Andrew Rannells: Gay And Ser In 'New Normal' : NPR

Contents:

• GAY MORMON, GAY CATHOLIC, GAY ACTIVIST: ‘BOOK OF MORMON’ STAR RORY O’MALLEY ON FAH, RIGHTS, AND RELIG EEDOM
• A GAY MORMON READS THE SCRIPTUR: THE BOOK OF MORMON
• GAY MORMONS
• ELR KEV PRICEANDREW RANNELLS AS ELR PRICENOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: ANDREW RANNELLS (OBC), GAV CREEL (ORIGAL WT END), NIC ROULE (TOUR)ELR KEV PRICE IS THE POSTER BOY FOR MORMONISM — IALISTIC, VOTED TO HEAVENLY FATHER, AND READY TO GO OUT ON HIS MISSN AND DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY, RATHER THAN HIS DREAM LOTN OF ORLANDO, HE'S SENT TO UGANDA WH A FELLOW MISSNARY WHO'S NEVER ACTUALLY READ THE HOLY BOOK THEY'RE EXPECTED TO PREACH. WHILE VOUT AND EARNT, PRICE HAS AN CREDIBLY FLATED SENSE OF SELF-IMPORTANCE AND A HUGE EGO, WHICH PUTS HIM A ROUGH SPOT WHEN HIS FAH IS CHALLENGED. THE ACE: INIALLY SCRIBED AS "THE SMARTT, BT, MOST SERVG ELR THE CENTER HAS EVER SEEN" BY HIS FELLOW ELRS. THIS QUICKLY BEGS TO FALL APART UPON ARRIVAL UGANDA, AS WHILE PRICE IS EARNT ABOUT HIS FAH, HE'S ALSO NEVER FACED ANYTHG LIKE THE RAVAGED UGANDAN UNTRYSI. AMBIGUOLY GAY: THE EXTENT OF THIS VARI PENDG ON THE PRODUCTN, BUT THIS IS ONE TERPRETATN OF THE CHARACTER. PRICE HAS NO NON LOVE TERT, AND WHILE HE NI HAVG GAY THOUGHTS TO ELR MCKLEY, THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO GETS CREASGLY SUGGTIVE MOST PRODUCTNS AS THE ST MEMBERS BEE AWARE OF THE POPULARY OF THE PAIRG. THIS IS PARTICULARLY EVINT "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHICH HAS ALWAYS FEATURED MCKLEY AS ONE OF THE MONS TORMENTG PRICE; SOME PRODUCTNS HAVE THEM MAKE OUT. IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTG THAT "TURN IT OFF" WAS ORIGALLY PRICE'S SONG, BUT THIS WAS CHANGED DUE TO FEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE TOO CLICHE. PRICE'S "EVEN IF WE BREAK THE L" LE LIVERED WHILE LOOKG STRAIGHT AT MCKLEY ULD BE TAKEN AS MAYBE EVER AFTER. ARSON, MURR, AND JAYWALKG: IN "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", HE CLAIMS TO BE WORSE THAN GENGHIS KHAN, JEFEY DAHMER, AND ADOLF HLER BEE HE LEFT HIS MISSN PANN. HLER IS SNDALIZED. ASS SHOVE: ON THE RECEIVG END OF ONE OM GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG NAKED PART WAY THROUGH ACT II. WH HIS OWN PY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, NO LS. BLACK COMEDY RAPE: THE ASS SHOVE PRICE GETS OM GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED SHOVG THE BOOK OF MORMON UP PRICE'S ASS IS PLAYED FOR LGHS. THE DOCTOR WHO REMOV THE BOOK SAYS 'S "SOMETHG CREDIBLE" THAT HE'S NEVER SEEN BEFORE. BREAK THE HGHTY: HIS ENTIRE CHARACTER ARC NSISTS OF BREAKG HIS IALISTIC SPIR