Just about everyone thinks is a play about Mormons. But actually, it could be about the , , , or any cause that draws someone who’s all starry-eyed about changing the world.
When “The Book of Mormon” touring company for a month-long run, some audiences will see it as a statement on Mormonism. Others might see something different. “I know people who just think it’s funny, and I know atheists who think it’s written by atheists, and people of faith who think it’s written by people of faith,” said , who wrote ” with .
People tend to see what they want to see. Yes, “The Book of Mormon” is profane, freely using most of that famously formed a routine for the late
And it does makes fun of Mormons, but it doesn’t take much for the humor to apply to other religions as well. Isn’t the story of an angel disclosing the location of sacred golden plates just as plausible as the story of a virgin impregnated by a spirit?
Really, “The Book of Mormon” may be less at the expense of the Church of Latter Day Saints than as it is about youthful idealism, and what happens when guileless dreamers bump into rocky reality.
“A chance to go out and help heal the world” is how Elder Price describes the two-year mission served by the faithful young members.
He is so lovably sincere.
And so sweetly naive.
And so adorably shocked — “You really should not be saying that,” Elder Price says primly — when villagers rail against God for an appalling list of local troubles including famine, genital mutilation, AIDS, rape.
“If you don’t like what we say, try living here a couple days,” the villagers sing.
So the innocent visiting elders do just that, and their presence galvanizes everyone — the Mormons, the villagers and the warlord’s gang. In the end, “we are still Latter Day Saints, all of us, even if we’ve change some things, or break the rules” Elder Price says.
That sentence describes the evolution of every religion ever. And if you don’t believe it, look up how the words of jibe .
“This gave us an opportunity to talk about religion — how they come about, how they change, what they mean, and how they work,” Lopez said.
“Whether the stories are true or not — that’s not the point. The point is that there’s an emotional truth that teaches us how to lead our lives.”
Claire Martin: 303-954-1477, cmartin@denverpost.com or twitter.com/byclairemartin
“THE BOOK OF MORMON” Musical comedy. Written by Robert Lopez, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Directed by Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, choreography by Casey Nicholaw. Tickets $40 and up. Oct. 22-Nov. 24 at the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. 303-893-4100 or
GOT TICKETS? If not, and you’re short on cash, try the ticket lottery: Two and a half hours prior to each show, a limited number of tickets will be sold for $25 apiece, limited to two per person, at the box office. Names are collected for 30 minutes, one entry per person. You must be present, with a valid ID, when the names are drawn and called.
