By JESSICA NEU
Winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Book of Mormon is a true unity of contraries. Although technically a musical about religion, The Book of Mormon does not represent faith or Christianity like other theological musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, or Sister Act. Written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Robert Lopez, the show offers a satirically honest look at modern-day organized religion.
The Book of Mormon follows two Latter-day Saints missionaries, Elder Price (Sam McLellan) and Elder Cunningham (Sam Nackman), as they are sent to Uganda to preach the word of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This show is essentially South Park as a musical: raunchy, over-the-top, hilarious, satirical, controversial, and thought-provoking. Some may consider the show offensive or blasphemous, but the crowd at opening night at the Benedum Center received the show’s content with raucous laughter and boisterous applause.
While the satire primarily focuses on the Church of Latter-Day Saints, Parker and Stone also satirize ongoing social injustices, white privilege, and American exceptionalism with dramatizations of life in Uganda, but also through details in the set and costume design (Scott Pask and Ann Roth). Painted backdrops that stretch the width of the stage are reminiscent of musicals from the golden age of Broadway, but amid the picturesque Church of Latter-Day Saints are various popular fast food chains and businesses to remind us of the omnipresence of Capitalism, even in the church. Once the Elders travel to Uganda in hopes of baptizing citizens into Mormonism, they meet villagers who are stricken with extreme poverty, crime, government violence, famine, and illness. Some villagers are clothed in Chicago Bulls basketball jerseys and American flag-printed board shorts, again providing a level of ironic commentary on privilege, Capitalism, and the American Dream. Mafala Hatimbi (Lamont J. Whitaker) is responsible for introducing the Elders to Uganda life but cautions them to stay away from his teenage daughter, Nabulungi (Keke Nesbitt). The villagers collectively welcome Elder Price and Elder Cunningham to Uganda with the song “Hasa Diga Eebowai,” which translates to “F*** You, God.” A big song and dance number, again reminiscent of classic Broadway musicals, the cast sings, “We’ve had no rain in several days (Hasa Diga Eebowai!)/And eighty percent of us have AIDS (Hasa Diga Eebowai!), as they have to dismiss their woes so as not to focus on the extreme perils they face.
Also using humor to explore uncomfortable topics, the fellow Elders tell Elder Price and Elder Cunningham that if they have intrusive thoughts or homosexual feelings to, “Turn It Off.” Again, breaking out into an elaborate tap number choreographed and directed by (Jennifer Werner), the Elders synchronize in pitch-perfect barbershop harmonies that make emotional strife sound and look like a parade at Disneyworld.
McLellan’s and Nackman’s portrayals perfectly illustrate Elder Price’s and Elder Cunningham’s journeys. Never breaking character, each young man strives to do something incredible while being forced to reconcile difficult questions dealing with organized religion. Nesbitt’s naivety and angst as she dreams of going to Salt Lake City (“Sal Tlay Ka Siti”) also highlights enormous talent and character acting with the omnipresent reminder of the perils of Capitalism and the American Dream.
The Book of Mormon provides audiences with comedic and artistic entertainment that is a staple of exceptional musical theater but also reminds us of global inequalities and an underlying sense of hypocrisy in organized religion. The show exemplifies the often-overlooked difference between organized religion and community and highlights the dangers of blind adherence to one organized entity. The Elders’ journey is one of self-discovery and a sense of self-reflection that promotes respect for human dignity and personal creativity with a call to action never to lose hope, no matter how desperate or depleted the circumstances. Once audiences accept and find humor in the obscenities, The Book of Mormon is a show about universal acceptance regardless of personal belief. It uses humor to convey powerful messages about cultural misunderstanding, American identity, and the longing for a better life.
At one point in the show, Elder Price questions why bad things happen to good people. This age-old question will always be an unanswered facet of religion. Still, The Book of Mormon emphasizes how community and acceptance can help us find answers to complex questions instead of believing in something “just because.”
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh’s presentation of The Book of Mormon runs through Sunday, March 3, 2024 at the Benedum Center. Tickets at, https://trustarts.org/production/86818/the-book-of-mormon
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Reviews
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