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Fifteen years ago this morning, the cast of Broadway’s The Book of Mormon was celebrating its opening on Broadway and basking in the glowing reviews.  The show continues today at its original home, The Eugene O’Neill Theatre.  As part of the anniversary celebration, Rhino is releasing a new edition of the original cast album on June 26 on both CD and LP.

The Book of Mormon was conceived by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.  They joined with Robert Lopez (who had written songs for the musical Avenue Q and would go on to co-write the songs for Frozen, among numerous other successes) to write the book, music, and lyrics for the show.  The musical tells the story of two Mormon missionaries, Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, who are sent to Uganda to convert people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Their mission features many complications and the musical is filled with the same type of irreverent (and frequently off-color) humor for which Parker and Stone are known.

The original Broadway production began previews on February 24, 2011 and opened exactly a month later on March 24.  It was co-directed by Casey Nicholaw and Parker, with choreography by Nicholaw.  Some of Nicholaw’s earlier Broadway credits included choreographing Spamalot and choregraphing and directing The Drowsy Chaperone.  He has gone on to helm numerous other shows including Aladdin, Something Rotten, Mean Girls, The Prom, and, currently playing in Bristol, England before an anticipated West End run, The Greatest Showman.  The original cast included Andrew Rannells (Elder Price), Josh Gad (Elder Cunningham), and Nikki M. James (Nabulungi).  The Book of Mormon became a box office and critical smash hit, garnering several tours and international productions and winning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (James), Best Direction of a Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, and Best Sound Design.  It is still running on Broadway and in the West End.

Ghostlight Records released the original cast album on May 17, 2011.  Like the show itself, the album has performed well critically and commercially.  It won the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album at the 2012 ceremony and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.  It also topped the Billboard Cast Album chart and remained in the yearly top 10 of that survey until 2017.  Rhino’s reissue arrives on 1CD or 2LPs, with lyrics, photos, and new liner notes by David Pogue drawing on commentary by Parker, Stone, Lopez, and musical director-arranger Stephen Oremus.

The Book of Mormon has remained in the headlines as the New York production has recently swapped out one Jeffrey (Dahmer) for another (Epstein) in its “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream.”  The 15th anniversary celebration will continue with a Magical Mormon Mystery Week of performances in June, during which time original stars Gad, Rannells, James, and Rory O’Malley will make special appearances onstage along with Parker, Stone, and Lopez.  You’ll find the track listing for the 15th anniversary reissue of the cast album below.  Amazon links should be active soon.  (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Ghostlight Records, 2011 – reissued Ghostlight/Rhino, 2026)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com

1. Hello!
2. Two By Two
3. You And Me (But Mostly Me)
4. Hasa Diga Eebowai
5. Turn It Off
6. I Am Here For You
7. All-American Prophet
8. Sal Tlay Ka Siti
9. Man Up
10. Making Things Up Again
11. Spooky Mormon Hell Dream
12. I Believe
13. Baptize Me
14. I Am Africa
15. Joseph Smith American Moses
16. Tomorrow Is A Latter Day