TO SOMETHG MUCH MORE PRAGMATIC. PRICE STARTS OFF THKG THAT HE'LL BE THE SAVR OF NOT JT HIS MISSN, BUT THE ENTIRE MORMON FAH AND THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE. THE HARSHNS OF LIFE UGANDA AND THE EFFECTIVENS OF HIS EFFORTS QUICKLY SHOW PRICE THAT HE'S HOPELSLY OUT OF HIS LEAGUE. AS HIS EASRNT ATTEMPTS NSISTENTLY FAIL, PRICE IS FORCED TO NCE A FEW THGS (PECIALLY AFTER CUNNGHAM EARLIER DID JT THAT TO GREAT SUCCS). BROKEN ACE: STARTS SHOWG SIGNS OF THIS UPON ARRIVAL UGANDA WHEN HE SE HOW BAD THGS ARE, WHICH GETS WORSE WHEN HE FDS OUT THAT THE UGANDAN MISSN HASN'T NVERTED ANYONE YET. BY ACT II, THIS HAS FIRMLY SET AS PRICE HAS A CRISIS OF FAH. BUTT-MONKEY: TURNS TO ONE PRETTY QUICKLY, SPENDG MOST OF THE SHOW UNRGOG CREASGLY HORRIBLE SUFFERG, CULMATG GETTG HIS OWN PY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS. THIS IS ALL PLAYED FOR LGHS, AND 'S PART OF HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WHERE HE LEARNS ABOUT SEEG THE FORT FOR THE TRE WHEN TO RELIGN. COOL AND UNUAL PUNISHMENT: DURG "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", HIS IA OF TORTURE IS BEG FORCE-FED FFEE (WHICH MORMONS AREN'T MEANT TO DRK) BY A GROUP OF MONS, EVIL HISTORIL FIGUR, AND ELR MCKLEY. CRISIS OF FAH: HE'S SUFFERG ONE BY THE END OF ACT II. PRICE HAS HAD TO WATCH HIS FAH GET NSTANTLY TTED SCE ARRIVG UGANDA, AND WATCH CUNNGHAM SUCCEED WHERE PRICE HAS FAILED. PRICE IS TH FORCED TO REALIZE THAT HE'S NOT THE SAVR HE THKS HE IS, AND HIS LAST DCH EFFORT IS TO GO TO GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED'S MP WH WHOLEHEARTED FAH. THIS GET PRICE'S BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS FOR HIS TROUBLE. AFTER ALL THAT, PRICE SIMPLY N'T UNRSTAND WHAT HE'S DOG WRONG, SCE HE DID EVERYTHG HE WAS TGHT TO DO BACK HOME AND NONE OF IS WORKG. PRICE EVEN ADMS TO CUNNGHAM THAT HE'D QUTNED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND SEVERAL OTHER MORMON DOCTR BEFORE, SCE THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE, BUT "A MORMON JT BELIEV" AND HE PHED THOSE DOUBTS ASI BEE HE WAS TOLD THAT HE'D BE REWARD FOR . WHEN ALL OF HIS EARNT ATTEMPTS AT FOLLOWG THE DOCTRE BLOW UP HIS FACE, PRICE BE RATHER BTER AS A RULT. THIS EVENTUALLY LEADS TO A "EUREKA!" MOMENT WHERE PRICE REALIZ THAT BLDLY FOLLOWG DOGMA WON'T WORK, AND THAT CUNNGHAM'S EFFORTS, WHILE ODD, WERE EARNT AND EFFECTIVE. DARK REPRISE: HAS ONE FOR A SECTN OF "TWO BY TWO" RIGHT AFTER "I AM AI". AFTER HIS CRISIS OF FAH, PRICE WORRI THAT HE'S NEVER GOG TO SEE ORLANDO AGA, SGG SOMBERLY ABOUT HOW EVERYTHG HE WANTS IS OUT OF REACH. DEY PROTAGONIST: INIALLY SET UP AS THE HERO OF THE STORY WH CUNNGHAM AS THE IC RELIEF. PRICE SWCH TO MORE OF A