Mark Evans News

THE BOOK OF MORMON is an absolute go see production for anyone who is not a language prude or a religious fanatic. It is filled with total delight, magical showmanship, a marvelous score, creative dancing and fine staging. It's everything a modern musical that is meant for pure entertainment, with a sip of philosophy, should be!

The Book of Mormon opened in Toronto last Thursday, kicking off a sold-out six week run at The Princess of Wales Theatre. Arguably the most hyped show of the year, Toronto audiences have been clamouring to get tickets to this Tony Award Winning production. BWW was on hand opening night to see if the show does in fact live up to the hype, and we are happy to report that the Mormons are indeed a crowd pleasing bunch.

'The Book of Mormon' may be outrageous, irreverent, and puerile in the extreme, but the most offensive thing about this insipid show is its insulting lack of wit.

Starring Mark Evans as Elder Kevin Price and Christopher John O'Neill as Elder Arnold Cunningham, the comedy duo bring convulsive comedy to the stage rivaling veteran actors Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Each elder attempts to spread the good news in his own way; Arnold seems to pull scripture out of his a$$ to fit whatever point he is trying to promote. Kevin tries the traditional method but winds up having to pull the actual book out of his a$$ after it was unceremoniously placed there by a terrorist. It's never fun being the butt of a joke.

It would be easy to be either immediately won over by the hype surrounding this show before ever seeing it, or to be disappointed once you had, because it couldn't possibly live up to it. That's why I go into these things with reasonable expectations. I'm already a fan of Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park, Team America, Cannibal! The Musical, etc) and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, Phineas and Ferb, etc), and I can certainly appreciate the work they did creating the book, music and lyrics for this show, THE BOOK OF MORMON. But, I do think you have to be attuned to their particular brand of humor in order to fully appreciate it. Poking fun at religion is certainly nothing new for any of them, and they've always brought a sense of the conventions of musical theatre to whatever art form they've tackled, and with THE BOOK OF MORMON they've produced something which is both terribly funny and catchy as well.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up!

Prospect Theater Company will present a developmental reading of TAMAR OF THE RIVER, a new music theater work with music and book by Marisa Michelson and book and lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen. The reading will be directed by Daniel Goldstein.

Prospect Theater Company will present a developmental reading of TAMAR OF THE RIVER, a new music theater work with music and book by Marisa Michelson and book and lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen. The reading will be directed by Daniel Goldstein.

Broadway Across America - Fort Lauderdale has announced their subscription series presented by Florida Theatrical Association in partnership with the Broward Center for the Performing Arts sponsored by Bank of America. From the creators of South Park and winner of nine Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon will play a limited three-week engagement November 26 - December 22, 2013. Season Subscribers receive priority ticket opportunities to shows so a season subscription is the only way to guarantee seats to The Book of Mormon.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: PHANTOM takes an epic bow, Manilow finally arrives, Lea Salonga belts it out and so much more!

Mark Evans and Christopher John O'Neill just joined the cast of the national tour of The Book of Mormon as Elder Price and Elder Cunningham respectively. They replaced Gavin Creel and Jared Gertner who join the West End company at the Prince of Wales Theatre from February 25. For a complete list of tour stops, visit: http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the new cast in action below!

The Book of Mormon, which opened Thursday at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, anchors the 2012-2013 Broadway series just as it is an anchor on the Great White Way itself.

The juggernaut has arrived! Yes the winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, "The Book of Mormon", has come to the Paramount Theatre to sold out houses. But can this highly anticipated touring show live up to all the hype and deliver? Do the Elders in Africa put on fabulous tap numbers? Well, for those that haven't seen the show yet, the answer to that is a resounding, "YES!"

According to the show's official website, Mark Evans and Christopher John O'Neill will join the cast of the national tour of The Book of Mormon as Elder Price and Elder Cunningham respectively. They replace Gavin Creel and Jared Gertner who join the West End company at the Prince of Wales Theatre from 25 February 2013. For a complete list of tour stops, visit: http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com

The IDolls brought their brand of soul divadom to The Hippodrome on Sunday 18 November as part of the Live At The Hippodrome season. The IDolls are Portia Emare, Emma Lindars and Charlotte Riby, the trio who first appeared as the Divas in the West End production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Ghost The Musical will be closing at the Piccadilly Theatre to make way for Viva Forever, the Spice Girls musical. The show will take its final bow today, October 6.

After a successful first series earlier this year, The Curtain Up Show returns to London's arts radio station, Resonance 104.4fm, for a new 11 week run. Tim McArthur will be joined live in the studio at midday on Friday by Sam Buttery and Katie Kerr who are currently starring as Leigh Bowery and Big Sue in the Boy George musical, Taboo, at the Brixton Clubhouse. Tim will also be joined by Joshua Miles who is currently starring opposite Anthony Andrews in Bully Boy by Sandi Toksvig at the newly opened St. James Theatre.

After a successful first series earlier this year, The Curtain Up Show returns to London's arts radio station, Resonance 104.4fm, for a new 11 week run. Tim McArthur will be joined live in the studio at midday on Friday by Sam Buttery and Katie Kerr who are currently starring as Leigh Bowery and Big Sue in the Boy George musical, Taboo, at the Brixton Clubhouse. Tim will also be joined by Joshua Miles who is currently starring opposite Anthony Andrews in Bully Boy by Sandi Toksvig at the newly opened St. James Theatre.

After a successful first series earlier this year, The Curtain Up Show returns to London's arts radio station, Resonance 104.4FM, for a new 11 week run. Tim McArthur will be joined live in the studio at 12pm on Friday 5 October by Sam Buttery and Katie Kerr who are currently starring in Taboo at the Brixton Clubhouse, and by Joshua Miles who is currently starring in Bully Boy by Sandi Toksvig at the newly opened St. James Theatre.