When it was announced that South Park creators
Matt Stone
and
Trey Parker
, plus the Tony Award winning co-writer of
Avenue Q
Robert Lopez
, were working on a Broadway musical together, it seemed the Great White Way would be forever changed. When the show's topic, the Mormon religion, was announced, it seemed the GWW would be forever scarred, but the big opening surprise that delighted critics was that
The Book of Mormon
is packed with as much respect as it is with disrespect. The problem for some will be that all the disrespect is directed at organized religion while all the respect is given to the Musical Comedy genre. These bright, lively, and even zippy melodies are singalong in a tradition that stretches from
Guys and Dolls
to
Bye Bye Birdie
and beyond, with little acknowledgment of the modern sound or style. Instead of parodying the format,
Stone
,
Parker
, and
Lopez
absolutely revel in it, but the will to do good in the name God isn't so safe or sacred. Our story's heroes are Mormon missionaries who are sent to Uganda, "Cause God love Mormons/And he wants more." Upon arrival, their reaction of "Oh Boy! Like Lion King" is turned on its head as they have to deal with the harsh reality of things like female circumcision. That's right, female circumcision, sung in a bouncy C, and yet these shock tactics are used sparingly and surrounded with build-up, character development, and much safer humor that's all equally entertaining.
have proven they can mix the satirical, controversial, and the musical before with their films
Cannibal! The Musical
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
had done the same with
.
is inspired, filled with laughs, and when it comes to its creators, it's more than the sum of its parts, making this an easy recommendation with some necessary -- it's crude, it's rude, it's blasphemy -- caveats. [The Book of Mormon won the 2012 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.] ~ David Jeffries