Musings on “The Book of Mormon”

The Book of Mormon sign on the Eugene O'Neill Theatre marquee in New York

My first love was a Mormon. His name was Donny Osmond, and though I never met him, I loved everything about him — from his bright purple socks to his pearly white smile. 

Shades of The Lion King as Elders Price (Andrew Rannells) and Cunningham (Josh Gad) arrive in northern African for their Mormon mission (Photo: Joan Marcus)

My latest love is a musical called “The Book of Mormon,” which I saw at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on Broadway while visiting NYC last month. I stalked the tickets online and by phone day and night until a single seat popped up for the week of my visit.

“The Book of Mormon” stars Josh Gad (Elder Cunningham) and Andrew Rannells (Elder Price) — plus Nikki M. James (Nabalungi), winner of the 2011 Tony Award for best performance by an actress in a featured role (musical). Also Rory O’Malley (Elder McKinley) and Michael Potts (Mafala Hatimbi).

Crowds gathering before a recent performance of The Book of Mormon on Broadway

I sat in a center seat of the seventh row in the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, a small venue jammed packed with people who’d been clever enough to buy tickets before the reviews made headlines, paid dearly for tickets via the secondary market, or gotten lucky in the daily ticket raffle or standing room only line.

To my left was an actor well-known to “Law & Order” viewers, who was perfectly charming until I stepped on his feet making a run for my seat. A father and his teenage son, also visiting from out of state, sat to my right — and shared that they’ve long been fans of the television series “South Park.”

“The Book of Mormon” is the brainchild of Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone — who wrote the musical’s book, music and lyrics after meeting one night when Parker and Stone (creators of “South Park”) went to see “Avenue Q” (which Lopez co-wrote and conceived).

This doorbell that marks the Eugene O'Neill Theatre stage door is part of the show's impressive marketing campaign

His bio in “The Book of Mormon” playbill notes that “Lopez sang in church choirs throughout college and always suspected he’d return to sacred music.” Parker and Trey are best known for the profane. The show’s playbill notes that “It has been a long-time dream of Parker’s to write a musical for Broadway.”

The “South Park” duo hails from Colorado — Parker from Conifer and Stone from Littleton, a Denver suburb best known to some as the site of Columbine High School, where a tragic school shooting took place in 1999. If you’ve seen “South Park” or “Avenue Q,” you know what you’re getting into with “The Book of Mormon.”

Josh Gad and other cast members signed autographs after the show last Wednesday night

Apparently, at least one person in the audience came unprepared. Folks who waited in the autograph line after the show told me they’d heard a women protesting the show’s crude content — saying something like “You just don’t use the F-word on Broadway.” True enough for a time, but that time has clearly passed. And the “F-word” is mild compared to some of the show’s other language.

A truer test of this trio’s musical theater muster might be creating a show with less offensive fare. I’d have taken just as much pleasure from “The Book of Mormon” story were it told without colorful gestures, language and props — though it was clear from the steady hum of the audience that they were thrilled with every minute of it.

Andrew Rannells lights up the stage, and more than a few hearts, with his sparking smile and spectacular talent

“The Book of Mormon” pokes fun at American culture. The opening scene, which features a set full of signs for retail and fast food giants like Walmart, registers a high score on the mock-o-meter. The bright-eyed character with a pristine white smile, Elder Price, longs to live in a Disney-created paradise he simply calls “Orlando.”

The mock-o-meter also registers jabs at Americans who romanticize Africa — including obvious hits to “The Lion King” and celebrities who champion causes in other countries ala “We Are the World.” Changing the world, it seems, is easier than changing oneself. And here be the rub: For all its offense, this musical speaks the truth. The greater your ability to laugh at yourself, the less it hurts.

Tony Award winner Nikki M. James greets fans after a recent performance of The Book of Mormon

If an actual mock-o-meter existed, the needle would spin wildly out of control during depictions of the Mormon religion, known more formally as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. While Utah has the country’s highest population of Mormons, I’m told that Mesa — home to a beautiful temple and visitors center –ranks second.

The Mormon church has been relatively quiet, wisely I think, in their objections to portrayals of their faith in “The Book of Mormon.” The musical conveys all sorts of stereotypes about the religion’s founders, tenets and followers — but still manages to capture the earnestness of a people who desperately want to do right by God and each other.

“The Book of Mormon” is a powerful reminder of the ease with which we make assumptions. That God favors us over others. That others see us the way we see ourselves. That the afterlife trumps the everyday. That easy is good, and good is easy.

Nikki M. James, Andrew Rannells, Josh Gad and the cast of The Book of Mormon (Photo: Joan Marcus)

The show drew thunderous applause and a lengthy standing ovation. I didn’t want the experience to end, and was delighted when cast members shared in the audience afterglow by signing autographs and talking with fans. They’re a gracious bunch who seem genuinely grateful for their own “The Book of Mormon” experiences and those of us who travel from far and wide to see the show.

This sign reminds theater-goers that Mormons are more than musical theater fodder

Before jumping on the subway back to our hotel in lower Manhattan, I veered in and out of the crowds taking in all the noise and neon of Times Square. I stopped at Starbucks (which also registers on “The Book of Mormon” mock-o-meter), looking up at nearby signs while I waited for my drink.

I spied a giant sign featuring dozens of diverse faces and the words “I’m a Mormon” next to the mormons.org website. A fitting reminder that judging a person based on religious (or secular) beliefs might make for an outrageously funny piece of theater. But it’s never a good idea in real life.

— Lynn

Note: “The Book of Mormon” won the 2011 Tony Award for best musical, as well as several other awards

Coming up: Lynn & Liz see “War Horse” at Lincoln Center

The church of Broadway?

