Sam McLellan, Keke Nesbitt, Sam Nackman, and company in “The Book of Mormon” North American tour (Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes).
When “The Book of Mormon,” a musical comedy about missionaries, first opened on Broadway in 2011, it beguiled audiences.
The opening scene compelled one New York Times reviewer to write, “In those few moments, careering between the lethally serious and the cheekily comic, “The Book of Mormon” does something more profound than grip its audience. It provides a sophisticated insight, one of many in the show, into the missionary experience.”
Since then, the production by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone of “South Park” fame has become one of the most successful musicals ever. It has won nine Tony Awards and boasts an impressive alumni of actors, ranging from Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”) to Josh Gad (“Frozen”).
Starting Tuesday (Sept. 10), “The Book of Mormon” returns to Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) for eight performances between Sept. 10 through Sept. 15.
The Chicago Defender caught up with three Black actors playing in the latest iteration of the musical: Lamont J. Whitaker, Keke Nesbitt and Dewight Braxton Jr. We chatted about everything from how “The Book of Mormon” changed their lives to what attendees can get out of the revered production.
Tacuma Roeback: What drew you to audition for The Book of Mormon,” and how do you each personally relate to the characters you’re portraying?
Lamont J. Whitaker: So for me, when I was in college, the ‘Book of Mormon’ was like freshly on Broadway. It’s like “Wicked,” “Lion King,” one of those staple shows that you know you made it if you’re a part of it. I was drawn to it based on the Ugandan storyline. My grandmother was a chief in Nigeria and Ghana. So, we always had a lot of Guyanese and Nigerian people living in our house. She did this connection outward program where she worked with the African diaspora coalition. And so I just felt like I would be able to bring a lot of that culture and realness into my role as [Mafala Hatimbi]. Yeah, I love it.
Keke Nesbitt: I was drawn to this show because it’s “The Book of Mormon,” and I think this show just has so much life, so much love and also so much opportunity. As we said, it’s been running for so long. So it’s like, when this train comes, you want to hop on it. I think it’s a fantastic franchise to be a part of solely for the familial aspect as well. It’s like a college cohort. I graduated from Penn State. So it’s like that “We Are” aspect. And so I get that in “The Book of Mormon,” there are so many people who have been a part of this show, and it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re an alumni of “The Book of Mormon” kind of situation. So, I think that is really, really cool. It shows you the bigger picture of everyone who has ever been involved in this show and just how expansive it is.
Dewight Braxton Jr.: To reiterate, it’s an amazing show, like a nine-time Tony Award-winning type of show. It’s definitely something you want to be a part of. But also, I grew up loving “South Park.” I love “South Park,” and it’s so funny (chuckles). You definitely see that type of humor in there. But character-wise, I took it more as a challenge because I don’t really play villains a lot. So, it’s good to do something contrasting to what I usually do.
Tacuma Roeback: How has being a part of “The Book of Mormon” changed your perspective?
Keke Nesbitt: I would say, I think it just made me a better person. I think we all live such different lives, even within my cast. Some of us are from Florida. Some of us are from New York. Some of us are from Michigan. We come from everywhere, but we get to tell this same story. And at the root of it, it is about community and it’s about coming togetherness. And it’s about fighting for the one thing that we all want, which is just love for each other and respect.
Lamont J. Whitaker: I think sometimes we forget the impact that one person can really have on a whole group of people. And sometimes, we think that doing the right thing is sometimes the unpopular decision. I feel like if we just stick to our guns and who we are, sometimes we can really influence other people’s minds about how they want to live their lives. I feel like that’s what the Book of Mormon is about at its core. And I think that’s really changed me and how I feel sometimes. I’m hesitant to really put myself out there in situations and what I know is right. But I feel like through this show, I know that…it might be weird to some people, but eventually they’ll get it because it’s the right thing to do.
