“Altar Boyz” has become such a popular hit because it hits just the precise balance between PG-13 satire and warm-hearted entertainment. Despite the seemingly corny setup — the perky Boyz use a digital counter to check on the number of souls they’ve saved — this is a show that plays better than you’d expect. I first saw it in Detroit with a grumpy, gray-haired crowd who had bought subscription tickets to a canceled classic musical and been stuck with “Altar Boyz” instead.

By the end of the night, the piece had totally won the initially hostile crowd over, and I’ve respected it ever since.