Debut! (NW ARTS WEEKLY) What the NW is saying about the 'Book of Mormon'!

This is a new column that will showcase Arts events in the Pacific NW; reviewed and covered by other outlets in the NW. This Week we Highlight the 'Book of Mormon', now Playing at Seattle's Paramount Theater through January 20th.

The Book of Mormon is a religious satire musical with a book, lyrics, and music by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. Best known for creating the animated comedy South Park, Parker and Stone co-created the music with Lopez, who co-wrote and co-composed Avenue Q. The show lampoons organized religion and traditional musical theatre, reflecting the creators' lifelong fascination with Mormonism and musicals.

The Book of Mormon tells the story of two young Mormon missionaries sent to a remote village in northern Uganda, where a brutal warlord is threatening the local population. Naïve and optimistic, the two missionaries try to share the Book of Mormon, one of their scriptures—which only one of them knows very well—but have trouble connecting with the locals, who are more worried about war, famine, poverty, and AIDS than about religion.



After nearly seven years of development, the show opened on Broadway in March 2011. The Book of Mormon has garnered positive critical response and numerous theatre awards including nine Tony Awards, one of which was for Best Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. An original Broadway cast recording was released in May 2011 and became the highest-charting Broadway cast album in over four decades, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard charts.

So now we list the reviews from Both Seattle and Portland Outlets and let you be the judge of what the common theme is:

"'Book of Mormon': an outrageous, but good-natured, trip from Utah to Africa"! -Seattle Times

The Book of Mormon is a Holy Hit!-Talkin'Broadway

The Power of Hilarious Choreography!-The Stranger

No offense, 'The Book of Mormon' musical promises salvation through laughter!-Oregonian

The Book of Mormon Is as Great and as Funny as You've Heard It Is!-Portland  Mercury

Book of Mormon is wildly fun, gleefully raunchy and surprisingly touching!.-Willamette Week

Put another way: it’s quite simply the most fun I’ve ever had at a musical!-Portland Monthly

Hello! - Go see The Book of Mormon (if you can)!-SGN

“The Book of Mormon” Will Put A Big Grin On Your Face!-SGS


THE BOOK OF MORMON Brings Crass Hilarity to the Paramount!-Broadway World

"The Book of Mormon" performs at the Paramount Theatre through January 20th. For tickets or information visit www.stgpresents.com.