DTERAGONIST ROLE BY ACT II, AND THE MIL ENDS WH CUNNGHAM AS THE HERO AND PRICE AS HIS CLOST SUPPORTER. DISNEY ACID SEQUENCE: EXPERIENC ONE THE FORM OF "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHERE HE HAS AN OPN-CHANGG DREAM THANKS TO EVERYONE SAID DREAM TELLG PRICE WHAT A JERK HE IS FOR ABANDONG CUNNGHAM. APPROPRIATE, NSIRG HIS LOVE OF THE DISNEY PANY. DNK ON MILK: AFTER HIS HEROIC BSOD, PRICE IS FOUND BY CUNNGHAM A FFEE SHOP, DOWNG TWELVE CUPS WORTH OF THE STUFF. IT TI TO PRICE'S CRISIS OF FAH SCE MORMONS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DRK FFEE, AND PRICE IS CHUGGG DOWN A VERY FFEATED DRK LIKE 'S THE END OF THE WORLD. EARN YOUR HAPPY ENDG: IT TAK SOME CHARACTER VELOPMENT, A CRISIS OF FAH, AND A HEROIC BSOD TO GET THERE (NOT TO MENTN AN ASS SHOVE). BUT PRICE DO ULTIMATELY E OUT OKAY BY THE PLAY'S NCLN. HE CIS THAT, EVEN IF HE AND CUNNGHAM AREN'T FOLLOWG THE TEACHGS OR THE L EXACTLY, 'S STILL HELPG THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA AND BRGG THEM TO THE CHURCH. THIS ROLV PRICE'S PERSONAL MONS, AND HE ENDS THE PLAY A GOOD PLACE. "EUREKA!" MOMENT: HE HAS ONE AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON A PLAY FOR THE MORMON PRINT, WHICH GETS THE AREA MISSNED. PRICE REALIZ THAT CUNNGHAM'S EFFORTS, WHILE NOT TE TO THE TEXT, ACPLISHED THEIR GOAL OF BRGG FAH TO UGANDA, WHICH PRICE TO ARGUE IS WHAT THE MORMONS SHOULD REALLY BE FOCG ON. FISH OUT OF WATER: QUICKLY FDS HIMSELF TO BE ONE UGANDA. SCE HE'S NEVER LEFT HOME BEFORE, SUDNLY GOG TO A THIRD-WORLD UNTRY WHERE THGS ARE TERRIBLE OM DAY-TO-DAY REALLY GETS TO PRICE. HE TRI TO BACK OUT ON JT THE SEND DAY, QUICKLY LOS HIS NERVE, AND UNRGO A CRISIS OF FAH WHEN HIS ATTEMPTS AT NVERTG PEOPLE BACKFIRE ON HIM. THE FUNDAMENTALIST: DENSTCTED. VERY MUCH ONE AT THE START OF THE SHOW, BELIEVG WHOLEHEARTEDLY THE BOOK OF MORMON AND HEAVENLY FATHER. THIS GRADUALLY WEARS OFF AS THGS START GOG PEAR-SHAPED UGANDA. THEN WHEN HE HS ROCK BOTTOM DURG HIS HEROIC BSOD, PRICE ADMS THAT THERE WERE PLENTY OF TIM WHEN HE QUTNED THE BOOK OF MORMON WHILE STUDYG , BUT HE PHED THROUGH ANYWAY BEE HE WAS TOLD WAS THE ONLY WAY HE ULD ACHIEVE THE HAPPS HE HAD ON HIS FAY VATN TO ORLANDO. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: IN ALL BUT ONE PRECISN F-STRIKE STANCE, PRICE AVOIDS CURSG. HE DON'T EVEN SAY THE TULAR PHRASE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI", EVEN BEFORE LEARNG WHAT MEANS. THIS MAK THE AFORAID PRECISN F-STRIKE SENTENCE MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN HE ACTUALLY DO SAY . HE'LL SAY THGS LIKE "TO HECK WH L!", WHICH OTHER ELRS TO GASP. HEROIC BSOD: AFTER HE FAILS TO DO EVEN A SGLE GOOD THG FOR HIS CHURCH WHILE WATCHG CUNNGHAM