In response to news media requests, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued the following statement regarding the upcoming Broadway musical, THE BOOK OF MORMON.
"The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ."
THE BOOK OF MORMON, the first Broadway musical from the creators of "South Park" opens on Broadway on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre (230 West 49th Street). Previews begin on February 24, 2011.
THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of Comedy Central's landmark animated series, "South Park". Tony Award-winner Lopez is composer and co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The world premiere musical is choreographed by three-time Tony Award-nominee Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python's Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and directed by Nicholaw and Parker.
The cast includes Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham, Andrew Rannells as Elder Price, Nikki M. Jamesas Nabalungi, Rory O'Malley as Elder McKinley and Michael Potts as Mafala Hatimbi, with Scott Barnhardt, Justin Bohon, Darlesia Cearcy, Kevin Duda, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Brian Tyree Henry, John Eric Parker, Jason Michael Snow, Benjamin Schrader, Michael James Scott, Brian Sears, Lawrence Stallings, Rema Webb,Maia Nkenge Wilson and Tommar Wilson.
THE BOOK OF MORMON, which follows a pair of mismatched Mormon boys sent on a mission to a place that's about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get, features Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham, Andrew Rannells as Elder Price, Nikki M. James as Nabalungi, Rory O'Malley as Elder McKinley and Michael Potts as Mafala Hatimbi, with Lewis Cleale, Scott Barnhardt, Justin Bohon,Darlesia Cearcy, Kevin Duda, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Brian Tyree Henry, Clark Johnsen, John Eric Parker, Jason Michael Snow, Benjamin Schrader, Michael James Scott, Brian Sears, Lawrence Stallings, Rema Webb, Maia Nkenge Wilson and Tommar Wilson. The production will also featureGraham Bowen, Ta'Rea Campbell and Tyson Jennette.
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. Music supervision is by Stephen Oremus.
For tickets and more information, visit www.BookOfMormonBroadway.com.