We Get Our Musical On, Courtesy of Book of Mormon

When we first heard that the Book of Mormon was coming to the Kennedy Center, it was because the onslaught of enthusiasts clamoring for tickets had crashed the Kennedy Center’s website.  So things were not looking good for a certain pair of DC tour guides who happen to be fans of the work of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.  But, once the fervor died down, the gods of the theatre shined down on us and we were able to score awesome tickets to last night’s show.

Let me start by saying that if you have never been to the Kennedy Center, it is worth the trip just to see the building itself.  We know, we know, on our tours we like to joke that the Kennedy Center is “the box the Watergate came in.”  But it is super impressive inside and the views can’t be beat.  There is a free shuttle from the Foggy Bottom metro station, so if you have a little time to spare while you are in DC, take advantage of it.  In fact, we were so overtaken by the incredible architecture, light fixtures, and decor in the theater that we almost forgot we were there to see what was rumored to be a killer show.

And the rumors were absolutely true.  From the opening number through curtain call, we were riveted and cracking up.  Even the heavy topics (and there were some HEAVY ones) were dealt with such an expert light hand that we laughed at those, too, and still didn’t feel like horrible people.  The acting, singing, and dancing were fit for Broadway, and did justice to the screenwriting and musical scores.  The tour guides in us could not help but be drawn into the details of the show, the little hidden jokes, like when the main characters flew to Uganda on “Airfrica Airlines.”

While we loved every minute of the production, be forewarned that this show is not for the faint of heart.  It is often profane, and, classic to the humor of Parker and Stone, the show is dripping in vulgarity.  There are real contemporary issues threaded throughout that are faced head-on, sometimes with only a light buffer of humor.  If, as an audience member, you can accept the presentation of these issues and appreciate the shameless humor, then this show if for you.  Tickets are hard to come by, so act fast, and take advantage of intermission to get some great pictures like we did on the outdoor deck!