GET NVERTS BY THE DOZENS, PRICE IS LEFT WH A CRISIS OF FAH. PRICE SNAPS OUT OF AFTER REALIZG THAT, FOR ALL OF THE "CREATIVE LIBERTI" CUNNGHAM HAS TAKEN WH THE BOOK OF MORMON, HE'S BROUGHT HOPE TO THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA, WHICH IS WHAT THE TWO OF THEM WERE SENT THERE TO DO THE FIRST PLACE. HEROIC WANNABE: IN "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)", ELR PRICE SGS ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO BE SEEN AS A SAVR AND "DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE THAT BLOWS GOD'S EAK' MD". IT QUICKLY GO AWRY ONCE HE HAS TO PUT HIS FAH TO THE TT, AS PRICE ALMOST STANTLY LOS HIS NERVE WHEN PUT OUTSI OF HIS FORT ZONE UGANDA. HETEROSEXUAL LIFE-PARTNERS: WH CUNNGHAM BY THE END. HE EVEN CLAR CUNNGHAM TO BE HIS BT IEND, WHICH PRICE WAS HANT TO DO BEFORE. IGNORED EPIPHANY: DISCSED. AFTER DOWNG TWELVE CUPS OF FFEE DURG HIS CRISIS OF FAH, PRICE ADMS TO THE BARISTA THAT THERE HAD BEEN MOMENTS WHERE HE THOUGHT THAT THGS THE BOOK OF MORMON DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE, BUT PRICE IGNORED THEM AND PHED THEM ASI BEE HE THOUGHT HE ULDN'T HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT HIS FAH. PRICE BACK AROUND TO THAT EPIPHANY THE CLIMAX, SO 'S ULTIMATELY A SUBVERSN. INNOCENTLY INSENSIVE: PRICE'S BEHAVR ISN'T ACTIVELY MALIC; HE'S OPTIMISTIC AND MEANS WELL, BUT GENERALLY ACROSS AS NARCISSISTIC AND NAIVE. THIS LASTS UNTIL THE END OF THE PLAY, WHERE HE HAS A "EUREKA!" MOMENT ABOUT HOW TO HELP THE UGANDANS. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME: THE ENTIRETY OF "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)" IS AN ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT BASED AROUND THIS TRA. PRICE BELIEV HIMSELF TO BE A GREAT MORMON SAVR WHO WILL CHANGE THE WORLD, AND THAT HE WANTS TO "DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE THAT BLOWS GOD'S EAK' MD". AFTER THGS START GOG WRONG UGANDA, PRICE REQUTS A TRANSFER, ONLY THKG ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT HIMSELF AND NOT RG ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO CUNNGHAM.PRICE: HEAVENLY FATHER HAS CHOSEN YOU AND ME—JT MOSTLY ME! MANCHILD: GRANTED, HE'S BARELY A LEGAL ADULT AT THE AGE OF NETEEN, BUT HE SHOWS SHAS OF THIS HIS OBSSN WH ORLANDO (BEE OF THGS THE CY LIKE DISNEY, SEA WORLD, AND PUTT-PUTT MI GOLF THAT HE REALLY LIKED WHEN HE WAS THERE AT THE AGE OF NE). MY GREATT FAILURE: "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM" REVEALS THAT HE STOLE A MAPLE GLAZE DOUGHNUT AT THE AGE OF FIVE AND BLAMED ON HIS BROTHER JACK, WHO GOT GROUND FOR . DURG THE SAME SONG, HE'S ALSO UNRGOG A CRISIS OF NSCIENCE BEE HE BROKE RULE 72 BY