Reach for the stars and rule your own planet

I write this in hope that a musical theatre promoter with a sense of humour brings this show to Australia. Until yesterday I had no idea that Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known as the creators of South Park, have created a successful Broadway musical about Mormomism called The Book of Mormon, and they also plan to do a film version. The musical is about a couple of Mormon missionaries and their adventures in Uganda.

Here's a clip of a song from the show, I Believe. One thing that is evident from this clip is how well actor Andrew Rannells uses facial expressions and voice to convey the earnestness and dedication of his character. 

This isn't the first time Parker and Stone have satirized Mormonism. I blogged here a couple of years ago about the South Park episode All About Mormons. I don't normally watch that show, but  if you appreciate satire that episode was hilarious. Before that Trey Parker created the black comedy Cannibal!: The Musical, which had a 19th century Mormon as its main character.

I have never been a Mormon, nor do I ever want to be. They probably regard me and my ilk as apostates. My interest in them, which is and shall always remain purely academic, was first sparked by random and sometimes unpleasant encounters with Mormon missionaries on the streets of different cities around Australia. These prompted me to read widely on a number of cults and new religious movements, including Mormonism.

The church has a strong musical pedigree, which encompasses the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and of course the Osmonds, a Mormon boy band who were massively popular in the 1970s. It's a pity these musical ambassadors are not using their talent to honour the one true God, but that's another issue that I have also written about in a more serious fashion elsewhere.