The musical for people who hate musicals is coming our way. Hallelujah.
You may not have thought that Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the minds who dreamed up Eric Cartman and created the seminal film BASEketball, were musical-theatre types. But they are.
The pair (plus a bloke called Robert Lopez) co-wrote the smash-hit musical The Book of Mormon, which has been running on Broadway since 2011 and London’s West End since 2013. The production won nine Tony Awards, including best musical, that year, and has also garnered Grammys and Oliviers.
And it’s amazing. And now it’s headed to Australia.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew announced the production on his Facebook page, saying the show will play at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne.
“I’m thrilled we’re bringing the most successful piece of theatre in the world today to Victoria,” he posted.
The musical The New York Times called “heaven on Broadway” will open in Melbourne in January 2017, and that the creators are on the hunt for their Aussie cast.
“Everyone says we should look to Tassie for casting so that’s where we’re going first,” the pair said in a statement.
Read more: Kyle Sandilands just got cast in a musical. Yes, a musical.
Typical of Parker and Stone’s work, The Book of Mormon is designed to provoke, to poke fun, to satirise – and boy, does it. The musical tells the story of two young missionaries sent to a remote village in Uganda that’s battling a violent warlord, AIDS, and poverty, and attempt to spread the good word.
Hilarity ensues.
Put it in your diary for January, Melbourne. Sydney, you’ll get your turn later.
Everyone else: you may need to fly.
Check out our gallery of the must-see musicals – for people who think they hate musicals.
Top Comments
Yeah, I can't stand musicals (and since I've done amateur theatre since I was 12, this stance has basically gotten me thrown out of multiple cast parties), but I will definitely go and see this.
Not even Les Misèrables? I could listen to that every day. Come to think of it, since seeing the latest production in Sydney the weekend before last, I pretty much have listened to at least one song from it. But enough about that.
I am really excited about Book of Mormon coming to Australia. I hope it does come to Sydney, but if it doesn't, shall we make a group booking for February 2017 in Melbourne? 😉
Saw it in New York in 2011, it really was brilliant. Highly recommend.