The Book of Mormon (musical)
The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy with music, lyrics, and book by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. The story follows two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they attempt to preach the faith to the inhabitants of a remote Ugandan village. The earnest young men are challenged by the lack of interest from the locals, who are distracted by more pressing issues such as HIV/AIDS, famine, female genital mutilation, child molestation, and oppression by the local warlord.[1]
The Book of Mormon
Trey Parker
Robert Lopez
Matt Stone
Trey Parker
Robert Lopez
Matt Stone
March 24, 2011: Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City
- Tony Award for Best Musical
- Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
- Tony Award for Best Original Score
- Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical
- Helpmann Award for Best Musical
The show premiered on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in March 2011, starring Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad. It garnered critical acclaim and set records in ticket sales for the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. The Book of Mormon was awarded nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The success of the Broadway production has spawned many stagings worldwide, including a long-running West End replica and several US national tours.
The Book of Mormon has grossed over $750 million, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time.[2] As of December 28, 2023, it is the 12th longest-running Broadway show.[3]
Synopsis[edit]
Act I[edit]
At a Missionary Training Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, devout missionary-to-be Elder Kevin Price leads his classmates in a demonstration of the door-to-door method to convert people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ("Hello!"). Price believes if he prays enough, he will be sent to Orlando, Florida for his two-year mission. However, he and Elder Arnold Cunningham, an insecure, pop culture-obsessed compulsive liar, find out that they will instead be sent to Uganda as a pair ("Two by Two"). Price is sure he is destined to do something incredible, while Cunningham is just happy to follow ("You and Me (But Mostly Me)").
Upon arrival in northern Uganda, the two are robbed by soldiers of a local warlord, General Butt Fucking Naked. They are welcomed to the village by Mafala Hatimbi, where a group of villagers share their daily reality of living in appalling conditions while being ruled by the General. To help them feel better in times of trouble, the villagers repeat a phrase that translates as "Fuck you, God!"[60] ("Hasa Diga Eebowai").
Price and Cunningham are led to their living quarters by Nabulungi, Mafala's daughter. They meet their fellow missionaries stationed in the area, who have been unable to convert anyone to the Church. Elder McKinley, the district leader, teaches Price and Cunningham to suppress upsetting ideas ("Turn It Off"). By the time they go to bed that night, Price is riddled with anxiety, but Cunningham reassures him that he will succeed and that, as his companion, Cunningham will be by his side no matter what ("I Am Here for You").
Price is confident he can succeed where the other elders have failed, teaching the villagers about Joseph Smith through a song that begins as a tribute to Smith but eventually descends into a tribute by Price to himself ("All-American Prophet"). The General arrives and announces his demand for the genital mutilation of all female villagers. After a villager protests, the General murders him. Taking every last measure to protect her, Mafala commands Nabulungi to stay in their house with all the doors locked and windows closed. She protests, insisting that the women of the village will not have to stay in hiding if they listen to the missionaries, as they hold the secrets to liberation, protection, and eternal happiness. Though her protests to go out and talk to them fail, she calms down after remembering how she was moved by Price's promise of an earthly paradise and dreams of going to live in that new land with all of her fellow villagers ("Sal Tlay Ka Siti").
The mission president has requested a progress report on their mission. Shocked by the execution and the reality of Africa, Price decides to abandon his mission and requests a transfer to Orlando. At the same time, Cunningham, ever loyal, assures Price he will follow him anywhere. However, Price unceremoniously dumps him as mission companion ("I Am Here for You [Reprise]"). Cunningham is crushed and alone, but when Nabulungi comes to him, wanting to learn more about the Book of Mormon and having convinced the villagers to listen to him, Cunningham finds the courage to take control of the situation ("Man Up").
Act II[edit]
Cunningham attempts to teach the Book of Mormon to the villagers, but when they begin to get frustrated and leave, Cunningham quickly makes up stories by combining what he knows of LDS Church doctrine with pieces of science fiction and fantasy. Cunningham's conscience (personified by his father, Joseph Smith, Hobbits, Lt. Uhura, Darth Vader, and Yoda) admonishes him, but he rationalizes that if it helps people, it surely cannot be wrong ("Making Things Up Again"). Meanwhile, Price joyfully arrives in Orlando, but then realizes that he is dreaming his childhood nightmares of Hell and sees Jesus, Satan, Genghis Khan, Jeffrey Dahmer, Adolf Hitler, and Johnnie Cochran, who all call him out on abandoning Cunningham ("Spooky Mormon Hell Dream"). Price wakes up and decides to re-commit to his mission.
Cunningham announces several Ugandans are interested in the church, but McKinley points out that unless the General is dealt with, no one will convert. Price, seeing this as his chance to prove his worth, sets off on the "mission he was born to do." After re-affirming his faith, he confronts the General, determined to convert him ("I Believe"). The General is unimpressed and drags Price away.
Cunningham concludes his preaching, and the villagers are baptized, with Nabulungi and Cunningham sharing a tender moment as they do ("Baptize Me"). The missionaries feel oneness with the people of Uganda and celebrate ("I Am Africa"). Meanwhile, Price is seen in the village doctor's office, having the Book of Mormon removed from his rectum. The General hears of the villagers' conversion and resolves to kill them all.
Having lost his faith, Price drowns his sorrows in coffee. Cunningham finds Price and tells him they need to at least act like mission companions, as the mission president is coming to visit the Ugandan mission. Price reflects on all the broken promises the church, his parents, his friends, and life in general made to him ("Orlando").
Nabulungi and the villagers perform a pageant for the mission president to "honor [him] with the story of Joseph Smith, the American Moses", which reflects the distortions put forth by Cunningham, such as having sex with a frog to cure their AIDS ("Joseph Smith American Moses"). The mission president is appalled, orders all the missionaries to go home, and tells Nabulungi that she and her fellow villagers are not members. Nabulungi, heartbroken at the thought that she will never reach paradise, curses God for forsaking her ("Hasa Diga Eebowai [Reprise]"). Price has had an epiphany and realizes Cunningham was right all along: though scriptures are important, what is more important is getting the message across ("You and Me (But Mostly Me) [Reprise]").
The General arrives, and Nabulungi is ready to submit to him, telling the villagers that Cunningham's stories are untrue. She also explains that they will never see him again, but protects his reputation in their eyes by saying a lion ate him. To Nabulungi's shock, they respond that they have always known that Cunningham's stories were metaphors rather than literal truth. Price and Cunningham arrive, and, believing Cunningham to be a reincarnated dead person, the General flees. Price rallies the members of the Church and the Ugandans to work together to make this their paradise. Later, the newly minted Ugandan elders (including the General) go door to door to evangelize with "The Book of Arnold" ("Tomorrow Is a Latter Day"/"Hello! [Reprise]").
Themes and references[edit]
The Book of Mormon contains many religious themes, most notably those of faith and doubt.[73] Although the musical satirizes organized religion and the literal credibility of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons in The Book of Mormon are portrayed as well-meaning and optimistic, if a little naïve and unworldly. In addition, the central theme that many religious stories are rigid, out of touch, and silly comes to the conclusion that, essentially, religion itself can do enormous good as long as it is taken metaphorically and not literally.[74] Matt Stone, one of the show's creators, described The Book of Mormon as "an atheist's love letter to religion."[75]
The opening scenes of Act I and II parody the Hill Cumorah Pageant.[76]