Prepare to be Converted by the Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon
Original Broadway Cast Recording By M.A. Rivera
Be forewarned, quoting the more memorable and funny bits from “The Book of Mormon” at work can get you into trouble with your PC type co-workers. The collaborative brainchild of South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, along with Robert Lopez of Avenue Q fame have written a ridiculously funny, and completely inappropriate broadway show which manages to be endearingly sweet and blasphemous at the same time. The show begins with Elders Price and Elder Cunningham being assigned to their mission in Uganda. Knowing nothing about the place, they are optimistic it will be like The Lion King. And with the musical number “Hasa Diga Ebowei” we are treated to an upbeat, Lion King type number about AIDS, female genital mutilation, war, rape, famine and drought, and the translation of the title is unprintable here.
Musically, this is a true to form Rodgers and Hammerstien type musical show, entirely memorable and entertaining. We see the Elders struggle not only with their own faith, but how to best make the tenets of the Mormon faith bring comfort to a place as brutal and unforgiving as this particular corner of Africa. The tone of the show never goofs on the value of faith, however absurd those beliefs may sound. Elder Price refers to the Book of Mormon as the third part of the trilogy of the bible–the Return of the Jedi of the holy scriptures. This show won 9 Tony awards and will soon be launching a traveling cast, to bring the good word to people like you and I, but mostly you, in order to change your life.
