BOOK OF MORMON Stars Welcome Newest Elders Gavin Creel and Christopher John ONeill

Yesterday, January 4th, the Tony-winning musical BOOK OF MORMON said farewell to its most recent Elder Price and Elder Cuningham, Ben Platt and Nic Rouleau respectively. As BWW recently reported, Broadway favorite Gavin Creel, who has portrayed the role of Kevin Price on both the BOM national tour and in the London production, will step in as the egocentric missionary, beginning Tuesday, January 6th. Joining him as everyone's favorite sidekick will be Christopher John O'Neill.

Platt turned to Twitter on Saturday, January 3rd to share a photo of the foursome (at left) just before the big transition, along with the caption: "A little dinner to pass the torch to our amazing Price and Cunningham successors, @gavincreel and @Chrisoshow!"

Gavin Creel, 2014 Best Actor in a Musical Olivier Award-winner for his performance as Elder Price in the London production of The Book of Mormon, will join the Broadway company as Elder Price on Tuesday, January 6. Creel also created the role of Elder Price on the US First National Tour. Nic Rouleau, the current Elder Price on Broadway, will play his final performance on Sunday, January 4, before joining the London company of The Book of Mormon, where he begins performances as Elder Price on Monday, February 2.

The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, is playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street). The Book of Mormon is also playing at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London and across the United States and Canada on two national tours.

Creel is a two time Tony Award®-nominee for Hair and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He also appeared in the 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles, the Goodman Theatre/Kennedy Center production of Bounce, as well as Hair andMary Poppins on the West End. He was seen in the title role of the American Repertory Theater production of Prometheus Bound and has also starred alongside Julie Andrews in the television movies, "Eloise at the Plaza" and "Eloise at Christmastime."

His recordings include GoodTimeNation, Quiet, Get Out and the single 'Noise'. Creel also performed with The Book of Mormon's Tony & Grammy-winning orchestrator and musical supervisor Stephen Oremus at Jazz at Lincoln Center's The Allen Room, in a brand new show celebrating the modern pop/rock American Songbook. Creel been honored as one of OUT Magazine's OUT 100 for his work as co-founder of Broadway Impact, an organization mobilizing the theatre community in the fight for marriage equality.

The Book of Mormon has broken the house record at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre 49 times. The national tours of The Book of Mormon have broken 72 house records in 37 venues across the country.

The Book of Mormon features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. The production is choreographed by Casey Nicholaw and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

The Book of Mormon is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Book (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Direction (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker), Best Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical; the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album; four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, and the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

The Book of Mormon features set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.

Photo: Twitter @BenSPLATT