Dewight Braxton Jr.: It’s definitely made me appreciative because I grew up also doing engineering and stuff, so I know the other side of the tech process and behind the stage. So it made me appreciate how all these things come together: the actors, the music, the crew, the stagehands, and everything, like the road management. And everything comes together to make this beautiful thing, like a well-oiled machine.
Sam McLellan and Dewight Braxton Jr. in The Book of Mormon” North American tour (Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes).
Tacuma Roeback: And I wanted to piggyback on that. Can you describe the dynamic of the cast? And has there been a point where things have kind of gelled? And what did that look like for you all?
Lamont J. Whitaker: We changed the cast dynamic like every few months (laughter). So it’s a great thing to witness, to see new people learn the show, come into the show, and learn what the show’s really about. I think with every cast, at every point, we always get to that sweet spot, just like at the end of the show when we all sing together a song called [“Tomorrow Is a Latter Day”]. It’s just like we end up finding our momentum as a cast. I think that shows in our work, and I think people will leave the theater also willing to do that in their own communities.
Tacuma Roeback: This is a show that really relies on timing and comedy. It’s like high energy. Can you talk about the challenge and opportunity of being able to bring that type of energy with every rehearsal and what that has been like for you three?
Keke Nesbitt: There’s definitely a point within the rehearsal process where we’re like, ‘Alright, we’re ready for an audience,’ and that is today. Tonight, we are getting an audience to preview. This show relies so much on the pacing, obviously, like jokes don’t land if they’re not paced correctly. And we say that the audience is another actor in this show. The audience is the main character. We can’t do the show without an audience and their feedback. I think that’s also another special thing about the show, too.
Lamont J. Whitaker: In my perspective, timing is, like you said, very, very important in the show, and I think we’ve been learning a lot about that. Right now, we have a new director and a social director team, and we’re really getting and diving into the timing because that really does make the difference in the jokes that we say. They always tell us, ‘We’re not telling the jokes for the audience; we’re really just telling the story.’ The timing is a big part of that. It’s one of the hardest things that we have to deal with in the show. But once you get it, it feels so good.
Dewight Braxton Jr.: They definitely tell us not to milk the comedy because, again, like the people who wrote it wrote “South Park.” So, the comedy is there. We still bring ourselves to it, but like what Lamont was saying, we just tell the story.
Tacuma Roeback: What would you say to the Chicago Defender audience, the readers who will be looking at this story, about why they should check out “The Book of Mormon?”
Lamont J. Whitaker: I love my Black people, and it’s all about support. A lot of my family come and see the show, and they’re definitely surprised, but at the same time on the edge of their seats. I’m one of those people in the show that I feel like it’s important for smart Black people to play these parts. Because sometimes we go like, ‘Oh, I don’t like how they portray this and that.’ But at the end of the day, it’s up to us to really tell this story the way that we want to tell it. I think that people should come out and see this version of the Book of Mormon.
Keke Nesbitt: Yeah.
Dewight Braxton Jr.: If you want to come see the show, you’re definitely going to come and laugh. You’re going to come and weep sometimes, especially when Keke is singing her little song (laughs). You’re going to experience all these things in a community. Like Lamont was saying earlier, it’s this part of the show where the Mormons and the Ugandans really come together and really show unity.
Keke Nesbitt: I think they covered it. Just come and have fun. I told my mom when she saw the show, ‘Just come open-minded and be willing to receive something that’s not what you see every day because that’s what the world is.’ I just think people will learn something by coming and seeing our show. Like anything else, there are things that you’ll like, and there are things that you won’t like. But you can take what you want home with you. You can leave whatever you feel in the theater in the theater. You don’t have to take it home if you don’t want to.
For More Information
What: “The Book of Mormon” (Book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone)
Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)
When: Sept. 10 – Sept. 15, 2024
Ticket Info: Individual tickets will be available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. Tickets for groups of 10 or more will be available by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing [email protected].
What Else: 2 hours and 35 minutes, including an intermission
Age Recommendations: Contains explicit language. All persons entering the theater must have a ticket, regardless of age.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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