Review: Sacramento Says Hello! And Welcome Back To THE BOOK OF MORMON

Our favorite doorbell-ringing devotional devotees are back in Sacramento with a new and improved version of the Tony Award-winning hit, The Book of Mormon. It's been four years since they brought the good word of the creators of South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) and Avenue Q (Robert Lopez), and we are ready for a refresher!

Elder Price, the golden boy at Missionary Training Center, is adulated by his elders and peers for his earnest faith in his raison d'etre - to spread the word of the Book of Mormon. Played by Sam McLellan, who was in Sacramento earlier this year as Dmitry in the tour of Anastasia, Elder Price oozes confidence and a little arrogance that can only be born of someone who has been blessed with everything needed to succeed. Unfortunately, his luck comes to a screeching halt when he learns that he has been assigned to a mission in a place that is not of his choosing. To make matters worse, his mission companion is the bumbling, storytelling Elder Cunningham (played by one of the most physically comedic talents I have seen, Sam Nackman).

Upon arrival in Uganda, the missionaries are met with real problems, including female genital mutilation, AIDS, and a violent warlord by the name of General Butt F-ing Naked. The villagers have coined a phrase, "Hasa Diga Eebowai," to put their problems into perspective and place the blame squarely on the shoulders of who it belongs...God. Horrified by their sacrilegious behavior, Elders Price and Cunningham set out to convert the Ugandans by sharing the story of how Mormonism came to be ("All-American Prophet"), but Elder Price is quickly overwhelmed by the challenge and tries to escape to his dream location - Orlando. While away from the village, his psyche is overcome by guilt, and he experiences the collective "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" with visits from Jeffrey Dahmer, Hitler, and dancing coffee cups. Back in the village, Elder Cunningham is having success in converting the villagers to Mormonism with the help of the pretty Nabulungi (Berlande). Although he must resort to his yarn-spinning ways, he gives the people hope by regaling them with tales of Joseph Smith's bloody diarrhea, frogs curing AIDS, and the Starship Enterprise sending wizards to Earth. When he sees that his stories are saving babies and female genitalia, he gains some much-needed confidence in himself and a new appreciation for his role in the church.

Although the baptism of the villagers culminates in a series of disastrous (and hilarious) events, Elder Price comes to the realization that Elder Cunningham is what the Latter-Day Saints are all about. Friendship and loyalty trump personal gain and accolades.

This production was even funnier than the last tour, so don't be dissuaded if you've seen it before. Energetic tap numbers and a strong ensemble complement the principal players and make for a raucous and colorful night of entertainment. Intense, irreverent, and always incomparable, The Book of Mormon is the funniest show of the century. Put this on your don't-miss list and see it before it ends on November 13!

The Book of Mormon plays at Broadway Sacramento through November 13. Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office at 1301 L Street, by calling (916) 808-5181, or by visiting BroadwaySacramento.com.

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