Reopening the Book

I wrote about the musical The Book of Mormon when I went to see it last year. Still, I feel compelled to say a few words about it again, now that I've seen it for the second time just before it headed out of town after its second limited run in Denver. If anything, I enjoyed it even more this time around.

It can't be understated just how big a difference casting can make in theater, movies, and television. Though The Book of Mormon had a solid cast the first time it rolled through Denver, the performers were even stronger this time around -- a combination of great new people coming into the production to replace departing actors, and more time with the material. Last year, the touring cast were opening for the very first time in Denver. This time around, they've been all around the country and back and have really come to inhabit their roles.

The real standout this time was A.J. Holmes in the role of Elder Cunningham, the part originated by Josh Gad in the original Broadway production. On the previous tour, it seemed the producers were trying their utmost to match Gad's physical type (along with everyone else in all the other roles they cast). In Holmes, they've gone in a completely different direction, but in doing so have found a skilled performer who, if anything, "out-Gads" the manic energy Gad displayed on the Broadway cast album. He mined new laughs in the material even from me, someone who has seen the show once already and listened to the soundtrack more times than I could count. He quite simply stole the show and earned the thunderous ovation he got at the final curtain.

Last time, I focused mostly on the hilarity and profanity of the musical... and mind you, none of that has changed. But this time, I figured it worth noting that the show actually has insightful commentary and heart too -- not unexpected, given the "I've learned something today" endings we often see in South Park, the other big endeavor of co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The show is actually remarkably positive on spirituality in general (if not on religion in particular). And it's fairly limited in its jokes on Mormonism; the show picks and chooses moments to comment, and even then chooses an approach of "we're just going to state facts, and let the audience laugh if that's what they're going to do."

The Book of Mormon is on to other cities now... possibly one near you. And its return to Denver in 2015 is already announced. So I'd encourage you to make plans if you can to check it out. It's a fun, hilarious show.