If theater is my religion, The Book of Mormon is my most sacred text. Not the actual book of course, rather the wildly irreverent musical written by the creators of South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) along with EGOT winner Robert Lopez. It is a nearly perfect musical, and definitely one of most joyous musicals I've ever seen. One of the brilliant things about The Book of Mormon is that it allows us to laugh at institutionalized religion (and let's face it, there are plenty of ridiculous things to laugh at) while still espousing the value of faith in oneself and one's friends and community, and "working together to make this our paradise planet!" It truly is a feel-good musical that has the hugest heart, despite its unbelievably foul mouth. Back when it premiered in 2011, The Book of Mormon was what Hamilton is today - a smash hit musical that swept the Tonys and was an impossible ticket to get. Fortunately 13 years later tickets are a little easier to come by; tickets for this one-week Minneapolis run are still available, although limited. If you're a fan of musical theater (who isn't offended by profanity and poking fun at religion), The Book of Mormon is definitely a must-see. Click here for the official ticket site.
The heroes of our story are a couple of young Mormon men who are paired together on a mission to Uganda to convert the native people to the Mormon religion. The two have opposite journeys in the story. Elder Price is the overachiever who has the perfect life planned out for himself, and has to learn some painful lessons (literally) that life is not quite that easy. Elder Cunningham is the schlubby compulsive liar who's never done anything right, until his well-intentioned lying saves the day. The Ugandans resist every attempt at conversion because the stories about an American prophet half a world away have nothing to do with the very real problems of illness and violence that they face on a daily basis. It's only when Elder Cunningham is able to make the stories more relatable that they begin to find comfort in The Book.
Despite the foulest language I've ever heard coming from the stage (no matter how many times I've heard it, "Hasa Diga Eebowai" is still uncomfortable to sit through!), The Book of Mormon is actually a very traditional musical in form and structure. And a huge one at that, with all the bells and whistles of a Broadway blockbuster - fancy set with many moving pieces (there's something charming about seeing this 2011 musical with actual physical backdrops instead of the projections that are ubiquitous today), crazy costumes (see "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream"), big and fantastic dance numbers (tap-dancing Mormons), a fun and endlessly singable score. This wicked satire is equal opportunity offensive, finding comedy in serious issues like religion, evangelism, racism, violence, and even AIDS. So yes, it's a huge spectacle with shock value, but my theory on why it's such a huge and lasting success is that underneath all this is a really beautiful message of hope, friendship, and community. It's nearly impossible to leave the show without raised spirits and a feeling that perhaps we can make this world a better place, for all of us, despite the horrors that face many of us daily.
13 years and countless Elder Price/Elder Cunningham pairs later, and they continue to find good ones. And yes, they still cast Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad types, but this cast brings their own flair to the roles. Sam McLellan is a charming and earnest Elder Price, and Diego Enrico is a hilarious Elder Cunningham with a very physical performance, and some vocal gymnastics as he goes from a squeaky high voice to a low register when trying to be cool. Their reluctant friendship really is the heart of this piece, and it's a sweet one. The other highlight in this large and talented cast is Keke Nesbitt as the wide-eyed and innocent Nabulungi. Everyone besides the two leads plays multiple characters, and they're all fantastic and hard-working.
If religion is a set of stories, myths, and legends that we humans use to help us understand the joys, sorrows, and mysteries of the world we live in, then theater truly is my religion. And nothing fills my soul like The Book of Mormon. My favorite quote, towards the end of the play, expresses it best:
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| Elders Cunningham (Diego Enrico) and Price (Sam McLellan) (photo by Julieta Cervantes) |
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| photo by Julieta Cervantes |
13 years and countless Elder Price/Elder Cunningham pairs later, and they continue to find good ones. And yes, they still cast Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad types, but this cast brings their own flair to the roles. Sam McLellan is a charming and earnest Elder Price, and Diego Enrico is a hilarious Elder Cunningham with a very physical performance, and some vocal gymnastics as he goes from a squeaky high voice to a low register when trying to be cool. Their reluctant friendship really is the heart of this piece, and it's a sweet one. The other highlight in this large and talented cast is Keke Nesbitt as the wide-eyed and innocent Nabulungi. Everyone besides the two leads plays multiple characters, and they're all fantastic and hard-working.
If religion is a set of stories, myths, and legends that we humans use to help us understand the joys, sorrows, and mysteries of the world we live in, then theater truly is my religion. And nothing fills my soul like The Book of Mormon. My favorite quote, towards the end of the play, expresses it best:
We are still Latter Day Saints, all of usEven if we change some thingsOr we break the rulesOr we have complete doubt that God existsWe can still all work together to make this our paradise planet.
Ma ha nei bu, Eebowai.
