Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON at The Aronoff Center

The Book of Mormon

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez

Directed by Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker

Review by Taylor Clemons

Entire contents copyright © 2018 Taylor Clemons. All rights reserved.

Singing and dancing Mormons take the stage yet again in Cincinnati as The Book of Mormon plays yet another engagement. The smash hit written by the creators of South Park, that originally opened in 2011 is in its 7th year in NYC, and the tours have been going strong as well. The story follows Elder Price and Elder Cunningham as they take a leap of faith and travel to Uganda on their mission trip. When they arrive, the quickly find they've gotten more than they bargained for, and the real Africa differs from The Lion King.

The current touring cast is solid. They effortlessly hit all the beats and nuances that make this show a laugh riot from start to finish. Lead by Kevin Clay as Elder Price, his charisma shines through from the second he appears onstage. His Andrew Rannells-ness is uncanny. With wonderful vocals, he serves as a delightful Elder Price. Paired with him is Conner Pierson as Elder Cunningham. Elder Cunningham can easily feel old hat as actors try to replicate and emulate Josh Gad's iconic performance, and while () pays homage to what Gad created, he fearlessly adds his own flair and beats to make the role his own. Serving as their "guide" to navigating Uganda, Kayla Pecchioni is splendid as Nabalungi. Her voice soars, and the sweet nature she brings adds to a character that could easily feel underdeveloped in the hands of a lesser actress. Lastly, I would like to shout out to Andy Jones as Elder McKinley. He leads a show stopping tap number about halfway through the second act that is sure to knock your socks off.

The ensemble is universally strong, never missing a beat and vocals for days on end. A true standout was Keisha Gilles who is a featured soloist in the song "Hasa Diga Eboi". Her voice soared above the rest and shook the theater to its core.

Even if you've seen Book of Mormon, in my opinion, it's always worth a re-visit. If you haven't seen it, this tour is a great place to start. The show is known for its raunchy humor, and is definitely for mature audiences. I always tell people that if you go into it open-mindedly, and you don't take yourself to seriously, you're bound to have a great time. The show runs through Sunday evening in Cincinnati for anyone who might want to consider making the trip, otherwise, the show opens in Louisville this February and we are certainly in for a treat!

The Book of Mormon is running Now - August 5

Procter & Gamble Hall - Aronoff Center For The Arts

650 Walnut Street Cincinnati, OH 45202.

(513) 621-2787

https://www.cincinnatiarts.org

Entire contents copyright © 2018 Taylor Clemons. All rights reserved.

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