BWW Reviews: THE BOOK OF MORMON at Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Nashville has been blessed this week with the national touring production of The Book of Mormon and their stop at Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Since storming onto Broadway in 2011 and walking away with eleven Tony awards that season, The Book of Mormon has crossed from being a Broadway phenomenon to becoming a pop culture staple. If you ask anyone, chances are pretty good that they've at least heard of The Book of Mormon musical. With book, music & lyrics from Trey Parker & Matt Stone of South Park fame, and Robert Lopez who put his touch to award winning music of Avenue Q and Frozen, it is easy to see how The Book of Mormon could become such a smash hit.

By all means, this show is not for the faint of heart. It is intentionally crude and offensive and pretty much everything you would expect from the creators of South Park, all while being insanely hilarious. This very adult show follows the path of two Mormon missionaries, Elder Price, played by David Larsen, and Elder Cunningham, played by Cody Jamison Strand. Elder Cunningham, the of the nerdy class dunce, just wants to have a friend who won't leave him. Elder Price, the teacher's pet and most envied Elder in his training class just wants his missionary assignment to send him to his personal paradise, Orlando, Florida. David Larsen as Elder Price" height="350" src="https://cloudimages.broadwayworld.com/upload10/879211/david-larsen.jpg" align="right" width="233" />

Instead Elder Price is paired with Elder Cunningham and send to Uganda for their missionary assignment. While being farther from anything they could have expected, they run into every single stereo-type you could possibly think of from Africa. Disease, poor living conditions, machine gun toting warlords, and female castration, among other things are more than Elders Price and Cunningham could have imagined. Finding it more difficult than they could have imagined to bring people to the Mormon church, their reactions are very opposite of each other. Hilarity ensues, of course, and the Ugandan mission team finds themselves bringing more people to the church than anyone has ever done before.

One of those is the sweet and pretty Nabulungi, played by Denée Benton. Nabulungi looks for hope in her hopelessness, so she agrees to listen when the Mormon missionaries begin to talk to them about the Book of Mormon. Nabulungi becomes the first of the Mormon converts when she is baptized into the church by Elder Cunningham, during the hilarious number "Baptize Me," sung with Strand's Elder Cunningham.

David Larsen and Cody Jamison Strand are perfectly casts in their roles as Elders Price and Cunningham. Their comedic timing and chemistry with each other bring life to the characters they play. "I Believe" showcases David Larsen's amazing vocals and becomes a true character study of Elder Price. Denée Benton gives Nabulungi a jaded, yet hopeful attitude. Benton brings a powerhouse voice to the role, as well as the heart it takes to give Nabulungi the depth she deserves.

Overall, however, this show is truly an ensemble show. There are so many great numbers that involve the entire cast, including the amazing opening number "Hello," and the riotously funny "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream." Then there was my favorite ensemble number of the show, "Turn It Off," which is complete with tap shoes and sparkly vests (hats off to choreographer Casey Nicholaw for his work on the show, especially for this number). All these numbers feature the amazingly talented ensemble cast of this show.

If you manage to get tickets to the nearly sold out run at Tennessee Performing Arts Center, consider yourself among the lucky. The Book of Mormon plays at Tennessee Performing Arts Center through November 23rd. Tickets can be purchased by calling the TPAC box office at 615-782-4040, or by visiting their website for more information.

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