Altar Boyz" take Gateway stage in Bellport"

Oh, the legacy of “Nunsense”!

It isn’t enough that the editions of the original multiply like frantic rabbits. Other variations like “Altar Boyz,” the current tenant of the Gateway’s Bellport location, abound.

After they had taken the “Nunsense” success story to heart, the urge to merge religion and rock, and come up with a musical about a Christian rock group selling conversion to Protestant Christianity must have been more than Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker and Kevin Del Aguila could resist.

Nor could the audiences that attended the more than 2,000 Off-Broadway performances of “Altar Boyz” resist, any more than the critics who gave it three major Off-Broadway awards and 12 nominations. But, quite frankly, except for the dancing, which is wildly thrilling, there’s nothing much in the current Gateway incarnation of this hit show to rave about. In fact, its long tenure Off-Broadway and its bushel of awards seem more of a mystery than an affirmation. “Altar Boyz” (“We’re gonna altar your mind,” they sing up front), is advertised as a hilarious spoof, but it isn’t very funny, unless you find comedy in lines like “Jesus called me on the cell phone,” or the naming of the rock group’s members Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan (for the token Hispanic) and Abraham (for the token Jew), or if you’re amused by bringing an audience member on stage and singing to her, or getting in the spirit of a wild and wooly exorcism.

So, “Nunsense” “Altar Boyz” isn’t, or anywhere near it. But go figure. The opening night audience in Bellport did everything but tear up their seats in enthusiastic appreciation. Well, at least to this critic, the music and lyrics by Adler and Walker are particularly forgettable. But David Korin’s set is a faithful rendering of a rock band’s on-stage environment, complete with sloping platform embracing the onstage band—a four-piece, hard-working, heavily amplified, well playing and enthusiastic group under the musical direction of Justin S. Fischer.

And the all important and authentic lighting design by Doug Harry is bright and constantly in motion and for quite a lot of the time aimed directly into the eyes of the audience.

Director Carlos L. Encinias keeps things moving at a bright and brittle pace, putting his undeniably talented five-person cast—Wade Elkins, Spiro Galiatsatos, Joey Khoury, Jeff Leatherwood and Ryan Nearhoff—through non-stop, high-flying, high-speed paces.

Every one of the five is not only sweet and winning of countenance, but a spectacular dancer, too, and the choreography by Mr. Encinias is similarly spectacular and original and exciting. And this, rather than the supposed state of grace of the Altar Boyz, is the saving grace of the show. It contains some of the best dancing on stage in the area or in memory. If only the rest of the show came near to equaling it.

“Altar Boyz,” doesn’t replace the continuing run of Gateway’s “Hairspray” in Patchogue but continues simultaneously at the Gateway’s Bellport location every night except Monday and several matinees a week through July 31. The box office number is 286-1133.