During the Melbourne run of 'The Book of Mormon' in 2017, the Church advertised widely, including at Southern Cross railway station and through television ads featuring prominent Australian Mormons such as rugby player Will Hopoate and ballet dancer Jake Mangakahia.
The first non-English production of the musical opened in Stockholm, Sweden in January 2017.
The Australian production opened on January 18, 2017, at Melbourne's Princess Theatre and broke box-office records prior to its official opening.
The Book of Mormon was voted Funniest West End Show at the 2014 West End Frame Awards.
The West End production of the show opened on March 21, 2013 at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, with initial previews beginning on February 25, 2013.
Musical Composition
In the song 'I Believe' from the musical, assertions such as God living on a planet called Kolob are mentioned, which although rooted in Mormon belief, are not regarded as doctrinally accurate representations of the faith.
The original Broadway production's cast recording of 'The Book of Mormon' become the fastest-selling Broadway cast album in iTunes history upon its release.
Three songs from the musical are not included on the original cast album: 'I Am Here For You' (Reprise), 'Hasa Diga Eebowai' (Reprise), and 'You and Me (But Mostly Me)' (Reprise).
Notable Tours
The first North American tour of the show began previews in Denver, Colorado on August 14, 2012, before moving to the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.
The show performed in Salt Lake City as part of its first North American tour in late July and early August 2015.
The second U.S. national tour began shortly after the closure of the Chicago production in October 2013.
The second North American tour of the show ended prematurely on March 11, 2020 in Los Angeles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK and Ireland tour of the musical resumed on October 12, 2021, after being paused due to the pandemic and concluded on November 26, 2022.
A non-equity US tour began on September 23, 2022, showcasing the musical in smaller markets.
Notable replacements for key roles in 'The Book of Mormon' have included Gavin Creel as Elder Price and Ben Platt as Elder Cunningham.
Three original Broadway cast members stayed with 'The Book of Mormon' until its 4000th performance on June 14, 2022 and remain in the show as of 2024: Lewis Cleale, John Eric Parker, and Graham Bowen.
Production Facts
The Book of Mormon was created by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone, who first conceived the idea over drinks after a Broadway show.
During its first year, the show was consistently one of the top five best-selling shows on Broadway and set 22 new weekly sales records for the Eugene O'Neill Theater.
The show premiered on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on March 24, 2011, and quickly set box office records for the venue.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released an official response to the musical, highlighting the enduring spiritual impact of the actual Book of Mormon.
The opening scenes of both Act I and Act II are parodies of the Hill Cumorah Pageant.
Matt Stone described The Book of Mormon as an atheist's love letter to religion.
The Book of Mormon musical satirizes organized religion while depicting Mormons as well-meaning and optimistic.
The Book of Mormon has won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
As of 2024, The Book of Mormon has grossed over $800 million, making it one of the most commercially successful musicals ever.
The original Broadway production of The Book of Mormon starred Andrew Rannells as Elder Price and Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham.
Creators Parker, Stone, and Lopez took a research trip to Salt Lake City to interview missionaries in preparation for writing the musical.
The West End production was suspended in March 2020 and reopened on November 15, 2021.
In 2020, script revisions were made to The Book of Mormon to update and address modern perceptions of African representation.
The role of the African villagers was expanded in recent revisions to give them more agency and a stronger voice in the storyline of the musical.
The Broadway production was forced to suspend shows on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and returned to the stage on November 5, 2021.
The financial backers of the show were able to recoup their investment of $11.4 million after just nine months of performances.
