Grey Henson News

How do you take a devout, sacred religion like Mormonism, pack in a bunch of old, Ohio conservatives, and somehow manage to have them laughing in stitches on topics like female circumcision, rape, AIDS, and homosexuality? That's the genius of South Park writers, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with AVENUE Q co-creator Robert Lopez, who accomplished just that. With 9 Tony Awards under its belt (holding in the maggots), THE BOOK OF MORMON is a truly brilliant creation of musical comedy, combining shamelessly offensive language with a generous heartfelt story, uplifting songs, terrific choreography, and quick wit. Continuous tornado sirens on opening press night didn't stop Ohioans from cramming in the Ohio Theatre to worship this truly amazing production.

It's difficult to argue with anyone who says that Providence Performing Arts Center has had a spectacular season. You'd be hard pressed to find such an impressive collection of musical productions brought together during a single season anywhere. Of course, this is just what organizations like PPAC do, they put together impressive seasons filled with stunning theatrical spectacles, from newer shows, like Once and Ghost: The Musical, to all-time Broadway favorites like Phantom of the Opera and Man of La Mancha. The season ends on another high note with one last smash hit Broadway musical, both critically acclaimed and a fan-favorite, The Book of Mormon.

Washington theatre celebrated its highest honors for achievement at the 30th Annual Helen Hayes Awards tonight, April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum. Scroll down for the full list of winners!

This tour is quite well done, with strong vocals for the leads. Evans nails 'I Believe' and Ncube shows a lovely soprano in her national tour debut. O'Neill, making his professional debut, shows solid comic ability as the awkward Cunningham

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 50 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2013 Seattle winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

Voting is now underway for Seattle! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Seattle! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Seattle! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Seattle! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

The electricity in Carol Morsani Hall, at the Straz Center in Tampa, for the opening performance of the National Tour of 'THE BOOK OF MORMON', was the closest I have experienced here, to the excitement of a Broadway opening night yet! The SOLD-OUT house was simply percolating, in anticipation of the 9 time Tony Award winning musical's Tampa debut.

At the end of the first act of The Book of Mormon, now playing Austin's Bass Concert Hall for a two week run, I thought to myself, 'This is the most distasteful, crude, offensive, and subversive musical I've ever seen, and I'm loving every minute of it.' When I went out to the lobby, it was clear that the audience agreed. Everyone was smiling and wiping away tears of laughter as they quoted some of the best lines so far.

In March 2011, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone's joyfully irreverent, soulfully blasphemous, and wholly scandalous comedy THE BOOK OF MORMON took Broadway by storm, going on to win 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score. The musical quickly developed a ravenous parish of fans that simply couldn't get enough of the bawdy spectacle, and left many around the nation counting the days until the First National Tour kicked off. After a short two-and-a-half year wait, Houston audiences are getting their chance to experience the production, and judging by last night's reaction, we couldn't be more enthusiastic or pleased. Now holding a coveted spot as one of the best musicals I have ever seen, this show was definitely worth the wait!

MORMON plays in DC until August 13, 2013

'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.

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.

On the next episode of the ABC comedy SUBURGATORY entitled "Blowtox and Bowel Chips", when Tessa convinces Ryan to attend an art house movie with her on Valentine's Day, their reactions to the movie surprise her. Get a sneak peek 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.