Breaking News: Gavin Creel to Star as Elder Price in 1st National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON

Two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel will star as Elder Price in the First National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, the production announced today. THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony®Awards including Best Musical, will launch the First National Tour in Denver from August 14-September 2 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Additional casting will be announced soon.

“I’m a huge “South Park” fan, loved Avenue Q and cannot wait to work with Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Bobby Lopez and Casey Nicholaw,” Creel commented. “Elder Price is an amazing role and I am so excited to take THE BOOK OF MORMON across the country.”

“I think Gavin is one of the finest musical theatre performers in New York and I can’t wait to hear him sing these songs,” said choreographer and co-director Casey Nicholaw. “Finding people who have the talent and range to play the role of Elder Price has been a real challenge,” said co-author and co-director Trey Parker. “We’re stoked to be working with him.”

“Gavin is a brilliant performer and we are thrilled to have him leading the cast of the First National Tour,” said producers Scott Rudin and Anne Garefino.

Gavin Creel (Elder Price) is a two time Tony® nominee for Hair and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Creel also appeared in the 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles, the Goodman Theatre/Kennedy Center production of Bounce, as well as Hair and Mary Poppins on the West End. Most recently 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.”

On March 20, 2012, Gavin released his third studio album, GET OUT, co-written and recorded with UK songwriter and producer, Ben Cullum . His debut pop album “GOODTIMENATION,” and follow-up EP, “Quiet,” were both written and recorded with long time collaborator, Robbie Roth, and he is currently collaborating with Roth and playwright Jonathan Bernstein on an original musical. Creel also performed recently 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. Through his advocacy, Creel has gained national attention performing and speaking at events and rallies including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) national dinner alongside Lady Gaga and keynote speaker President Obama; The Cyndi Lauper True Colors Cabaret series featuring Jason Mraz, Rufus Wainwright and Sara Bareilles; and on the Capitol Lawn at the 2009 National Equality March with such speakers as MILK screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, actress Cynthia Nixon, and organizer of the National Equality March and AIDS Memorial Quilt conceiver, Cleve Jones

Following the sold-out premiere at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver August 14 – September 2, 2012, the First National Tour for THE BOOK OF MORMON will travel to more than 15 cities during the 2012-2013 season including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Des Moines, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Rochester, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston, Toronto, Buffalo, Cleveland and Washington D.C. with additional cities to be announced soon. A 2nd National Tour will begin performances December 11, 2012 at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago.

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 the landmark animated series, “South Park.” Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q. The musical is choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) 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, Best Music (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Lyrics (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt

Stone), Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) and Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman, Stephen Oremus); four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score (Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone), Best Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad) and Best Director (Casey Nicholaw, Trey Parker) 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 andStephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Stephen Oremus.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording for THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on Ghostlight Records.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi