Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON Rocks Bass Concert Hall

Broadway in Austin brings the absolutely hysterical, very adult THE BOOK OF MORMON to Bass Concert Hall to an appreciative audience this week. Written by the creators of SOUTH PARK, Trey Parker and Matt Stone along with EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winning songwriter Robert Lopez, this isn’t your grandma’s musical. 

Parker and Stone cut their comic teeth back in 1992 and 1995 with their first two SOUTH PARK videos, both titled THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, they soon became a viral sensation. The animated series debuted in 1997 and now is in its 26th season with 326 episodes. Their ‘potty mouthed’ characters and laser focused social satire has made the series extraordinarily popular amongst a wide audience. Parker and Stone skewer everyone with an equal hand, no one escapes their hilariously twisted comedy. The duo have a gift for presenting the absurdity of our daily lives with a bit of wonder and a thoughtfulness that leaves their audience with mental fodder to chew on. They are masters of social commentary and I’ve been an avid fan since SOUTH PARK debuted. 

THE BOOK OF MORMON follows a pair of missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) commonly known as Mormans. Elder Price the perfect overachiever (Sam McLellen) and Elder Cunningham, the classic underachiever (Sam Nackman) are paired for a two year church mission to Uganda. Coming from a predominantly white, LDS, middle-class upbringing to an African village where existence is a daily struggle is culture shock on an absurd level. I won’t spoil the intended shock and awe of the production any further if you haven’t seen the show, except to say, it’s insanely funny. Be warned however that the show has a hard R rating for unapologetically adult language. 
 

This production has everything you could want in a Broadway touring show. The sets are incredible, flowing from location to location with grace and beauty. The music is unbelievably fantastic and the occasional opening night sound issues at Bass Concert Hall were nonexistent. Big kudos to the crew for making certain every note, lyric and word was heard with crystal clarity. The cast, every single performer, is stellar in every sense of the word. Sam McLellan as Elder Price is incredible as the ambitious, self centered missionary who sees himself in glory rather than seeing himself as part of a mission to help others. His voice brings chills even with his funniest songs. As the needy sidekick, Sam Nackman is an utterly brilliant comedian. His physical character is as wonderful as his divine voice, every time he is on stage you want to hug him. Keke Nesbitt as Nabulungi, the young Ugandan girl who connects with the missionary pair, is equal parts beauty and innocence. Her voice is truly heavenly and her acting makes you want to cry and laugh, often at the same time. The ensemble cast who often play a variety of characters are worthy of the highest praise. They are the linchpin of the entire production and their astounding talent make the show a sumptuous treat. The production as a whole looks as if it were magically transported from Broadway, as it should be, but the cast brings a special sparkle that makes this show a cut above. This is the first time I’ve been able to see THE BOOK OF MORMON in live performance and I can truly say that it is now my favorite musical comedy of all time. 

If you have an opportunity to go, I highly recommend it, but be prepared to laugh yourself silly. 

 

THE BOOK OF MORMON

 

Book, Music and Lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

Broadway in Austin at Bass Concert Hall

November 14 - 19

Running Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.

Parental Advisory: Explicit language. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

Tickets: $40 to $175, https://austin.broadway.com/shows/the-book-of-mormon/

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