ORLANDO, Fla. – Holy smokes! “The Book of Mormon” — the Tony Award-winning musical created by the same minds behind “South Park” and “Avenue Q” — delivers an unforgettable night of laughter, catchy tunes, and thought-provoking themes. By far, the opening night performance at the Dr. Phillips Center exceeded all of my expectations.
My husband and I couldn’t stop laughing out loud as this high-energy, superbly-choreographed production delivered hours of engaging satire before a packed house. There was never a dull moment as the sharp humor addressed religion, culture, and many other controversial themes.
If you’re not familiar with the storyline — which I was not, going into the musical — “The Book of Mormon” follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, who are sent halfway across the world from Utah to Uganda to spread the Good Word.
As someone who grew up just north of Salt Lake City — or “Sal Tlay Ka Siti” as Nabulungi pronounces it, who was portrayed beautifully by actress Keke Nesbitt — I couldn’t help but chuckle and relate to the descriptions and jokes regarding the capital of Utah.
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Also, don’t be fooled, Elder Price’s dream mission location is not tailored to individual audiences. His desire to serve God in Orlando is a part of the original script and as you can imagine, every time our beloved City Beautiful was mentioned, it drew huge roars of laughter and cheers from the audience.
After attending several Broadway in Orlando performances over the past year, I know some people who intentionally skipped this one feeling it would be a bit vulgar for their liking, but at the end of the show, the packed opening night audience erupted in a standing ovation.
I’ve never seen so many people leave a theater with such big smiles on their face. As people flowed out of the Dr. Phillips center, it was full of chatter. Strangers raving about how hilarious and talented the actors were.
As a nine-time Tony Award® winning Best Musical, this is a great addition to the Dr. Phillips Center Broadway in Orlando 2024-2025 series. For more information on show times and tickets visit, the Dr. Phillips Center’s website.
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