Overview
One of Broadway's hottest and most prohibitively priced tickets of the last five years, The Book of Mormon, is finally getting an Australian staging, making its Australian premiere at Melbourne's Princess Theatre this year.
Written by South Park and Team America's notoriously puerile creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, together with Robert Lopez of genius grown-up muppet show Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon is probably one of the most lauded comedies ever to have centred on the Church of Latter Day Saints, African missions, AIDS, bum jokes and super ironic racism. If it wasn't so smart and so funny, few would forgive it. But since it is, The Book of Morman has picked up nine Tonys, four Olivier Awards and a Grammy since it debuted in 2011, and has been called "one of the most joyously acidic bundles Broadway has unwrapped in years".
Directed by Parker with choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the show has a new local cast. If you've been among the throngs to see the musical in New York, Chicago or London, then you'll be plenty excited that your Melbourne friends will now get the chance to go learn all the idiosyncratic details of Mormonism, meet war criminal General Butt-Fucking Naked and know the true meaning of the hakuna matata-like saying 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'.
If you're still deciding whether or buy tickets or simply waiting patiently for the day to come, get in the mood by watching this clip of Girls star and original Mormon cast member Andrew Rannells singing the ballad of religious faith 'I Believe' at the Tony Awards.
UPDATE, JANUARY 6, 2017: The Book of Mormon has announced an additional preview show on Tuesday, January 17, a day before performances officially start. The best part? Tickets are only $20. But to get your hands on them, you'll have to physically get yourself to the Princess Theatre box office from 10am on Monday, January 9. We're betting you'll have to get there real early. All the details are here.
