The crowd of eager theatre-goers at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre JUMPED to their feet tonight at the conclusion of one of the season’s most anticipated Musicals. Yes… “those South Park boyz” CAN write a musical and, yes…The Book of Mormon is a force to be reckoned with!

Yes, there are tons of pop-culture references, yes, there are tons of musical theatre references (the BEST one is actually the climax of the show) and YES it does walk “a Fine, Fine Line” between what is actually tasteful and what is borderline insanity… but the overall effect of the piece is definitely worth all the gags and punch lines. They have set the story in a war-torn, AIDS-ridden, uber-impoverished village in Africa, and have given the people there a glimmer of hope through the telling of the stories of Joseph Smith and Jesus. The show-stopping numbers of Act I are a fantastic journey into a world that can only be told through Musical Theatre and best surprise of the night is that the mostly male ensemble deliver Killer Vocals throughout the piece. No click-track needed here (a certain Mega-Million dollar show should take note).

     The end of Act I and the opening of Act II could be strengthened a bit, and of course, there will be a better continuity with the running of the show over the next few weeks, but what I was most impressed with tonight was the clarity of the storytelling that was taking place. I think we all were ready for a two-and-a-half-hour long send-off of the Mormon faith, but that’s not what is happening here. Sure, there are some funny parts mentioned about Mormon-ism, but none that aren’t apparent in Mr. Smith’s already far-fetched book. Mr. Parker & Mr. Stone have chosen to let the book speak for itself in terms of kooky, off-the-wall “facts” that make up the Mormon faith and instead have focused on real world interpretations of the actual “Book of Mormon” to enlighten us with the story that they have chosen to tell.

     I say, YES, this is a fantastic evening of entertainment with great songs, dance numbers, and (by God) good old-fashioned theatre. Looking forward to the subtle changes that are to come in the next few weeks and to see this show on Opening. Hassadinga Ibowa!