Over the years, while browsing musicals to attend, I kept seeing the giant signage for The Book of Mormon. I was apprehensive, especially after reading the synopsis — religion is something I usually never touch. But year after year, the show remained. Eventually, I told myself to give it a go. I already knew the opening number, “Hello,” was fun.

I hadn’t studied the musical beforehand, but I knew a little about the faith. Years ago, a Mormon friend once told me about the story of Jesus appearing in the Americas and the burial of golden plates — details that turned up in the show. Hearing them sung and staged in satire brought back those memories, even though the tone was completely different.

At the theater, I sat beside a group of ladies excitedly taking photos and chatting about Broadway shows. I kept my ears open for tips.

As the curtain rose and the famous “Hello” began — finally live before me — I felt the energy immediately. I noticed a familiar trope: the overachieving top student paired with an awkward underdog, this time within a religious context. I suspected the “inapt” one might eventually shine — a classic reversal.

But I didn’t expect Orlando to be Elder Price’s vision of paradise. From that moment, the show had me laughing and clapping — and I let myself go. It was hilarious. I had expected Elder Price and Elder Cunningham to be paired, but didn’t anticipate their mission destination to be Uganda. It was a clever touch — ringing a bell to say “hello,” only to discover there’s no bell. Every word and gesture from Elder Cunningham was unexpected. His obsession with pop culture — weaving in Star Wars, Star Trek, The Hobbit — to explain the gospel was absurd and thrilling. I didn’t know how far the story would go. And it went all the way.

The missionaries in Uganda were a cheerful bunch with their own subplots, all hilariously exaggerated. Because of a brutal warlord (General Butt-F***ing Naked), no one wanted to be baptized or even approach the missionaries. Women were in particular danger, including Nabulungi and her protective father Mafala, who forbade her from going outside.

The dynamic between Elder Price and Elder Cunningham was somewhat predictable, but delivered with sharp humor and vivid metaphor. Elder Price believes he’s special — he deserves a better place, a better companion, and certainly not Uganda. His internal monologue about Orlando and Disney World was laugh-out-loud funny in its specificity. After failing to inspire the villagers, he demands a transfer, abandoning Elder Cunningham. Meanwhile, Nabulungi is deeply moved by Cunningham’s improvised vision of salvation — “Sal Tlay Ka Siti.” Using his own version of the Book of Mormon, Elder Cunningham succeeds in baptizing her. Even that was staged.

By the end of Act I, I understood why this show has been so successful. The songs were remarkably strong. The storytelling was clever — full of slight plot twists and direct references to rape, circumcision, and religion not as belief, but as social belonging. Still, I wasn’t sure how the Mormon Church had reacted. A quick search revealed they took the satire coolly — even running ads in the playbills inviting audiences to “read the book.” With that in mind, I offered to take a photo of the group of ladies in front of the stage. One of them asked what other shows I’d seen and gave me more recommendations — a great tip for the week. I envied her for living in New York, where she could go to any show she liked. I told her so, and that made her proud.

Act II was even more outrageous. The entire village, inspired by Elder Cunningham’s fictional scripture, lines up for baptism. Poor Elder Price, still obsessed with Orlando, spirals into a breakdown. The scene involving his rectum and the Book — that was just beyond anything. It went way too far, even for him. The ensemble number “I Am Africa” — oh, how self-important they were! — was hilariously over the top. And the frog... the frog scene almost made me fall out of my seat. I’ll never see a frog the same way again.

What surprised me most was the complete turnaround of the missionary team — all embracing Cunningham’s version of the gospel. And Nabulungi, hurt when she realizes the stories weren’t literally true, is gently reassured — not because she was fooled, but because the villagers understood all along. They chose to see his stories as metaphors and found meaning in them anyway. Elders Price and Cunningham’s win over the general was comically easy, and the general was later seen to be converted along with the tribe. The show ends with a return to “Hello,” but now with new context and purpose. Arnold wins the battle. I had no complaints — it was a satisfying, full-circle ending.

As I was leaving, the NYC lady asked what I thought. I said, “This was the warmest musical I’ve seen this week,” and I meant it. The next day, I traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah for a business trip. A fitting ending for me.

The cast was strong throughout. Kevin Clay (Elder Price) and Noah Marlowe (Elder Cunningham) delivered consistent energy and comedic timing. Keziah John-Paul, who played Nabulungi, had a rich, expressive voice and conveyed youthful sincerity using her whole body. I was also impressed by Derrick Williams as the General and loved Elder McKinley, who stole scenes with sharp comic timing. Many actors played multiple roles — sometimes across genders — adding to the show’s fast-paced, flexible humor. Since then, I’ve even tried “Turn It Off” in my real life — with mixed results.