Sam McLellan, Charity Arianna, Jacob Aune, and Cast Photo by Julieta Cervantes

This undeniable success undoubtedly figured into producers' decision to mount another national tour (this one non-Equity), opening locally this past week at BroadwaySF's Orpheum Theatre, where a raucous audience welcomed the show with peals of laughter and an instantaneous standing ovation.

And who can blame them? The Book of Mormon is, after all, one of the funniest shows ever to appear on any stage, anywhere. Its tale of two Mormon missionaries, the ambitious, devout Elder Price (Sam McLellan) and his companion, the adorably goofy and mendacious Elder Cunningham (Jacob Aune), who are sent to Uganda in search of converts, is a sort of Campbell-esque "hero's journey" blended with the sharp-toothed satire of "South Park."

Lopez's songs (he also created the music for Avenue Q) are brilliant, beginning with "Hello!" and moving on to the hysterically profane "Hasa Diga Eebowai," the bouncy yet somehow cringey (in a good way) "Turn It Off" to the stunning afro-pop tinged "Joseph Smith American Moses" that retells the origin story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints so warped by Elder Cunningham's fanboy lens that it leaves the other elders and missionary leaders gaping in shock. Carnal relations with a frog is only the tip of this satirical iceberg.

The songs serve a story that rockets along, taking the boys (the "elders" are still teenagers) quickly into Uganda, where they discover that real life in Africa does not at all resemble The Lion King, as Elder Cunningham had hoped when the assignment was given to him and Elder Price. Once in the village, they discover the other elders (a wonderful male chorus of talented singers and actors) have yet to convert a single African. They also meet the locals, including the village chieftain Mafala (Jarius Miquel Cliett) and his daughter Nabulungi (Charity Arianna). Elder Cunningham repeatedly butchers Nabulungi's name, calling her "Neutrogena" "Nala," and "Nikki Minaj," among others. (This trope began with Josh Gad–the original Elder Cunningham–and many different variations, often drawing from topical or local sources, have been added since.)

But the elders' challenge of finding converts is nothing compared to what faces the villagers: a local warlord named General Butt Fucking Naked (Shafiq Hicks), who threatens all the girls in the village with circumcision, aka female genital mutilation. Faced with the threats from the general, and his disappointment at not being assigned to his favorite place in the world, Orlando, Elder Price decides to abandon his mission–breaking one of the most important rules: to never be separated from your companion. Racked with guilt, Elder Price finds himself in hell during the song "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream," where he meets not only Satan, but some of hell's denizens, including Jeffrey Dahmer, Adolf Hitler, and Johnny Cochran.

This last bit is one of the few places where The Book of Mormon departs from actual Mormon theology. (Mormons don't believe in a hell of fire and eternal suffering, but rather an "outer darkness" where only those who have truly know God and denied Him are sent.) But the rest–including that the Mormon god lives on a planet called Kolob, and that good Mormons (the men, at least) will one day get their own planet to rule over, that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri and that ancient Jews built boats and sailed to America and Jesus came to visit them during the three days prior to his resurrection–is all accurate.

Originally choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, this road version is choreographed and directed by Jennifer Werner, who has given the dance moves a more frenetic–and often hysterical–feel. Yet this cast seemed up to the challenge–although the effort clearly showed in their shiny, perspiring faces. Vocally, nearly every cast member rises to the challenge of Lopez's score. As Elder Cunningham, Jacob Aune not only gets many of the best bits of business, he is also vocally stronger than his character's nebbishy nature might indicate. But McClellan must have had an off night vocally, for he had occasional problems with pitch throughout the performance I attended.

Overall, this is a solid production of a terrific show. But the key to the success of The Book of Mormon for me has always been that, despite its prickly exterior of profanity and blasphemy (which might easily turn off your aunt from Topeka, say, once you peel back the outer layer of snarky satire and filthy irreligiosity), there's a sticky sweet interior that says it doesn't matter if religion is complete and utter BS (and every religion, not just Mormonism, has more than its share of weirdness), as long as it gets you through the night and encourages you to treat other people with kindness and respect.

The Book of Mormon runs through February 1, 2026, at BroadwaySF's Orpheum Theatre, 1182 Market Street, San Francisco CA. Performances Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 6:30pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00pm. There is a 1:00pm matinee Wednesday, January 28. Tickets range from $63.18-$310.05. For tickets and information, please call the box office at 888-746-1799 or visit broadwaysf.com. For information on the tour, visit TheBookofMormonTour.com