Who Wrote The Book Of Mormon Play
So, you’ve seen *The Book of Mormon*—the musical that’s basically shock therapy wrapped in a jazz hands finale. You laughed so hard you snorted your soda. Then you googled “Wh...
So, you’ve seen The Book of Mormon—the musical that’s basically shock therapy wrapped in a jazz hands finale. You laughed so hard you snorted your soda. Then you googled “Who wrote this insanity?” Good question. Let’s chat about it, just like we’re ditching our actual responsibilities for ten minutes.
The Usual Suspects (and They’re Giant Stars)
The short answer is three guys: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez. You know Trey and Matt. They’re the cartoon anarchists behind South Park. You know, the show that made you laugh at a talking towel? Yeah, those guys.
Then there’s Robert Lopez. He’s the quiet genius who wrote Avenue Q and songs for Frozen. Yes, the same man who made puppets sing about internet porn also wrote “Let It Go.” Let that sink in for a second.
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So, the team is: two potty-mouthed satirists and a Disney legend. It sounds like the setup to a weird joke, right? Well, the punchline is a nine-time Tony Award winner.
How Did These Nerds End Up in the Same Room?
It started with a movie. Trey and Matt made a film called Orgazmo in 1997. It’s a ridiculous story about a Mormon missionary who becomes a porn star. (I’m not kidding). They even included a fake musical number in it.
They thought, “Hey, this religion thing is ripe for a parody.” But they didn’t touch it for years. They were busy making Cartman fat and Kenny die. Then they saw Avenue Q on Broadway. They went backstage and met Robert Lopez.
They basically said, “We want to make a musical about Mormons. Wanna play?” Lopez said yes. History’s most offensive choir practice had begun.
The “Monty Python of Utah” Approach
Here’s the crazy part: they didn’t want to just mock the faith. Trey and Matt are agnostic atheists, sure. But they wanted to write a show that felt… true? They read the actual Book of Mormon. They even went to Utah and met church members.
Where To Watch The Book Of Mormon Musical
Robert Lopez pushed them to make the characters likeable. He said, “If the audience doesn’t love Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, the show fails.” So they made the missionaries sweet and naive. You laugh at their faith, but you cringe for them when things go wrong.
The writing process was a glorious mess. Trey and Matt would improvise crazy ideas (like the “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” number). Lopez would then turn those ideas into actual songs with structure. It’s like watching a raccoon and a classical pianist compose together.
The Secret Ingredient: Fearlessness
What makes their writing so unique? They have zero fear. They wrote a song called “Hasa Diga Eebowai.” It’s a fake African phrase that means “F* you, God.” The audience laughs, then feels guilty for laughing. That is the exact feeling they wanted.
They spent years on one line: “I believe that God has a plan for me / I believe that plan involves me getting everything I want.” It’s selfish. It’s arrogant. It’s also hilarious because we all secretly think that way.
Do you think they ever worried about offending people? Pfft. Trey Parker said, “If everyone is offended, then no one is offended.” Or something like that. It’s a philosophy of equal-opportunity mockery.
The Church’s Surprising Reaction
Here’s the twist you didn’t see coming. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints didn’t freak out. They actually put ads in the playbill. They said, “You’ve seen the play. Now read the book.” They used the musical to get people curious about their actual faith.
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I call that a banger of a PR move. The writers were like, “Wait, you’re not mad?” The Mormons replied, “Nope. Thanks for the free publicity.” You have to respect the marketing hustle.
So the trio accidentally created a piece of art that both atheists and believers could appreciate. The atheists love the jokes. The believers love the sincere ending. It’s a magic trick.
What Did We Learn From This Weird Cocktail?
First: never underestimate a creative partnership. Parker, Stone, and Lopez are a trifecta of chaos. One brings comedy, one brings structure, and one brings a weird love for musical theater.
Second: you can write about anything if you do it with care. The show is filthy. It says the word “ck” like 40 times. But it also has a song about “I Believe” that makes you almost tear up. Almost.
Finally: if you ever get stuck writing something, just ask yourself: “What would Trey, Matt, and Robert do?” The answer is probably “write a song about a talking frog or a magic book nobody can read.” And honestly? That’s a good answer.
So next time you hear “Hello!” in a falsetto voice, you can nod and say, “Ah yes, the work of three insane geniuses.” Then order another coffee. You’ve earned it.
