Book of Mormon cast as of late?

[helvizz]

There was this problematic (they used black face), yet successful Brazilian college production of The Book of Mormon in 2014 I think. They started small but the production stayed open for almost one year and it even played in one of the biggest theaters in Rio de Janeiro, playing to full houses in a 1,222-seat theater. I believe that was the first non-English production of the show.

[LizzieCurry]

WestCoastActor/Director said: "No.  Kyle is leaving the show to pursue other shows.  He had already given his notice when they offered him Elder Price."

 

Interesting. Thanks!

 

And I'd heard about BoM Rio... The Stockholm production sounds a little more legal.

[helvizz]

The production from Rio was legal, since it was a non-profit college production and Brazilian laws allow such productions to exist, even if the material is copyrighted. Whether it was ethically and morally acceptable or not (specially due to the black face in my opinion) is another matter... The Stockholm production certainly beats the Rio one in this matter (supposing they don't use blackface, which I very much hope so)

[PepperedShepherd]

helvizz said: "The production from Rio was legal, since it was a non-profit college production and Brazilian laws allow such productions to exist, even if the material is copyrighted. Whether it was ethically and morally acceptable or not (specially due to the black face in my opinion) is another matter... "

 

"Hasa Diga Ebowai" from the UNIRIO production: 

https://youtu.be/wpk2oK4ndjM

 

Gotta say, it looks like it was a blast (albeit extremely low budget). As for the so-called "black face": It just looks like a darker brown make-up was used to make some of the "Ugandans" look darker than, say, the brown-skinned Elder Cunningham. Hardly reason to get on a moral high horse.

 

I was in a college production of Shaw's "Caesar & Cleopatra" and the actors playing the Egyptians used dark make-up to distinguish them from the Romans. (Except for yours truly. I instead opted to tan myself into oblivion -- and ended up looking darker than those in full make-up.)  We just didn't have a population of North African/Middle Eastern students to cast from.

 

 

 

 

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Is anyone seeing the show this week? I know itis  frivolous in the face of the gravity of the situation, but I am curious how audiences respond to the "Orlando" jokes this week. 

[Call_me_jorge]

^theres already a thread about that on this page.

 

has anyone seen the tour lately? How is it? I'm seeing it in Chicago soon.

[Call_me_jorge]

Maybe not on this page, but you get the point. http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1093855&dt=12

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Ah wow, thanks. I missed that thread completely. 

[ACL2006]

FYI, 2 original cast members recently left the show - Tyson Jennette(swing) & Maia Nkenge Wilson. This leaves just three original cast members in the show - Lewis Cleale, John Eric Parker & Graham Bowen(resident dance captain).

[LizzieCurry]

Tyson's departure is temporary, as far as I know. Jamaal Wilson is filling in.

When did Maia leave?!

[ACL2006]

June 18, but I think her departure is temporary, too. Geisha Gilles(BOM 1st national tour) has replaced her track. However, Gilles reported on Facebook that she's only with the show until August 14th.

[Call_me_jorge]

Does anyone know how the current tour cast is? Especially Cunningham? The last time I saw it, Ben platt was my Cunningham and I'm wondering if the current Cunningham is just as good

[ClumsyDude15]

The current tour Cunningham is Cody Jamison Strand and he's an absolute riot. He has a lot of presence and humor to him, I personally really loved him on Broadway but I feel like he found his footing so well on tour. His two standbys - Chad Burris and Conner Peirson are two of the best standbys the show has seen in quite sometime, so if you see either of them you're also in for a great show. 

Overall, I really love the current cast of the tour - Ryan Bondy went on for the last time as a standby Price during Philly's run and I really enjoyed his performance. Candace Quarrels is a darling Nabalungi with a really fantastic voice, while Daxton Bloomquist is an absolute scene stealer as Elder McKinley. The ensemble definitely is on point and present, and work so wonderfully together. 

[LizzieCurry]

Thanks, ACL! I did read about Keisha, but had missed her end date.

Jorge: I saw Cody Jamison Strand on Broadway and again last time the tour was in Chicago, and he was hilarious -- much more of a loose cannon than Ben Platt and very wild. Ryan Bondy I wasn't as hot on, but I've only seen him once and that was when he was a standby on Broadway, so I wouldn't go by that as to how his performance is now.