ABANDONG CUNNGHAM. NOT WORTH KILLG: IMPLIED TO BE HOW HE MAK OUT OF HIS NONTATN WH GENERAL BUTT FUCKG NAKED ALIVE. PRICE STEAD GETS THE BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS BEE THE GENERAL DON'T WANT TO BOTHER WH HIM. OPN-CHANGG DREAM: "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM." PRICE WAS NTENT TO JT LEAVE CUNNGHAM ALONE UGANDA, BUT REALIZ THAT HE'S DONE SOMETHG TERRIBLE THE RULT. THAT, AND HE PISSED OFF J AT THE SAME TIME. PRECISN F-STRIKE: GETS ONE OF THE AT THE END. AFTER THEIR WHOLE AREA IS MISSNED, PRICE SAYS THAT THE MORMON ELRS SHOULDN'T STICK JT TO DOGMA, AND DO THGS THEIR OWN WAY. WHEN PRICE'S FELLOW MORMONS PLA THAT THE MISSN PRINT WON'T ALLOW THAT, PRICE RPONDS WH "YOU KNOW WHAT, GUYS? FUCK HIM!" AND LIVERS AN AOP THAT THE RULTS ARE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE NCERNED WH, NOT BLDLY FOLLOWG THE L. PRETTY BOY: DON'T HAVE TO BE, BUT IS UALLY ST AS ONE. RUNNG GAG: HIS OBSSN WH ORLANDO. PRICE WANTS TO GO TO ORLANDO ON HIS MISSN, AND WANTS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ORLANDO WHEN HE CIS "SCREW THIS, I'M OUT OF HERE!" REGARDS TO UGANDA. HE EVEN WANTS HIS OWN "PLA ORLANDO" AS HIS ETERNAL REWARD. SCREW THIS, I'M OUT OF HERE!: AT THE END OF ACT I, HE CIS HE'S NOT GOG TO GO THROUGH WH HIS MISSN AND MAK PLANS TO GET OUT OF THERE WH A TRANSFER. A NIGHTMARE — SPECIFILLY, A "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM" — CHANG HIS MD. SMALL NAME, BIG EGO: HIS "I WANT" SONG "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)" HAS PRICE CLAR HIS SIRE TO "BE THE MORMON THAT CHANGED ALL OF MANKD." CUNNGHAM EVEN MANAG TO LIFT PRICE'S SPIRS BY SAYG THAT, IF NO ONE HAS BEEN NVERTED UGANDA YET, THEN PRICE WILL ONLY SEEM MORE CREDIBLE WHEN HE PULLS OFF; PRICE ACCEPTS THIS WHOLE-HEARTEDLY. BY "ALL-AMERIN PROPHET", PRICE ADVERTIS HIMSELF AS MUCH AS THE ACTUAL MORMON TEACHGS. HE GETS OVER , ALBE NOT WHOUT A FEW SLIC OF HUMBLE PIE. TEETH-CLENCHED TEAMWORK: HE UNRGO THIS WH ELR CUNNGHAM TOWARDS THE CLIMAX OF THE PLAY. PRICE AND CUNNGHAM ARE HAVG AN ARGUMENT, WH NEHER BEG PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE OTHER AT THE TIME. BUT WH THE MISSN PRINT G TO PRI OVER THEIR MISSN AND CHECK THEIR PROGRS, CUNNGHAM SAYS THAT WOULD BE BOTH HIS AND PRICE'S BT TERTS TO AT LEAST ACT LIKE EVERYTHG IS FE. PRICE AGRE, BUT THE ANIMOSY REMAS UNTIL AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON THEIR SHOW. