When the word was out that a musical entitled The Book of Mormon was coming to Broadway, I had to admit that I was skeptical. However, once I heard that the creative team behind it were Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the comedy duo renowned for long-running cartoon sensation South Park, everything about it made sense. South Park fans are familiar with Stone and Parker’s jibes at the faith of Joseph Smith and his followers. But I wondered if Broadway audiences would enjoy their humor which has been referred to as intelligent by some, but has also been called crass, crude, immature, and many other colorful adjectives by members of the general public.
The plot of The Book of Mormon follows the adventures of two young Mormon missionaries named Elder Price (actor, Andrew Rannells) and Elder Cunningham (actor, Josh Gad). They are paired together and sent away to Uganda to spread the word of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Unfortunately, Elders Price and Cunningham discover that the people they are preaching too are jaded by famine, disease, poverty, and a murderous warlord wreaking havoc upon the area. Believe it or not, this is where the comedy kicks in during this musical comedy premise.
So what a surprise when the show hit New York City and snagged multiple Tony Awards including Best Musical. The album itself is deserving of nominations and wins, which will hopefully include a 2012 Grammy Award. Parker has shown his musical prowess before when he co-wrote the soundtrack for South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, but he has upped his game with The Book of Mormon. It certainly works in his favor that his songwriting collaborator Robert Lopez is one of the masterminds behind the critic and audience acclaimed Avenue Q. The results are absolutely hilarious. From the first song “Hello” to the finale “Tomorrow is a Latter Day,” every note and every word that is sung combines a fantastic listening experience with humor and satire that can go to an extremely dark place. Yet there are also ballads like “I Believe” in which the jokes are there, but it sends an honest message that faith requires belief, and belief encourages faith.
In my humble opinion, one of the best tracks on the album is the complete opposite of the more genuine songs I have described. “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” has a hard rock sound and is jam-packed with historical and pop culture references. It has explicit content, but it is highly enjoyable. Another favorite tends to be “Hasa Diga Ebowai,” which is also a very explicit song in which a group of Ugandan villagers curse the heavens for their plights. Both songs are upbeat and catchy, and they will also shock you into laughter.
The Book of Mormon is a brilliant, raunchy masterpiece and its accolade of awards, critical raves, and sold out Broadway run proves it. So if you are patiently waiting for a ticket or you are unable to travel to New York City at this time, you should purchase the cast album on iTunes or Amazon. You can also preview the album if you have a Spotify account. I can promise that listeners will be in heaven by the time you hear the doorbell within the first five seconds.