Broadway: The Book of Mormon

Who would have thought that the creators of South Park would be able to create a Tony Winning musical? Oh, just to inform you - it won 9 awards including Best Musical this year. So what's so great about it? Well for starters, its f**king hilarious. I mean common the makers of South Park created it - how could it not be an intense comedy?

The Book of Mormon is a religious satire - obviously - with the whole thing (book, lyrics and music) by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. (Parker and Stone from South Park, Lopez from Avenue Q). The show is a combination of making fun of organized religion and traditional musical theater - the creators' lifelong goal apparently. We all knew they were fascinated with Mormonism, but musicals really?

The story behind the ridiculousness is about two young Mormon missionaries who are sent to a remote village in northern Uganda, where a brutal warlord is threatening the local population. Naive and optimistic, the two missionaries try to share their religion - which only one knows very well. They have trouble connecting with the locals, who are more worried about famine, poverty and AIDS. I wonder what happens now!

The show has been in the works for seven years, and finally reached Broadway in March 2011. The musical has received a lot of positive feedback and reviews, and did I mention 9 Tony Awards? Fun Fact: the original Broadway cast recording was released this May and became the highest-charting Broadway cast album in over four decades. Damn. I guess there will always been something new for Broadway! Long Live the Theater! Now this is a musical guys will be dying to take their girlfriends and wives to!

Tony Award Nominations : Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Rory O'Malley), Best Choreography, Best Costume Design of a Musical.

Tony Award Wins : Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Nikki M. James), Best Direction of a Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Musical.

Andrew Rannells Performing 'I Believe' at the 2011 Tony's

Reviews:

Did He Like It

The New York Times

Variety 

The Lost Angeles Times

I really do want to see this musical, as well as buy the soundtrack. Just listening to that one song at the Tony's was amazing - amazingly hilarious I might add. I'm also very curious to see what kind of musical it is. I just keep thinking "South Park...South Park has come to Broadway" - I'm in shock, but terribly excited shock.

Love, 

ALPHA