Culture
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By Samantha Costanza / Assoc. Culture Editor As a self-proclaimed theatre nerd, I The writers of The Book of Mormon am often the first one to find out about are none other than Matt Stone and up-and-coming Broadway shows, Trey Parker, creators of the mega-hit hop on a train to New York City, and cartoon South Park. It’s no secret that buy tickets to just about anything that South Park has received its fair share sounds remotely interesting. I have of controversy due to the shameless seen more Broadway shows than I can parodies of celebrities and often vulgar possibly count, but one recent musical and politically incorrect jokes. If you discovery truly stood out to me. It had thought that The Book of Mormon was great music, fantastic dancers, increda nice family musical that would steer ible comedic timing, and one of the clear from such jokes, you thought most well-done approaches to a contro- wrong. versial topic I have ever seen. The Book of Mormon had me leaving the theater Parker and Stone teamed up with laughing harder than I ever have in my fellow comedic genius Robert Lopez to entire life. compose the incredibly witty and undeniably catchy soundtrack to the show. The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Lopez is the creator and composer of Tony awards including “Best Musical,” the Tony-winning musical Avenue Q. is a musical about two Mormon misAfter attending the Broadway producsionaries named Elder Price and Elder tion of Avenue Q, Parker and Stone were Cunningham who set out on a two-year immediately inspired by the seamless mission to Uganda. Along the way, they integration of clever, borderline-inapdiscover what it truly means to have propriate comedy with high-caliber faith, while experiencing some hilarious music and acting. Before they could bumps in the road. even approach Lopez, they discovered 36
a “thank you” addressed to them in the Avenue Q playbill. Lopez had never met the pair, but was so inspired by their feature film, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, that he decided to write his very own comedy-laden musical. When the three finally came together, it was clear that they should not let their immense talents go to waste, and thus the creative team was formed. Now why would we, students attending a Jesuit Catholic university, want to see a show about Mormonism? While it is true that many of us are not in fact practicing Catholics, it can be safely said that exposure to Mormon communities is not exactly widespread in the suburbs of Massachusetts. This musical provides insight into another religion in an extremely satirical and comical way. All of the facts check out, so nothing is made up in the show, yet somehow it all seems ridiculous. That is the brilliance of Parker and Stone’s writing. They can take a controversial topic and make
April 2013
HOULD SEE...
people laugh by simply stating the exact beliefs of a religion, but in an outlandish, over-the-top way that makes you ask, “Do people really believe this stuff?” I’m not saying that this show is some sort of atheistic manifesto – far from it, actually. While it does touch upon multiple religions with slightly mocking undertones, it never once tells you what you should or should not believe. In fact (without giving too many spoilers), one of the main themes of the show is that regardless of how things seem to be working out, faith and trust in whatever you choose to believe will be what ultimately provides you with the most happiness. As college students, many of us are going through a period of self-discovery, especially when it comes to religion. This musical truly provides an interesting perspective on the issue that is more relatable to kids our age. As the Elders struggle with their own religious identities, we are forced to consider just how much we understand our own beliefs. One important takeaway from the show is that it is possible for everyone to find their own personally tailored set of beliefs, and that yours don’t need to match anyone else’s as long as they allow you to find happiness and peace. www.bcgavel.com
“I AM A MORMON, AND A MORMON JUST BELIEVES!” When it all comes down to it, the main reason to see this show is that it’s unbelievably, knee-slappingly hilarious. As a huge South Park fan, I had a hunch that I was going to like this musical, but little did I know that I would love it so much that I would see it on Broadway three times! The humor in this show never misses a beat, from elaborate musical numbers featuring a gay, tap-dancing Mormon missionary, to smaller recurring jokes like Elder Cunningham’s inability to get the African girl Nabalungi’s name right (they change every show but ones I’ve seen include “Neutrogena,” “Neiman Marcus,” and “Nissan Maxima”). The bottom line is that this show is downright amazing and completely worth your while. The theatre enthusiasts will love the amazing choreography and top-notch singing, but even those who typically prefer root canal over Broadway shows will be pleasantly surprised by The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon will be coming to the Boston Opera House from April 9th-28th. Tickets will be sold at the Robsham Ticket Office through BC2Boston.
Photo courtesy of Brook Bettencourt-Berge/ Flickr
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