I was delighted to be invited by the Prairie Theatre Exchange (PTE) to attend their latest performance, Altar Boyz last week. I’ve always adored the theatre and this cheery musical was incredibly well-done.

Altar Boyz at the Prairie Theatre Exchange

Since I took drama lessons at the PTE when I was in high school, it has a special place in my heart. I hadn’t been to the PTE in quite some time, and it was great to be able to go there since it’s been newly renovated – I have to say, it looks beautiful!

The performance itself was so much fun. The boys were hilarious and they played off each other really well. Jeremy Walmsley performed some incredible dance moves and Joseph Sevillo in particular stole the show with his expressive acting.

Altar Boyz tells the story of a religious boy band touring the country and saving souls with their music. There’s a lot of (harmless) poking fun at religion and a great deal of other things, brought out especially by the cleverly written lyrics – I wish I could have written down some of the lines during the show, but I guess this just means you’ll have to check out the show for yourself to get the goods 😉

The Altar Boyz - high energy all around!

I brought the mother dear with me to see the show, and we spent much of it laughing along with the rest of the audience. Not only were the boys full of energy and really impressive dancers and singers, they also picked a few women right out of the audience and brought them on stage at various points – and the audience members were good sports about it! The music was also really catchy. Ultimately this show is all about having a great time, laughing together and enjoying an immensely fun boy band spoof.

Yes, there were puppets!

Altar Boyz is playing at the Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg until March 11 – if you’re in the area, you should definitely check it out! And if you’re a university/college student, be sure to show up 30 minutes before a performance with your student ID – any unsold seat will be up for grabs for just $10. You sure can’t beat that price for live theatre!

Do you enjoy the theatre? What shows have you seen lately?