BWW Reviews: THE BOOK OF MORMON Marches 'Two by Two' into Des Moines

The missionaries of The Book of Mormon have been to Des Moines before and with the reception they received during their return engagement this past week, it seems that they can drop by and say "Hello!" anytime they want.

The Book of Mormon, from South Park and Avenue Q wunderkinds kids Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez, is the hilarious and raunchy tale of two Mormon missionaries sent to a Ugandan village to bring more followers to the church. Most of the chatter surrounding The Book of Mormon is in regard to the explicit language, adult content, and its' envelope-pushing parody of the Mormon religion. And yes, The Book of Mormon uses language and discusses topics not normally found in a Broadway musical, but when the unwholesomeness is stripped away, The Book of Mormon is a well-done musical. Not only that, it is very traditional in style, structure, and song.

The Book of Mormon opens with two opposites, Elders Price and Cunningham, thrown into the unknown: instead of being assigned a mission in Orlando, as Elder Price has prayed, they are sent to Uganda. As played by Ryan Bondy, Elder Price is the model of young Mormonism, devout and doubtless in his beliefs. Grinning and seemingly unflappable, Bondy expertly belts "You and Me (But Mostly Me)," the production's 'I Want' song. A key component in modern musical theater, the 'I Want' song reveals the character's drive and motivation.

But of course, as Elder Price points out, the experience once they arrive in the village is "nothing like The Lion King." AIDS has overtaken the village and a warlord is terrorizing the area by mutilating women. The missionaries are up against powerful odds. How can they convince a village that has seen the worst the world has to offer to believe in a higher power? Elder Price's confidence is shaken and doubt creeps in. Now left to his own devices, Elder Cunningham tries his hand at winning over the village. As Elder Cunningham, an eager-to-please goofball who has not even read the Book, Chad Burris has the necessary energy to play against Elder Price's fortitude. I will refrain from revealing any more of the plot, but suffice it to say that it a mix of the expected and unexpected.

The music is fantastically well balanced. The songs are smart without being inaccessible and contain turns of phrase that go by so quickly that you may not catch them all on the first listen. "All-American Prophet" is an upbeat and impressive missive on the history of the Mormon religion, while songs such as "Hello!" and "Two by Two" are incredibly catchy and you will find yourself humming them on the way home from the theater.

A smart story and great songs cannot carry a show if the production value is weak or the performances terrible. The touring production is a well-oiled machine. Clearly the powers that be, no pun intended, make sure to bring in top-notch crewmembers and performers. Bondy and Burris lead the charge. Bondy seems made for the role of buttoned up straight man to Burris' over the top goof. But the entire ensemble deserves a mention for the athletic marathon of dance styles and singing required to keep the show moving. In particular, Alexandra Ncube as Nabulungi, does a fantastic job of bringing the audience into the heart of a young girl growing up in nearly unbearable conditions. The emotion she brings to "Sal Tlay Ka Siti" brings out the dreamer in all of us.

Will The Book of Mormon offend some individuals? Perhaps. But upon seeing the show, audiences will come to realize that the Mormon religion is a stand in for all religions. Beliefs aside, all audiences can appreciate one of the The Book of Mormon's messages: What's wrong with being nice to everyone?

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