Photo from The Book of Mormon Original Broadway Cast Recording
From the creators of “Southpark,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, comes the Tony-winning musical “The Book of Mormon.” The show ran for three nights at Eugene’s Hult Center from Jan. 2-4, 2026. Known for their sharp humor, the comedic duo wanted to satirize religion and its practices. Parker and Stone grew up in Conifer, Colorado – a city with a large Mormon population. Parker and Stone’s frequent encounters with the religion heavily influenced the show's themes.
In an interview on the official “The Book of Mormon” YouTube channel, Parker and Stone explain that during the writing process for “Southpark”, they were already interested in creating musicals. That interest led to their first film, “Cannibal! The Musical.”
In 2003, the duo went to watch “Avenue Q,” a puppet-based musical. During intermission, the two met the musical’s co-creator, Robert Lopez. After the show, Parker, Stone and Lopez all went out to discuss Broadway. The conversation led to Lopez discussing the prospect of creating a musical based on the story of Joseph Smith and Mormons. The rest is history.
The trio then created the Broadway hit, which went on to win nine total Tony awards! The musical follows the adventure of Elder Price (originally played by Andrew Rannells) and Elder Cunningham (originally played by Josh Gad). The two are paired together to go on their mission – an event in which, once 18, Mormons venture to countries all around the world to spread their message. In the musical, the duo is sent to a remote location in Uganda. This starts the elders’ journey of adapting to a new continent and culture, while struggling with the internal conflict of whether they are capable of this job.
The wonderful songs of this Broadway hit are sure to stay in your head. With catchy tunes like “Two by Two,” describing the partnership between the mission brothers on their journey, and “Turn It Off,” which satirizes the practice of turning the “light switch” off when faced with trauma or ‘unholy’ thoughts.
With Parker and Stone being behind the musical, there is always an expectation for shameless humor. One song, “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream,” depicts a nightmare in which a Mormon envisions themselves in their vision of hell for their sins and wrongdoings.
That being said, given Parker and Stone’s signature style, audiences should come prepared for strong language and provocative themes. One song in particular, “Hasa Diga Eebowai,” sets the tone for the musical; when translated, the phrase bluntly means, “f*** you, God.”
Despite the satire and inappropriate themes, If you’re wanting a night full of laughs and unexpected moments, filled with catchy and fantastic songs, I highly recommend watching the “Book of Mormon” when it comes to a theater near you.