Go! review

“Altar Boyz” occupies a strange place in the universe of theater somewhere between “Forever Plaid” and “Smoke on the Mountain.”

One of the most widely-produced plays of this season (a version just closed in Indianapolis while the off-Broadway and national tours are still in production), “Altar Boyz” presents a fictional Christian boy band, a la Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync or the real Christian boy band PlusOne.

They’re on the final stop of the “Raise the Praise” tour, and each of the five members — Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham — have a secret.

But they also have a show to do, and souls to save. There’s a live band to help them with the first, and the Soul Sensor DX-12 to help with the latter. The Soul Sensor keeps a running tally of the souls left to be saved in the audience, even as the misfires — and the aforementioned secrets — keep it from reaching zero.

There are regional references built in to this production, including a hilarious version of Cincinnati’s landmark fountain, and a small amount of audience participation, but mostly it’s the funny, clever songs that poke fun at both popular Christian music and boy band crazes.

All five members of the cast are making their regional debuts, but there may be a couple of familiar faces to some. Matthew is the handsome leader of the group, played by Machael Kadin Craig, a Hollywood finalist on the second installment of “American Idol.” Playing the barely-closeted Mark is Northern Kentucky native Shua Potter. Adam Fleming, the urban white boy Luke, can be heard in the original cast recording of “Hairspray” as Sketch.

It would have been easy to totally skewer this small genre of music, but the creators have instead created a sort of loving tribute. The songs are meaningful in their own way, but the naivete of the presentation, down to the cheesy show choir dance moves, are the root of most of the humor.

• WHAT: “Altar Boyz” by Kevin Del Aguila, Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker
• WHERE: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Eden Park, Cincinnati
• WHEN:  Through Nov. 16
• COST: $43-$56
• MORE INFO: (513) 421-3888; www.cincyplay.com