characters, they just brought so much to the table, that it was a true collaborative effort and it was just a joy."—Stafford Arima
"We were really careful to figure out what that line is that we can cross because we didn't want to make fun of Christian music or Christianity because... well, God forbid."— Gary Adler
"I think it approaches a line, but it doesn't push too hard. It's truthful and it's honest and it's just real."— David Josefsberg, who plays Jewish boy-band member Abraham
"Christians, Catholics, Jewish people, Mormons, anyone would love it. Anyone would love it just because it's not really about religion. That's the joke. That's where we kick the joke."—Tyler Maynard
"The [characters] are true believers and so anything that they say or anything that they do comes from a place of genuine honesty and belief. So if we stay true to that in the writing, and the direction and choreography, then we're safe because they mean what they say and they love their faith."—Stafford Arima
"It's a true testament to their talent. They don't stop for 90 minutes and they're singing live and dancing non-stop. I just think it's phenomenal."— Choreographer Christopher Gatelli on his energetic cast
"I love every bead of sweat that comes off of my head because I know I'm working for it and I'm working hard for a very good reason."—Tyler Maynard
"I have no ass anymore. Literally. I'm ass-less."—Cast member Andy Karl
"It's a nice workout. I can eat all the nachos I want at this point, hopefully. I think I need to go and just do weights so that I don't look like Gumby, but other than that it's stripping off a few of the pounds."—Ryan Duncan
"It's a complete dream of mine! Musical theater? Great. I love musical theater. But to get the chance to beat box and do hip-hop and that kind of stuff? It's great!"—David Josefsberg on performing the radio-ready pop score
"For me this is like being a rock star on stage. It's just awesome."—Standby Kevin Kern
"We start to feed off the audience and once that starts to happen the adrenaline starts to flow."—Scott Porter on maintaining his performance for the entire show
"This is sort of my American Idol experience. My chance to be in a boy band because, who doesn't want to be? I mean they're little rock stars. It's fantastic to do it every night."—Tyler Maynard
"We're rapping and dancing and b-bopping like ‘N Sync or something. It's hilarious to me! It's like, what am I doing on stage? I'm wearing this sideways cap and being a ridiculous thug boy who's from Greenville, Ohio."—Andy Karl on his homeboy character
"There's something immediate about this show, and something that people can relate to now, and today which I think is exciting."—Strafford Arima
"In the end, the show is about brotherhood and really about all the good about religion. The kinds of things that bring us together and make us feel a part of the human race and a part of one another."—Kevin Del Aguila
Interviews by Paul Wontorek
Compiled by Grace Hernandez
