BWW Reviews: BOOK OF MORMON Shares Irreverent Fun

After years of waiting, last night I finally saw BOOK OF MORMON in its entirety. I had seen small portions of it done in competitions, so I had a hint of what I was in for, but I was excited to experience the entire phenomenon.

BOOK OF MORMON is as off color and irreverent as you may have heard, but with substance and meaning as well. The music is good, although I heard shades of other show tunes several times. All through the show I felt that the writers are both paying homage and thumbing their noses at other Broadway musicals.

Written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone (both known for writing SOUTH PARK) and Robert Lopez (also known for writing music for AVENUE Q and FROZEN) the play is wildly funny and terribly inappropriate. (Most everyone I talked to afterwards said they were laughing their heads off, all of the while wondering, "Wait- should I laugh at this?) I think BOM makes you think about your values, your actions and your beliefs. I came away remembering that life isn't going to always go as planned, you sometimes end up where you need to be, not where you wanted to go. And although many faiths try to tell you things will suddenly be better if you join their group, most things will stay the same, as is pronounced with the last line uttered at the curtain call. With that exclamation, a rather crude joke becomes a metaphor- although life is better in the end because of their attitude change, many things still remain the same.

If you are squeamish about bad language, then be prepared. There were times I thought it was overdone, just as sometimes I thought they reused a gag one time too many. But overall, the show is fast paced, funny, and entertaining. Large musical numbers, filled with exceptional voices top to bottom, are exhilarating. The dancing is everything from tap to African and the costumes are authentic, not caricatures.

The lighting is amazing, as you would expect, turning night into morning and highlighting the performers. The sound was flawless and the set was pretty and skillfully designed. Even the way the curtains close between scenes was different and interesting.

Candace Quarrels, a Belmont University student, is outstanding in the female lead as Nabulungi. She comes across as sweet and naïve, but also proud and courageous. Her voice was strong and clear. David Larsen and Cody Jamison Strand as Elder Price and Elder Cunningham respectively, are also super talented and perfect for their parts, as well as sharing a real comradery on stage. Strand makes you laugh every time he opens his mouth and is very relatable.

BOM is definitely not for everyone- old fuddy duddys should stay home! But for everyone else, you will be hard pressed to find a funnier, more entertaining, and visually perfect show.

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