When the phone rang just after 7pm Sunday night, I joked with my daughter Lizabeth that people should know better than to call us during church. Neil Patrick Harris, last night’s reverend for the 2011 Tony Awards ceremony, had just delivered his sermon — known to the uninitiated as an “opening number.” Something about “it’s not just for gays anymore.” I suspect half of the pews emptied at that point, but no matter. The truly faithful just grabbed their remote controls and cranked up the volume.

I owe the theater as church analogy to an arts advocate I interviewed last week. After sharing her passion for theater, symphony and ballet, the woman very matter of factly said something I’ll never forget — “Church does that for some people.” More than one church was represented during this year’s Tony Awards. The opening number mingled missionaries from “The Book of Mormon” and nuns from “Sister Act.”

The church of Broadway is a place of gratitude — and this year’s remarks, by both presenters and those accepting awards, were mindful of those who make a life in theater possible. Parents. Partners. Teachers. Mentors. While accepting the Tony Award for best actor in a featured role (play), John Benjamin Hickey of “The Normal Heart” warned his family in Plano, Texas that they better not be watching the Mavericks game. Futile advice, because everyone knows that football is a religion in Texas.

I’ll be watching the headlines Monday to see whether Kathleen Marshall, winner of the Tony Award for best choreography, stuck with her vow to run right home and change the names of her baby twins to “Antoinette” and “Perry.” If you don’t get the reference, by the way, your church attendance is lagging. More time in the performing arts pew is clearly called for.

The Tony Award for best direction of a musical went to Trey Parker and Casey Nicholaw for “The Book of Mormon.” While millions of Mormons may be offended by the work, Nicholaw’s acceptance speech — “I’d like to thank everyone I’ve ever met in my entire life” — offended none. Parker thanked his mom, dad and “South Park” fans — plus a few others I missed while caught up in one of many “The Book of Mormon” moments.

Remarks offered during the acceptance speech for best musical were more controversial, but ticket sales aren’t suffering. Last week you could buy tickets for shows in August, but one day after snagging nine Tony Awards, “The Book of Mormon” is sold out well into September.

When Nikki M. James accepted the award for best actress in a featured role (musical), also for “The Book of Mormon,” she thanked her mother — who was in the house to witness James’ recollection of growing up with the story of a bumblebee who flew because no one ever told the bee it was impossible. “I come from a long line of bumblebees,” shared the actress. Thankfully, she had the good sense to avoid wearing a black and yellow gown.

John Larroquette, who won a Tony Award for best actor in a featured role (musical), thanked his three children, his wife and the show’s dance captain — acknowledging the talents of fellow “How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying” actor Daniel Radcliffe as well with something along the lines of “without whom I would be sitting at home watching this in my underwear.”

Sometimes fellow faithful, even in the church of Broadway, need to call each other out. The last thing Kelsey Grammer needed was a spotlight as he uttered the words “Anything Goes.”

Still, the church of Broadway can change the way we see people. After watching Radcliffe perform with the cast during “Brotherhood of Man” we might finally see an end to folks who head to Broadway hoping to see that fellow from the “Harry Potter” films. Instead, they’ll wonder how someone so born to song and dance could have spent half a lifetime waving a magic wand. I’m a “Harry” fan, but there’s just no way to reconcile a cloak of invisibility with a loud plaid jacket.

Transformation on all sorts of levels appears to have taken place for U2’s Bono and The Edge, who wrote the songs for “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” scheduled to open on Broadway next Tuesday. “The last year,” they shared, “has been a real education in just how hard you people work.” A love song from the musical, which will be eligible for 2012 Tony Awards consideration, was performed at this year’s ceremony with beautiful simplicity against the backdrop of a delicate spider web and starlit sky.

Sometimes theater, like temple or church, changes the way we look at life. The first award shown during the Tony Awards broadcast went to Ellen Barkin of “The Normal Heart” for best actress in a featured role (play) — who says the show has taught her that “one person can change the world.” Members of the creative team spoke of the freedom to live, love and marry — and reminded the audience that “theater really matters.” They also praised Larry Kramer for the show they describe as “the ultimate love story.”

“The Normal Heart,” shared Kramer, “is our history.” He urges gay people to “learn from it and carry on the fight.” “We are a very special people, an extraordinary people,” he says. “Our day will come.” I know there are plenty of churches out there that frown on such dogma, but I’m proud to belong to the church of Broadway.

No matter the church, no one wants to listen to the same sermon time and time again. So Tony Awards watchers must have been thrilled by teasers of other shows making their way to Broadway stage. “Ghost,” a musical based on the 1990 film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. “The Mountaintop,” a play featuring Samuel L. Jackson in the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. And “Master Class,” another play — featuring Tyne Daly.

For all the splendor of this year’s Tony Awards ceremony (and yes, Mr. Colbert, I do mean watching you mix it up in that fetching red turtleneck), there were moments of sadness as the names and faces of theater folk who’ve died during the past year were shown — including 11-year-old actor Shannon Tavarez (pictured here), who performed the role of “Young Nala” in “The Lion King” on Broadway before being diagnosed with leukemia. Tavarez inspired thousands of people to join the bone marrow registry. One day, perhaps, her Broadway legacy will include saving someone else’s life.

— Lynn

Note: I mean no offense to those for whom time spent in traditional churches and other places with religious significance is a very serious and sacred matter.

Coming up: Two-spirit people, Ode to blue, Signs your child is a theater geek

Update: Click here to enjoy Sutton Foster singing for Sesame Street’s “Elmo” — and to enjoy similar YouTube offerings, including “Grover” appearing in “SpiderMonster, The Musical.”