The Book of Mormon (Musical)
| Musical dates | |
|---|---|
| Original title: | The Book of Mormon |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: |
Robert Lopez Trey Parker Matt Stone |
| Book: | Robert Lopez Trey Parker Matt Stone |
| Lyrics: | Robert Lopez Trey Parker Matt Stone |
| Original direction: | Trey Parker Casey Nicholaw |
| Premiere: | March 24, 2011 |
| Place of premiere: | Eugene O'Neill Theater, Broadway |
| Roles / people | |
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The Book of Mormon is a musical that received nine Tony Awards and a Grammy ,among other awards, in 2011. It is a satire whose book, lyrics and music were written by Trey Parker , Matt Stone , and Robert Lopez . Parker and Stone, who becamefamousthrough the American television series South Park , have, like Lopez, beenfascinatedby musicals and Mormonism for many years. So they created this show, which is supposed to poke fun at organized religion and traditional musicals.
The Book of Mormon references the Book of Mormon and tells the story of two young Mormon missionaries who are sent to a remote village in northern Uganda where a brutal warlord threatens the population. The two missionaries naively and optimistically try to promote their religion. However, they find it difficult to get in touch with the local people who are more likely to try to fight hunger, poverty and AIDS .
After seven years of development, the show premiered on Broadway in March 2011 . The musical was highly acclaimed and received excellent reviews.
action
first act
At the Provo Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) Mission Training Center , a pious, handsome, snooty missionary, Elder Kevin Price, teaches classmates how door-to-door missions work who tries to convert people to Mormonism ("Hello"). One of the missionaries, Elder Arnold Cunningham, an insecure, overweight, incorrigible nerd and habitual liar, tries to join in, but is hopeless. Price believes that if he prays enough he will be sent to Orlando, Florida for his two-year mission, but he will be sent to Uganda, Africa with Cunningham ("Two By Two"). After saying goodbye to their families, the two Elders board a plane at Salt Lake City Airport . Price is certain that he (alone) is destined to do something incredible, while Cunningham is just happy to have a best friend - whom he only met the day before ("You And Me (But Mostly Me)" ) - and who - according to Missionary Rule No. 72 - is literally not allowed to leave him alone unless he goes to the bathroom.
Upon arrival in northern Uganda, the two are robbed at gunpoint by soldiers of a local warlord, General Butt-Fucking-Naked (a reference to the real General Butt Naked ). Mafala Hatimbi and a group of villagers share the daily reality of their lives in appalling conditions of hunger, poverty and AIDS under the government of a despotic, murderous chief who wants all women to be circumcised. In order to make their lives seem better, the natives keep repeating the sentence "Hasa diga eebowai" and sing this sentence as a song ("Hasa Diga Eebowai"). Price and Cunningham sing along, but then are horrified to discover that “Hasa diga eebowai” translates to “Fuck you, God” and that the villagers commit constant blasphemy to cheer themselves up.
Afterwards, Nabulungi, Hatimbi's daughter, Price and Cunningham show them their accommodations, where they meet the other missionaries stationed in the area who have so far been unable to convince a single local to convert to Mormonism. Elder McKinley, the area leader, teaches Price and Cunningham a generally accepted method for dealing with negative and uncomfortable feelings caused by the demands of the Mormon lifestyle (including McKinley's own repressed homosexual thoughts), namely, "turn it off like a light switch." ("Turn It Off"). The others agree that their feelings must be hidden at all costs. Fear torments Price, but Cunningham assures him that he (Price) will successfully bring the natives to church ("I Am Here For You").
Now certain that he will succeed where other Mormon elders failed, Price teaches the natives about Joseph Smith , founder of Latter-day Saints, through a song that begins as a tribute to Smith, but eventually ends in a homage from Price to himself ("All-American Prophet"). The natives do not show the slightest interest, finding religion useless and Price arrogant and troublesome. Shortly after Price's attempt to baffle the natives, General Butt-Fucking-Naked arrives and demands the circumcision of the village women at the end of the week, which infuriates the villagers and ultimately leads to the general indiscriminately executing a villager to stifle local protests. Returning home safely, Nabulungi dreams, moved by Price's promise of an earthly paradise, of a better life in a new land (“ Sal Tlay Ka Siti ”).
At Mission Headquarters, Elder McKinley panics after hearing the news that the mission president is demanding a full report on the current state of their extremely unsuccessful mission, and his fear is heightened after learning of Price and Cunningham's failure. Shocked by the execution and by the dark reality of Africa, Price decides to give up his mission to apply for a transfer to Orlando, while Cunningham - loyal as ever - assures him that he will follow Price everywhere ("I Am Here For You (Reprise)" ). Price, however, leaves his mission companion without further ado. Alone and heartbroken, Cunningham finds the courage to take the lead when Nabulungi comes to him to learn more about the Book of Mormon ("Man Up").
