Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON Raises Cain at the Orpheum

Typically the press night buzz at the Memphis Orpheum starts in the lobby . . . or at least inside the foyer. Last night, however, it radiated for two square blocks in all directions as Mormon missionaries turned out in force to meet and greet theatre goers.Those clean-cut, youth, armed with literature and disarming smiles hadn't come in protest, but rather to put a real world face on the church Trey Parker and Matt Stone (Creators of SOUTH PARK) and Robert Lopez, (composer of AVENUE Q) had so famously lampooned. The young Mormons I spoke to declined to give their names or pose for photos. They said they hadn't seen THE BOOK OF MORMON, nor were they planning to see it. Yet they weren't thin-skinned or defensive. They were having a wonderful time.

THE BOOK OF MORMON has been out since 2011, after eight years in development, but I hadn't seen it before. I expected to be shocked, but wasn't. (Then again, the only thing that shocks me these days is the fact that nothing seems to shock me anymore.)

This buddy story waxes witty and wicked as two squeaky-clean, newly-minted Mormon missionaries, Elder Price (Ryan Bondy) and Elder Cunningham (Cody Jamison Strand) are sent off to baptize the people of Uganda. Though the script has more scatalogical potshots and pop culture mashups than a Mormon pantry has non-perishables,

it isn't a mockery of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's a story about friendship, about our need for myth and metaphor to make sense of our world, and about the stark contrast between first and third world countries on this ever-shrinking planet.

During their fish-out-of-water odyssey ambitious Elder Price and his underdog sidekick,Elder Cunningham, encounter many colorful characters including the ruthless warlord, General B. Naked (David Aron Damane), the lovely Nabulungi (Candace Quarrels) and the flaming-yet-repressed, Elder Mckinley (Dereck Seay). Every cast member was in top form and the casting was spot-on.

Act One carries our protagonists crack-the-whip style into trouble. By Act Two, our only hope lies with the evangelical prowess of Elder Cunningham, whom we then learn has never read The Book of Mormon. because, "It's so boring." Meanwhile, Elder Price has a spooky song and dance dream which embodies the true meaning of the word pandemonium (Greek: pan=many, demonium=demons) in which Lucifer; the spirits of Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, Genghis Khan and Johnnie Cochran; and dancing cups of coffee cavort with wild abandon. Salvation comes in a dubious manner and is embraced pragmatically as the off-kilter yarn comes full circle.

After the standing ovation, my companion and I shambled out to the sidewalk, where to our delight, the genuine Mormon missionaries were still where we'd left them, and looking no worse for the wear. They told us they'd taken a sort of picnic dinner break, chatted with a few audience members who had stepped out to smoke during intermission, and now were back on task. It was 10:30 p.m. Best I could figure, these kids had been standing on the sidewalk for five hours, and they had a 130-mile drive ahead of them.

Yet as tireless as the Mormons are when it comes to protecting their church, they are also tireless when it concerns the other collective foil in the show: The people of Uganda. Mormon missionaries have had a humanitarian presence there since the 1960s with initiatives that have reduced infant mortality, provided vaccinations, dental care, clean water, and more. Given the real-world connection, I enjoyed meeting these optimistic young people as much as I enjoyed seeing the popular stage production. It was a lovely night in the City of Memphis. I only wish some folks from Uganda had been out on the sidewalk to join us for a moment of fellowship and laughter, too.

Warning: This show contains language and themes that may not be for everyone.

THE BOOK OF MORMON plays at The Orpheum Theatre March 15-20, 201
For more information, visit the Orpheum website: www.orpheum-memphis.com, or call (901.525.3000)
Tickets are also available at The Booksellers at Laurelwood, and through Ticketmaster.

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