If
you haven’t yet seen The Book of Mormon,
shame on you. Go stand in the corner, and I’ll tell you when you can leave. But
before you do that, give Playhouse Square a call and see if you can glom some
tickets before this show leaves after this coming Sunday.
This
outrageous carnival of musicality, wit and offensiveness—created from the
fertile and possibly felonious minds of Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone—is back in town in a
touring production that sizzles from start to finish. This particular troupe
has been touring for a while, but you’d never know it from that sharp,
energetic and engaging performances all around.
As
you probably know, it’s all about a comical and irreverent take on the Church
of the Latter Day Saints, and while it is certainly rude and distasteful (for some), it is also flat out
hilarious and really quite sweet. Two featured missionaries, Elder Price and
Elder Cunningham, are shipped off to Uganda to convert the locals.
And
that challenge is illustrated in a send-up of “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King. In this version, the
poverty-stricken, AIDS-beset, warlorf-domoinated Ugandans sing “Hasa Diga
Eebowai” which is translated as “Fuck You, God.” Just to make their feelings
clear, the song is punctuated frequently with the middle-finger salute.
This
production benefits from outstanding performances in the lead roles. As Elder
Price, the fellow who dreams of spending eternity in Orlando, Gabe Gibbs is a
toothy force of nature as he nails songs such as “You and Me (But Mostly Me),”
and “I Believe.” The latter song illustrates how the creators meld real Mormon
facts with parody as he sings: “I believe the Lord God sent me here/And I
believe that in 1978 God changed his mind about black people.”
He
is matched by Conner Peirson as the schlubby Elder Cunningham, a wannabe
missionary who never read the Book, so he makes up his own version of the
religion—featuring Star Wars characters and other random bits—to bring his
flock some peace of mind. And he is particularly adorable when he romances—er,
baptizes—the lovely young Nabulungi (Myha’la Herrold, who possesses way more
voice than should be allowed in a person that small). They bond, even though
Cunningham never gets her name right, calling her at various times Neutrogena, Netflix,
Nagasaki and Nakatomi Plaza.
Also
outstanding are PJ Adzima as the not-so-ambiguously gay Elder McKinley, Johnny
Brantley III as the ever smiling local doctor with maggots in his throat, and
Sterling Jarvis as the town’s leader Mafala.
The
visual aspects of the production are also outstanding, including a scene of
Mormon hell pulsing with crimson fire and populated by Jeffrey Dahmer, Johnnie
Cochran and cups of Starbucks coffee (tea and coffee are forbidden to Mormons).
In
short, this show is a hoot and a half, and it is performed with superb professionalism
by this touring company. Something that is not always true when a show visits
for just a short time. So go, laugh, smile. You deserve it.
The
Book of Mormon
Through
September 17 at Playhouse Square, Keybank State Theater, 1615 Euclid Ave.
216-241-6000, playhousesquare.com.
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