Broadway's Spring season is officially underway and promises to be a great one. Every house is full, and it looks like there will be serious competition in the Best Musical category at this year's Tony Awards. Judging by the preview performance I saw last night, one of the likely nominees is sure to be The Book of Mormon.
A musical about Mormon missionaries in Africa is not the most traditional topic for a musical. Matt Stone and Trey Parker (of "South Park" fame) have teamed with Robert Lopez (Tony winner for Avenue Q) to create just that. And it works. The show is currently in previews with an opening date set for March 24, 2011 so it is still a little rough around the edges. Much like Avenue Q or South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut part of what makes the show so entertaining is the element of surprise. I will do my best to talk about what I liked and what needed work without too many spoilers.
Things that I really liked:
The Cast - Pulling off a show like this requires an unwavering commitment to character. They are outlandish, ridiculous, pathetic, over-the-top, farcical, and yet completely engaging and believable. This is a real testament to the cast who manage to "go there" without commenting on or distancing themselves from their characters. Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham, Andrew Rannells as Elder Price, Nikki M. James as Nabulungi, and Rory O'Malley as Elder McKinley were particular standouts. The ensemble was also very strong and handled their multiple roles expertly.
The Music - Here is the rare new Broadway show where I can't wait for a cast recording. The music is clever, funny, full of pastiche and utterly winning. The combination of almost schmaltzy showtune music with biting lyrics is a hallmark of all three creators and they definitely deliver.
The Choreography - Somehow Casey Nicholaw has taken the cheesiest moves from theme parks, show choirs, cruise ships, and Broadway and mashed them together to create some fantastic dance numbers. As ridiculous as they sometimes are, they totally work with the story and characters.
The Costumes - Clever and totally appropriate. Keep your eye out for an ingenious use of some household corn-husk brooms.
The "Play within a Play" - I don't want to give anything away, but this was a real showstopper. At least three solid minutes of cheers and applause at the end of this hilarious number.
The Story - The book of The Book of Mormon is stronger and more engaging than it needs to be. Julie Taymor should definitely take a break from the perpetually delayed (and awful) Spider-Man: Turn of the Dark to come take a look at this show to see what really story telling looks like. All of the above mentioned strengths of the show are built on the storyline of the show. It is a solid foundation that keeps the show from feeling like a string of gags or sketches. Despite all of the off-color humor, at its heart The Book of Mormon really has heart and a positive message.
Things that still need work:
The Tech - This was a preview, so rough tech is to be expected, but many technical elements of the show seemed decidedly unfinished. Worst of these was the lighting with improperly focused lights, missed/dropped cues, and an overall lackluster design. The lighting design needed to be pushed as far as the other elements. It was either too heavy-handed or not heavy-handed enough. It lacked the panache of many of the other elements of the show. Ditto the set in the scenes outside of Africa. I was also distracted by people pulling on and running into curtains during the show... not really something you expect to see in professional theatre.
"Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" - This number really was the weakest in the show. It needs to be tightened up and maybe shortened. It just seemed to go on and on. A real slow point in the show's pacing.
Overall, this was a fantastic show that is sure to only get better as they move towards opening night. The thunderous applause and cheers that greeted the curtain call were beyond any I have heard at a Broadway show in quite some time. There are discount tickets available while the show is in previews (I used an offer from Playbill Club) and I would suggest taking advantage of them to get tickets soon as this will be a tough ticket to get once the show opens. This show is definitely not appropriate for children, the easily offended, or devout Mormons, but I will certainly recommend it to my more adventurous hotel guests.
Want to see for yourself? Buy tickets here.
The Book of Mormon- Now Playing on Broadway! "Dear God, How Do I Get Tickets?" from The Book of Mormon on Vimeo.
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