Book Of Mormon: A Great Show - But Where Are The Protest Placards?

[Phantom of London]

I love Book Of Mormon, as I am not prudish in any way, but a lot of people are and Book Of Mormon has a lot of subjective material that people will find offensive.

So where are the placards outside the Eugene O'Neill?

[jv92]

Are any of the authors Jewish? I'm still convinced that anti-semitism was a great part of the reason why those black racists shat all over THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS.

[dramamama611]

Who's going to protest?

I know a number of Mormons that have seen the show. They think its pretty funny.

[jv92]

Wait until the Christians find out about the meaning of Hasa Diga Ebowai. They'll go nuts, and of course, blame it on Obama.

[nasty_khakis]

Trey Parker/Matt Stone have a great story about how everybody but them was worried about protests from the Mormon church and they kept telling everybody "Naaaaah, they'll be cool." and no one would believe them. Then the church issued a statement saying the show was a fun way to spend the night, but Jesus will be fun for your life (I'm paraphrasing). The church is notoriously "nice" to outsiders.

[GavestonPS]

The church is notoriously "nice" to outsiders.

Proving Sondheim's precise point that "nice is different than good".

(I know that was your point n_k and why you put "nice" in quotation marks. I'm merely adding to your post.)

[dramamama611]

"Christians" wont be upset....I'm sure they believe Mormons and Africans are already damned.

Besides, they don't come to NY (it's a pit of evil) and likely don't go to too many b'way shows: because they employ gays.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

If protesting the show doesn't help ban gay marriage, I can't fathom why the Mormons would waste their time.

[jv92]

What about when the show tours, though?

[LizzieCurry]

I think that's why they booked Des Moines. Partially to see what happens. (Note that they haven't chosen ANY cities in the south... yet.)

Also, Phantom of London: Americans don't protest EVERYTHING. It just seems like it sometimes! :)

[blm2323]

dramamama - I sincerely hope you were joking.

[Blactor]

The people who protested outside of "The Scottsboro Boys" were paid by someone trying to advance their political career--none of them had actually seen the show.

Later a few of the protesters went to see the piece in Philly, were profoundly moved by it, and went backstage to apologize to the performers.

Just fyi.

[JohnyBroadway]

Haven't the producers already played safe by only sending the tour to major metropolitan markets along with not going to states in the south, for it's first year.

[LizzieCurry]

Scroll up -- I already covered that. And here's a good piece on their strategy...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303561504577492864258398708.html

[jv92]

I'd like to know who paid those protestors, blacktor, so I can write him a strongly worded letter.

And when someone pays you for slander and making sh*t up out of you ass, it's really not okay. Still, I'm glad they saw the show and were affected by it.

[dramamama611]

Kidding about what? There are people with those beliefs. Lots of them.

[grumpyoptimist]

The church was pretty brilliant about reacting when the show opened. As noted before by nasty_khakis, Parker/Stone never seemed to be that worried about it. One thing I'm told the church did do, however, is put up billboards at strategic points around NYC encouraging people to learn about the religion...a friend of mine who is an uber-computer geek Mormon and claims to know folk who do their site's IT said hits exploded after the show opened as people wanted to know things like how much of "I Believe" are actually church teachings. I think the church realized they could protest and end up driving business to the show, or they could go with it and use it as a marketing and educational tool. I may not always agree with them, but I gotta respect stuff like that...

[Brian07663NJ]

The protests will certainly happen when the touring production opens in Orlando.

[ghostlight2]

"I'd like to know who paid those protestors, blacktor, so I can write him a strongly worded letter."

Charles Barron of the Freedom Party, well-known for stunts like this.


Their political party is even on the banners

[DEClarke]

They don't need warnings. In the US the names Matt Stone & Trey Parker are synonymous with offensive. Thanks to South Park, people know what to expect from those two. I wish I could have seen the show while I was in NYC, but maybe the tour will brave the South (unlike Next to Normal and American Idiot). If not, I guess I'll have to wait for the film adaptation.

[Enjolras77]

Maybe not the deep South...but both "Next to Normal" and "American Idiot" played (NTN last summer) or will play (AI this coming season) here in Charlotte, NC. I'd be surprised if "Book of Mormon" isn't here during its second year.

[AEA AGMA SM]

And remember that the producers of the tours don't really decide what theatres/markets they go into, it is the presenters in those local markets that book the show to come to them. Usually the only venues that are chosen by the producer is the one in which they tech and open (as they obviously want to make sure that the city they are doing that in has the necessary support services in case of last minute changes, additions, repairs, etc).

[DEClarke]

As Houston, TX normally gets EVERYTHING it was odd that NEXT TO NORMAL and AMERICAN IDIOT missed us. I'm bitter about it because I had wanted to see both as well. They are doing a 2nd National Tour of AMERICAN IDIOT, so maybe it will come through then. And, when Stages Repertory Theatre did NEXT TO NORMAL in Houston they sold out like crazy, so whoever decided to not bring the tour to here really missed out on making some cash!

[FlowerChild67]

I know! I thought it's actually pretty cool how the Mormon Church reacted, you'd think they'd be EXTREMELY offended. Maybe it's because they actually GOT the message of the show! But honestly, I'm expecting some protests when it comes down to where I live, which is fairly conservative. Should be fun, I can start singing in their faces while I walk through them.... :P

[Wee Thomas2]

The protests will certainly happen when the touring production opens in Orlando

How about when it goes to Uganda?

[Mister Matt]

Note that they haven't chosen ANY cities in the south... yet.

The show pokes fun at Mormons, not Baptists. The South will love it.