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH CUNNGHAM AND NABULUNGI BY THE END. TO BE LAWFUL OR GOOD: THE CX OF HIS CHARACTER VELOPMENT. PRICE CHOOS TO BE "LAWFUL" AT FIRST, WHICH PUTS HIM AT ODDS WH THE MORE "GOOD" CUNNGHAM. WHEREAS PRICE TRI TO DO EVERYTHG BY THE BOOK ONLY TO HAVE ALL BLOW UP HIS FACE, CUNNGHAM BENDS THE L AND GETS THGS ACPLISHED. THIS PRICE TO HAVE A CRISIS OF FAH UNTIL HE CIS THAT HIS FAH IS STRONG ENOUGH TO ACCEPT BENDG THE L IF MEANS HELPG PEOPLE. UNSYMPATHETIC COMEDY PROTAGONIST: DOWNPLAYED. WHILE PORTRAYED WH SOME SYMPATHY DUE TO HOW EARNT HE IS ABOUT THE MORMON FAH, PRICE'S MASSIVE EGO AND SIRE TO HOG THE SPOTLIGHT ALLOW THE DIENCE TO LGH AT HIS CREASG FAILUR. PL, PRICE UNRGO SOME CHARACTER VELOPMENT TO GET THROUGH THE WORST PARTS OF HIS CHARACTER. WHAT THE HELL, HERO?: ON THE RECEIVG END OF ONE OM J "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM." J: YOU BLAMED YOUR BROTHER FOR EATG THE DOUGHNUT, AND NOW YOU WALK OUT ON YOUR MISSN PANN? YOU'RE A DICK! WI-EYED IALIST: STARTS THE SHOW AS ONE, BELIEVG THAT HE'S GOG TO CHANGE THE WORLD. IT DON'T LAST, AS HE UNRGO A BREAK THE HGHTY ARC THAT SE HIM UNRGO A CRISIS OF FAH AFTER HE FAILS BUT CUNNGHAM SUCCEEDS.    ELR CUNNGHAM ELR ARNOLD CUNNGHAMJOSH GAD AS ELR CUNNGHAMNOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: JOSH GAD (OBC), JARED GERTNER (ORIGAL WT END), BEN PLATT (TOUR)ELR ARNOLD CUNNGHAM IS AN ENTHIASTIC BUT CHILDISH YOUNG MORMON WHO'S EXCED TO GO OUT AND PROSELYTIZE WH HIS NEW "BT IEND". EVEN THOUGH HE HASN'T ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK OF MORMON. HE ALSO HAS A VERY ACTIVE IMAGATN — THAT IS TO SAY, HE LI A LOT. THIS PROBLEMS THE REMOTE UGANDAN VILLAGE THEY'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO WHEN HE STARTS TAKG A FEW "CREATIVE LIBERTI". ACQUIRED SUATNAL NARCISSISM: HE GETS A B OF A SWELLED HEAD AFTER NVERTG ALL OF THE UGANDANS. ONCE THEY ALL PUT ON A PLAY SHOWG THE ELRS AND CHURCH LEARS EXACTLY WHAT HE TGHT THEM, CUNNGHAM CRASHG BACK TO EARTH. APPLIBILY: IN-UNIVERSE. AFTER REALIZG THAT THE TEXT OF THE BOOK OF MORMON ON S OWN ISN'T DOG ENOUGH TO NVERT THE UGANDANS TO MORMONISM, HE STARTS THROWG THGS TO MAKE MORE APPLIBLE TO THEM. WHILE MAY BE A PLETE ASS PULL ON CUNNGHAM'S PART, HIS "TEACHGS" STILL VOKED ASS PULL: IN-UNIVERSE, HE SPENDS MOST OF ACT II DOG THIS WH HIS "ALTERNATIVE" TEACHGS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, THOUGH NOT WHOUT GOOD REASON. CUNNGHAM CIS THAT IF THE TEXT SELF ISN'T GOG TO NVCE THE UGANDANS NOT TO DO THGS LIKE GENAL MUTILATN AND BABY RAPE, THEN HE'LL MAKE WORK BY PULLG OM POP CULTURE AND PRETENDG THAT 'S THE BOOK OF MORMON. BT FRIEND: DOUBLE SUBVERTED WH ELR PRICE. CUNNGHAM STARTS LLG PRICE HIS BT IEND THE MOMENT THEY'RE PAIRED UP TOGETHER FOR THEIR MISSN, THOUGH PRICE CLEARLY DON'T RECIPROTE. THE END OF ACT I HAS PRICE DROP A WHAM LE THAT HE FEELS STUCK WH CUNNGHAM, WHICH HURTS CUNNGHAM'S FEELGS. HOWEVER, CUNNGHAM'S AWKWARD BUT