Book of Mormon tour cast

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 10:35pm

Today I bought tickets to Book of Mormon in Dallas, it says that the cast will be the 2nd national tour. But if I recall correctly didn't there run get extended till September? The tour is in Dallas from August 21-September 1. How can 2nd national tour be in Dallas!?

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:01pm

That's a good question because I thought the Chicago sit down would turn into the 2nd National Tour. The Chicago production has actually extended until October.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:03pm

The second national tour is Chicago. It'll be in Omaha, Denver, San Francisco, and LA after it closes in Chicago in October.

It's not going to Dallas. The first national tour is going to Dallas.

EDIT: Just wondering, where/on which site is the Dallas stop advertised as the 2NT? This picture is of Mark Evans/the 1NT: http://www.attpac.org/series/lexus-broadway-series-2013-2014-season/

Updated On: 6/17/13 at 11:03 PM

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:12pm

If you go this website and you go to company info it says the 2nd tour :) http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com/tour_page.php

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:16pm

Wow, that's an unfortunate copy/paste. It looks like most of the stops on there say 2NT.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:23pm

Sadly, I don't most of the ticket buying public cares which tour, so long as they get one. It's only us theatre fans that like to know who is coming.

[emeraldmist]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 11:15pm

I think that is completely true Bettyboy72, actually I am a theatre fan, and I don't really care which cast is coming. I am so happy that it is coming to Dallas!

Gmerchant23 - did you do online purchasing or phone? I was in the online queue for over a hour before I called the box office and got right through and got a block of eight tickets front row center in the balcony I wanted. After that I was still #664 in the online queue.

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 12:12am

@emeraldmist OMG! It took me two hours!!!! I started out online and waited it out! I called but it wouldn't come though. Your lucky!!!

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 12:25am

It's been changed to the 1st tour.

[grumpyoptimist]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:16am

Feel fortunate. Ben Platt in the Chicago cast is a horrible Cunningham. He pretty much ruined the show for me (fortunately I'd seen it six other times with three other Cunninghams, my friends were not as lucky).

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 7:46am

^ I had an opposite reaction. He was able to pull off the physical comedy during "Man Up" without sacrificing vocal quality. Quite an impressive strength to his voice and vibrato.

Updated On: 6/19/13 at 07:46 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 9:31am

I also need to chime in about Ben Platt -- I thought he was fantastic, and it was great to hear a Cunningham who can really sing as well as be perfectly awkward.

(I've seen every full-time Cunningham... so far.)

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 10:44am

The second national tour(Chicago company) is basically heading out west with Omaha, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Costa Mesa, San Diego, Las Vegas, plus some Canadian cities(likely Vancouver, Calgary, etc.). The 1st national tour will remain in the midwest, southeast & northeast.

[SpaceOpera]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 11:14am

Platt is an amazing Cunningham, but he just plays the role differently than some of the other Cunningham actors. Instead of being fat, nasally, and schlubby, Platt's performance is more awkward and socially stunted. I could see how people wouldn't be into it, though. Regardless, the 1NT is also a treat so you're good to go, OP.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 1:33pm

Ben Platt is the only Cunningham I have seen, but from everything I have seen/read regarding the differences of his portrayal of the character versus other actors, I much prefer Platt’s. Platt made the character more awkward/nerdy when it seems other actors have made him more of a “slob” (not sure how to put it). Emphasizing Cunningham’s awkwardness as opposed to playing him “stupid” and “raunchy” made his character much more endearing to me. I also thought Cunningham’s jokes came off smarter with the character being played this way. Based off of videos (and the cast recording) and such, I never thought I would like Elder Cunningham, but Platt proved me wrong.

[mormontorentandback]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 1:45pm

I have to chime on in about Platt too. While I think choosing him to play the role versus the likes of Josh Gad was definitely bold and didn't seem "smart", I really like how he took a bit different route. It's much more endearing and makes the whole idea behind the show approachable along with it's message and heart. Christopher John O'Neill took a similar approach and I am not sure I will be able to love this show without that interpretation of Elder Cunningham. It was really what made me love the show so much because you could really feel for a character like his.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 1:51pm

It's such an easy trap to fall into with Cunningham -- to play him as the "silly fat guy." When you have people like Ben Platt and Will Blum, and to an extent, Chris O'Neill and Jared Gertner, it's something I can/have appreciate(d) more because it's way more nuanced and doesn't take the obvious route.

[grumpyoptimist]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 11:20pm

FWIW, I liked Gertner better than Gad because I thought he was less slapstick and more nuanced. Hell, I saw Gertner's understudy in LA and LOVED him (although I'm a sucker for understudies). For me, at least the night I saw him, Platt was too sexual and suave for the Cunningham role. Had nothing to do with fat or not fat. One of my co-workers who saw the show the next night left at intermission because she just "didn't get the point" of Cunningham (she is by no means a prude). If this is the cast hitting SoCal next year, I really hope Mr. Platt has found greener pastures by then. But that's part of the magic of theatre, everyone takes something a little different from the show...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 11:47pm

He may be working on the next Pitch Perfect movie by then, but he's also from LA, so he might want to play for the hometown crowd.

I felt the same way about Gertner as you did, but Gad got way over the top and slapsticky towards the end of his run.

It's interesting to hear from people who actually liked Jon Bass; there didn't seem to be many here who did when he was full-time for 6 months! (Including myself.) I don't mean this in a mean way, though!

Updated On: 6/19/13 at 11:47 PM

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 12:20am

I would have to agree that the 1NT cast is a real treat, especially Grey Henson. There is some mighty talent in that boy. The show is coming back through my area next year, but it will be the 2NT. How many folks from the Chicago company would you guys think resume with the show once it hits the road?

[grumpyoptimist]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 1:23am

Lizzie, I saw Gad four times in 7 months...even in that short time I noticed he was getting more exaggerated as the run went on. Gavin Creel definitely played Price a touch differently with Bass than Gertner (saw the shows in LA like three weeks apart). But when I know an understudy is on, I'm a bit more forgiving on things like timing, and I thought Bass did a great job. I'll respectfully agree to disagree on Mr. Platt, however :)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 9:22am

I saw Bass three times on B'way and never liked him, so I guess we're even with Platt.

I think I saw Gad 8 or 9 times (including his last show) and he definitely pulled it back a bit once he returned from this 1600 Penn hiatus. That was nice.

Johny: I think most of the Chicago cast is going to continue to tour.

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 09:22 AM