Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON at Broadway San Diego
At the San Diego Civic Theatre by Broadway San Diego through June 15th
“The Book of Mormon” has landed in San Diego again. This irreverent juggernaut musical comedy remains equal parts send-up and sincere love letter to the power of belief (no matter how embellished).
The story follows two mismatched Mormon missionaries sent to Uganda to convert villagers who are far more worried about warlords and disease than the golden plates of Joseph Smith. Dylan Knight Weaver’s Elder Price is the clean-cut golden boy whose faith in himself unravels spectacularly the further away from Orlando he gets. Diego Enrico as Elder Cunningham is a delightfully unhinged people-pleasing nerd, who may have never actually read the book he’s talking about and has the improvisational theology of an over-caffeinated Dungeon Master.
Keke Nesbitt is radiant as Nabulungi, the sweet-hearted young woman who sees salvation in Salt Lake City. Her vocals soar, and she and Enrico have playful chemistry even if he can’t ever quite pronounce her name correctly.
Jarius Miguel Cliett grounds the chaos as Nabulungi’s father and village leader, with Dwight Braxton Jr. chewing the scenery as the cartoonishly evil General. Craig Franke is great in the tap-happy “Turn It Off,” playing Elder McKinley with dazzling footwork fueled by repression.
The rest of the ensemble is just as tight, bringing joyful commitment and sly side-eyes to every scene.
Casey Nicholaw’s choreography is crisp, energetic, and has a polished theme park magic with a mischievous twist, particularly in numbers like “Two by Two” and the fever-dream that is “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream.”
What’s remarkable is how “The Book of Mormon” still manages to poke fun at organized religion, colonialism, and even musical theater form itself without feeling stale. There have been some updates since it first originated, some jokes land a little differently in 2025, but the show’s core message about the human need for stories and connection comes through stronger than ever. It’s still irreverent, funny, and ends with a surprisingly sweet reminder that sometimes the story doesn’t need to be true to mean something.
In conclusion: praise be to Orlando, maple donuts, and the prophet Arnold Cummingham.
How To Get Tickets
“The Book of Mormon” is playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre by Broadway San Diego through June 15th. For ticket and showtime infromaiton go to www.broadwaysd.com
Photo Credit: Sam McLellan and company in THE BOOK OF MORMON North American tour. Photo by Julieta Cervantes
|
BEGIN AGAIN The Old Globe (9/06-10/11) |
|
Scapin North Coast Repertory (7/22-8/16) |
|
A Black-billed Cuckoo La Jolla Playhouse (9/15-10/11) |
|
|
Water for Elephants San Diego Civic Theatre (8/18-8/23) |
|
The Marriage of Figaro Bornemann Theatre (8/28-8/30) |
|
Mamma Mia! Civic Theatre- San Diego (6/15-6/20) |
|
the wulfeater 10th Avenue Arts Center (8/28-9/18) PHOTOS VIDEOS |
|
|
Jonathan Van Ness: Hot & Healed Comedy Tour 2026 Balboa Theatre (10/10-10/10) |
|
Ocean Pulse: Rhythm of the Coast Pacific Wave Theater (7/10-8/20) |
|
Something Rotten! Old Town Temecula Community Theater (8/28-9/13) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.