God Loves Mormons and He Wants Some More

The Book of Mormon

           Are you looking for more in your Broadway experience than just a night out? Do you intend to celebrate the life, the passion, and the genius that encompasses what the Great White Way is all about? Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce you to The Book of Mormon, the greatest piece of writing, acting, and all-around stage-readiness I’ve ever seen in a theater or on screen.  So powerful, so hilarious, so amazing is this show, that without proper precaution, an audience member may happily succumb to its hypnosis and slump into an unresponsive coma, all to be completely immersed in the wonder that is the Book of Mormon.  I can happily and truthfully say that I would gladly watch this show multiple times.

           The irreverent and blatant crude humor makes for an extremely satisfactory backdrop, but this show is smart and legitimately uproarious.  It spends its valuable time making fun of a religion that is ripe to be made fun of, and it does so quite successfully.  The plot is a simple coming-of-age tale, as two young Mormon missionaries - one talented and adherent, one a pathological liar with an amusingly pitchy voice - are sent to lower Uganda, where no baptisms have come to pass despite the efforts of the established proselytizers, one of whom is a closeted gay who insists Mormons should “Turn it Off.” Unfortunately, the liar - christened Elder Cunningham (a delightful and eccentric Josh Gad) takes things a little too far in his attempts, with some disastrous, yet witty, results.

           In reference to this show, Jon Stewart said, “When the aliens come, thousands of years from now, it may exist as our only memory of Earth. And I’ve got to say, I'm happy to go down with that.”

           This show may truly run for thousands of years.  Actors who are still enjoying themselves may dance about in the ruins of our civilization, crying, “Tomorrow is a latter day!” When the aliens land, this pinnacle of truth and hilarity may stand as a monument to our lives and to the lives of the brilliant minds who conceived it in an attempt to bring joy to all those who watch it, and it may represent our hopes, dreams, and attempts for perfection.  And I, too, am very, very happy to go down with that.