opening night review: the book of mormon @ the saenger theatre

The cast of The Book of Mormon, playing at The Saenger Theatre (photo: Teg Folks)

​Preaching across the aisle: The Book of Mormon 
Review by Dorian Hatchett

If there are angels that watch over drunks and children, then the main characters in Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s critically acclaimed musical The Book of Mormon (a pair of hapless teens on their first mission trip) should expect invulnerability. Wide-eyed and earnest, they are filled to the brim with (undeserved) confidence, and an enthusiasm unchecked by any kind of valuable perspective. 

Elders Price and Cunningham (Ethan Davenport and Jacob Aune) are the perfect patsies for a relatively new religion seeking world domination through evangelical doorbell ringing. Laughter is the best medicine for all of our collective religious trauma, as Stone and Parker turn a satirical eye on everything wrong with the biggest all-American Christian sect. 

Elder Price is determined to show that he is the perfect Mormon, as long as his mission trip takes him to Orlando.  A clarion voice and enough ego for a whole horde of teenagers give him a clear main-character energy. Elder Cunningham is the underdog.  He is clear on his goal to be a follower, until he has to man up and take charge in Price’s absence. Aune is a master of physical comedy, and his slapstick background moves make him instantly loveable, even if it’s clear he has no idea what being a Mormon missionary means. The chemistry between these two is perfect and natural.  

The ensemble cast is composed of incredible dancers and singers who take turns stealing the show. They manage to forge entire characters out of a handful of lines and perfect choreography. It’s difficult to see a show this polished; this absolutely spot-on, and not feel magic, but to feel that magic about an occasionally crass, irreverent satire evokes a complex set of mixed feelings.

The pure skill it takes to build a complex, moving set that takes us from Salt Lake City to Uganda, to tell a story of unlikely protagonists without feeling preachy, to do all this while doling out a heavy dose of humility to anyone who fancies themselves a savior of others: there’s something really special about The Book of Mormon and the profoundly skilled cast are the largest part of that.  

No one expects the creators of South Park to pull any punches, but as long as you keep a keen sense of humor at all times, it will be no surprise that this show won nine Tony Awards in its first season on Broadway. With a score that is equal parts clever and crude, the audience laughs from beginning to end.

Full of references that fans of organized religion will pick up on (but perhaps only jovial heretics will appreciate) the script and score are as easy to follow and enjoy as a road paved with good intentions. 

The Book of Mormon is playing at the Saenger Theatre through May 17th. Click here for ticketing and show information.