Review: BOOK OF MORMON on Tour Entertains in San Antonio, Texas

My first time attending THE BOOK OF MORMON was in 2013 right after seeing my oldest son off on a full-time Mormon mission to Sierra Leone, West Africa. Going into the theater, I wondered if the controversy surrounding the play would make me worry more about my son. Would it challenge my own belief system? Would it test ideals I held sacred? Turns out, none of that was true. Upon viewing THE BOOK OF MORMON play as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS).

I quickly discovered that I could enjoy the secular show without feeling offense or personal attacks. Instead, I laughed with the audience as the show taunted many of the cultural aspects of the LDS religion. Fast forward to 2018 and I've now seen the show a total of seven times. I love how the writers Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez poke fun at the religion while the audience laughs at the one liners and songs that are performed throughout the musical.

In this particular touring production of THE BOOK OF MORMON currently playing at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas, Kevin Clay plays the role of Elder Price and Conner Peirson plays the part of the bumbling Elder Cunningham. They play off each other very well and seem to have the chemistry to work in unison as the young missionary team. Singing such songs as "You and Me (But Mostly Me)" and "I Am Here for You," Clay and Peirson sang well as a team.

Kayla Pecchioni plays the part of young Ugandan, Nabulungi who is desperately trying to find her own way in the dangerous village she has grown up in. Pecchioni has a beautiful voice that confidently sings "Sal Tlay Ka Siti" and "Baptize Me." Her professionalism shines through as Pecchioni interacts with the other actors onstage throughout the production.

As Elder McKinley and Moroni, Andy Huntington Jones was a real standout in the show. He took the song "Turn It Off" along with all the other actors portraying the elders and made it extremely entertaining.

In the end, this Latter-Day Saint realizes that the most important part of THE BOOK OF MORMON is learning that we are all looking for something in our lives to feel joyful and fulfilled. Faith can be part of that joy and finding that faith can come from many different places. But, most importantly, finding ourselves in the end is what THE BOOK OF MORMON is all about. Just as young Mormon missionaries go out looking for themselves, the characters in THE BOOK OF MORMON found themselves and the joy that once eluded them.

Tickets are limited but can still be purchased by going to the Majestic Theatre's website. It plays from May 1-6, 2018.

PHOTO CREDIT: Julieta Cervantes

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