CMU School of Drama


Thursday, September 08, 2011

'The Book of Mormon' to Land in Chicago

Backstage: There's hope for folks frustrated about not being able to get tickets to Broadway's "The Book of Mormon" — go West.Producers of the Tony Award-winning musical say they will launch a new company originating in Chicago beginning in December 2012

6 comments:

Jackson said...

It is great to see the success of this show, with the Chicago production and with the national tour. I don't think it will have any trouble maintaing the craze people have for it for another year. I got to see the show when it was still in previews and I'm so glad I did.

Jess Bertollo said...

I haven't seen the show, or actually heard what the show is about. I just keep hearing rave reviews for the show without any information behind them. It makes me wonder whether or not this show is just going to be another "fad" of Broadway, or if it can actually maintain it's popularity on a national tour.

Brian Rangell said...

I saw the show over the summer and do believe it has the staying power to maintain its popularity. First off, we have the South Park factor - there's a dedicated fanbase from all over the country (and the world) for the most popular show on Comedy Central. You add in the "politically incorrect discussion of current events and religion" aspect and it's golden. It will find an audience everywhere it goes. I mean, just look at the Broadway production running at 102% capacity for the house - the audiences are breaking down the doors to see this show. This is helped by the fact that the show is GOOD - the reviewers saying the show is irreverent, hilarious and original are telling the truth.

The show also runs very simply and could be put-in easily when it moves out on tour (the show runs mostly on unit sets and fly cues, with 1-2 tracking set pieces). I can see a pretty strong lifespan on this show, perhaps about the 10 years we saw The Producers (a similar show also with comedic star power at the helm) run for.

Katherine Eboch said...

It's fantastic that there is finally a new original show on Broadway that is having such a great response. Having a Chicago and National Tour is huge for Book of Mormon. As Brian points out, with the South Park fan base and the "political incorrectness" comedic aspect that drives much of the younger generation, this show is going to be around for a while. Congrats Book of Mormon!

hjohnson_walsh said...

I saw Book of Mormon this summer, and I absolutely loved it. I definitely think it will continue to be a success. For one thing, it's a completely original piece; no part of this experience can be replicated in an existing movie or book, which a lot of current Broadway shows can't say right now. For fans of South Park, there's something very novel about seeing the humor and shock value that the TV show is known for in a life show. Also, it actually has a very lovely message about religion.

Charles said...

Fantastic! I am always a fan of seeing successful shows capitalize on their success and allow a larger audience to see the work onstage. I'm certainly interested in this show, just know it has gotten great reviews. People I know who have seen this show really enjoy it. I on the other hand will have to wait for a few years to catch a cheaper production at another time. Hopefully sooner rather than later!