UPDATED: New Interview: Matthew Buckner from Altar Boyz

by Shawn Parikh

From reality television to a fake boy band.

With the highly acclaimed Altar Boyz coming to Dallas next week as part of the Dallas Summer Musicals' Broadway Contemporary Series, I got a chance to talk to the lead singer, Matthew Buckner, while they were beginning their week in Austin.

Matthew Buckner, who ironically plays Matthew in the musical, began singing and dancing as a kid which led him to join the group, the Sunshine Generation. He described it as the typical club where kids sing, dance and entertain around the country at places like retirement homes and amusement parks. With his musical and acting talent, his passion then was to sing and record R&B albums, which led him to be cast on the reality show Road to Stardom with Missy Elliot. The show's aim was to find the next big hip-hop/R&B star, and Matthew ended up in the top three by the finale. But after this experience, he says, "I had a reversal of decisions and wanted to go back to acting. I did not want to do R&B." Fortunately, he landed a great role in Altar Boyz as the "Justin Timberlake" of the band, to whom he is compared all the time (which he states is "not an insult").

When asked about the production, he responded, "The show is a comedy spoof about the final night of Catholic boy band's tour and all that goes wrong." Regular people and celebrities such as Rosie O'Donnell and Kevin Bacon admit to seeing the show countless times and are termed "Altarholics." Mr. Buckner thinks the appeal of the show comes from the fact that "there is something for everyone" since it is "not offensive." There may be some "small pokes" and mild satirizing, but he assures the jokes do not cross the line. The high energy of the show also keeps audiences intrigued, and Matthew credits this to a great cast. I asked him what keeps the show fresh for him after eight shows a week, and he immediately replied: "It is the cast dynamic that brings it up even when there are small audiences."

This is Matthew's first time in Texas, and he is enjoying Austin so far. He is also married (one year anniversary on January 21), and although she is unable to tour alongside, she flies to different cities periodically during the eight month tour. Once the show comes to Dallas, the "boyz" will be going around the city to perform and meet fans after their show. More information about post-show activities is coming soon, and interviews with other cast mates will occur once the show arrives in Dallas. The show runs from January 16-21, and to purchase tickets you can click here.

UPDATED: Here is a list of what the "boyz" are doing after the show:

Tuesday, January 16 - Meet and greet onstage immediately following the show.

Tuesday, January 16 - Appearance at Woody's Cedar Springs for Show Tunes, at 11 p.m.

Thursday, January 18 - Appearance at noon at Border's (West Village).

Thursday, January 18 - Mini-performance after the show at Dick's Last Resort, at 10 p.m.

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