New York City Theater

"The Book of Mormon"
Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Broadway

“The Book of Mormon,” now at Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre, is pleasantly entertaining—a good old-fashioned musical. But its real strength lies in its satire of a long-time religious practice.

We are talking about proselytizing—about a religious group’s determination to win benighted pagans over to its own faith. For this unbeliever, the assumption that any one religion has a corner on the truth is infuriating. And that they should pass it on to others is a striking example of misguided efforts.

But the Mormons (in this show, as in reality) are undeterred, as they spread the Word. Dressed in neat white shirts, black slacks, and eager, innocent facial expressions, they knock on doors, armed with their own version of the Word.  Ultimately, the young men are sent abroad on their “missions”--truly innocents abroad. Specifically, an unlikely team—Elder Price and Elder Cunningham—are sent to a remote village in Uganda. There, poverty, ill health, terrorism are rampant, but they are prepared to conquer it all with conversions.

“The Book of Mormon” tackles the story with a lively, bouncy, thoroughly irreverent script. With Robert Lopez (“Avenue Q”) and Trey Parker/Matt Stone (“South Park”) responsible for the book, music and lyrics, it could hardly be otherwise.

The Mormon Church is an easy target, given its recent appearance on the stage of worldwide religions. Its beginnings date back only to the early 1800s--and in upstate New York. No wonder Lopez and company could write a piece called “All-American Angel.”

Sitting far back in the theater, below the balcony overhang, many of the priceless lines are lost to listeners. So indeed there may have been more hilarious exchanges than we realized. But, nonetheless, several scenes are knock-outs. When Elder Cunningham finally baptizes a village girl, the double entendres flight back and forth non-stop. And the show which the newly-baptized villagers offer to visiting Mormon dignitaries is a first-rate rip-off of the play-within-a-play found in “The King and I” (the Little House of Uncle Thomas).

As to the cast, Andrew Ranells is right on target playing the naïve Elder Price, and Nikki M. James is a warm, appealing village girl (Nabulungi), with voice to match. Solid back-ups all around from the others.

When one thinks of proselytizing, the Bible may be a better choice than guns. But neither is the solution needed in destitute African countries. And “The Book of Mormon,” with its moments of absurdity, brings this home.

--Irene Backalenick
April 2, 2011