Second act
Lacking much knowledge of the Book of Mormon (he has never read the book), Cunningham comes up with stories in which he combines what he knows about Mormon teachings with cues from science fiction and other cultural ideas (" Making Things Up Again ”). Cunningham's creative stories even relate to the problems of life in war-torn Uganda, which makes the natives listen. Cunningham feels guilty for twisting the truth about the natives, but tells himself that if he uses it to help people, it can't be wrong. As Price prepares to leave, he ponders the crimes he committed as a child, such as putting the blame on his brother Jack many times. He remembers the nightmares about hell he had as a child and panics when his nightmares start again ("Spooky Mormon Hell Dream").
Price awakens from his nightmare to find it was wrong to quit his job; he tells his fellow missionaries that he is again committed to his mission. Cunningham arrives and announces that ten Africans are eagerly interested in the Church. With the sting of Price's rejection still in his flesh, he's unwilling to let Price back into his life. Inspired by the promising news of success in the region, Price embarks on the "mission he was born for". Price confronts the general with the Book of Mormon in hand, determined to convert him ("I Believe").
Cunningham finishes his sermon and the villagers are delighted; they are baptized and accept Mormonism. Nabulungi and Cunningham share a tender moment when he baptizes them ("Baptize Me"). The Mormon missionaries feel in common with the people in Uganda and celebrate ("I Am Africa"). Price's attempt to convert General Butt-Fucking-Naked has unfortunately failed and he ends up literally shoving his copy of the Book of Mormon up his ass. After the book is surgically removed from his rectum , Price drowns his grief in many cups of coffee at a cafe in Kitguli, where Cunningham finds him. He tells bitter Price that they must at least pretend that they are fellow missionaries because the mission president and other high-ranking Mormon leaders are coming to visit the Ugandan mission team and congratulate them on their success. After Cunningham leaves, Price bitterness reflects on all of the broken promises the Church, his parents, friends, and life in general made him ("Orlando").
The celebration celebrates Price and Cunningham as the most successful missionaries in all of Africa. Shortly afterwards, Nabulungi and the villagers burst in and ask to be allowed to put on a drama to honor them with the "story of Joseph Smith, the American Moses" ("Joseph Smith American Moses"). The play, however, shows the distortions of current Mormon doctrine and also contains the "decorations" that Cunningham added. The mission president is appalled and orders all missionaries to return home. He tells Nabulungi that she and her compatriots are not Mormons. Cunningham is depressed because he ultimately brought the villagers more trouble than blessing and because he feels that he is a disappointment to the Church. However, Price has an appearance and realizes that Cunningham was right: that while the scriptures are important, it is even more important that religion help people. Price and Cunningham are reconciled and assure each other that they want to stay in Africa and help the Ugandans together and that they are best friends ("You And Me (But Mostly Me) (Reprise)").
The villagers now understand what Price has recognized and no longer take the stories Cunningham told them literally, but as metaphors to help them in everyday life; also concerning Mormonism. Confidence restored by Price gives them enough confidence to withstand the despot, who eventually converts. The missionaries join forces with the villagers and they all come together to evangelize The Book of Arnold . Price gets the Mormons and Ugandans to unite to make the earth their paradise planet, because after all they are all "Tomorrow Is A Latter Day".
Characters and original Broadway cast
| character | description | Original Broadway cast |
|---|---|---|
| Elder Kevin Price | A missionary sent to Uganda when he would have preferred to go to Orlando. | Andrew Rannells |
| Elder Arnold Cunningham | Another missionary who was also sent to Uganda. He often interweaves characters from Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings with his teachings. | Josh Gad |
| Nabulungi | Mafala Hatimbi's daughter who dreams of moving to Salt Lake City. | Nikki M. James |
| Elder McKinley | One of the senior Mormon elders and current district leader for Uganda; he is secretly gay but denies his feelings. | Rory O'Malley |
| Mafala Hatimbi | A member of the Ugandan tribe and Cunninghams and Prices tourist guide. Nabulungi's father. | Michael Potts |
| General Butt- Fucking Naked |
The murderous despot of the village Price and Cunningham were sent to. | Brian Tyree Henry |
| Mission President | The head of the Mormon Missionaries. | Lewis Cleale |
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ TonyAwards.com ( accessed March 8, 2012)
- ↑ grammy.com (Accessed March 8, 2012)
- ↑ 'South Park' creators' musical comedy 'Book of Mormon' gets Broadway dates , Los Angeles Times . September 13, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
- ^ The Daily Show . thedailyshow.com. Retrieved on 06/01/2011.
- ↑ Michael Riedel, "Just 'Park' it here: Cartoon duo write Mormon musical" , New York Post , April 14, 2010
- ↑ The Book of Mormon on Broadway.com (accessed March 8, 2012)