EARNT SIRE TO HELP EVENTUALLY WS PRICE OVER BY THE END OF THE PLAY. BIG DAMN HERO: IN HIS AND PRICE'S NONTATN THE GENERAL AT THE END, HE HIS "TERPRETATN" OF THE BOOK OF MORMON TO NVCE THE GENERAL TO BACK OFF. BIG FUN: HE IS UALLY EHER PLAYED BY AN OVERWEIGHT ACTOR, OR AN ACTOR WHO IS STUMED TO APPEAR FAT. HE'S ALSO RATHER LOVABLE AND FUNNY WH HIS AWKWARD CHARM AND EARNT BUT MISGUID SIRE TO BE HELPFUL. BREAK THE CUTIE: MORE THAN ONCE. FIRST AFTER BEG ABANDONED BY PRICE, AND THEN AGA AFTER "JOSEPH SMH, AMERIN MOS" WHEN NABULUNGI REPROACH HIM FOR GIVG THEM FALSE HOPE. COMPULSIVE LIAR: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN, CUNNGHAM LI QUE OFTEN. HE LI ABOUT THGS THE BOOK OF MORMON TO THE UGANDANS, LI ABOUT THE TEXT TO NABULUNGI, AND LI ABOUT HOW BAD HE FEELS WHEN PRICE ACCINTALLY HURTS HIS FEELGS. HOWEVER, ELR CUNNGHAM IS PRENTED SYMPATHETILLY BEE HE HAS GOOD REASONS TO LIE ABOUT THOSE THGS. CROSSOVER COSMOLOGY: ESSENTIALLY WHAT HIS VERSN OF MORMONISM BE, ALTHOUGH WH REFERENC TO ANCHIS LIKE STAR WARS AND THE LORD OF THE RGS RATHER THAN OTHER RELIGNS. DARE TO BE BADASS: "MAN UP" IS CUNNGHAM NVCG HIMSELF THAT THAT HE N'T N AWAY OM UGANDA AFTER SEEG HOW BAD THGS ARE, SO HE HAS TO MAN UP AND WORK THROUGH . DO THIS REMD YOU OF ANYTHG?: HIS SONG WH NABULUNGI ABOUT HER BAPTISM, "BAPTIZE ME", IS ONE LONG DOUBLE ENTENDRE. ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT: DURG THE OPENG SONG, "HELLO." HE NS AFTER EVERYONE ELSE, AND HIS "DOORBELL" SOUNDS LIKE A LOUD BUZZER. THEN HIS NO INDOOR VOICE TRODUCTN WHICH SHOWS HE DON'T FOLLOW THE SCRIPT. THIS SETS UP CUNNGHAM AS THE IC RELIEF WHILE ALSO SHOWG THAT HE'S NOT THAT GOOD WH THE STRICT DOGMA. ELR CUNNGHAM: HELLO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE RELIGIONS? I HAVE A FREE BOOK WRITTEN BY JESUS! FEIGNG INTELLIGENCE: HE HASN'T READ A SGLE WORD OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. THIS ALLOWS HIM TO TAKE "CREATIVE LIBERTI" WH THE TEXT AS A RULT. GEEK PHYSIQU: USUALLY PORTRAYED BY A SHORT OVERWEIGHT ACTOR, OR AN ACTOR THAT IS MA TO APPEAR OVERWEIGHT. GIVE GEEKS A CHANCE: NABULUNGI FDS HIS NERDS RATHER CUTE. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: AS WH ALL THE MORMON CHARACTERS, HE REAS OM SWEARG. WHEN HE FDS OUT WHAT "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" MEANS, HE HAS A FREAK OUT, PECIALLY SCE HE SAID "LIKE THIRTEEN TIM" BEFORE BEG TOLD WHAT MEANT. HEROIC BSOD: AFTER HIS "CREATIVE LIBERTI" GET THE ENTIRE AREA MISSNED, CUNNGHAM IS PRETTY UPSET. HE EVEN SAYS "I REALLY DID THIS TIME" AFTER THKG THAT HE'S ED THE MISSN FOR EVERYONE, ON THE VERGE OF TEARS. HETEROSEXUAL LIFE-PARTNERS: WH PRICE BY THE END, AFTER BOTH OF THEM UNRGO CHARACTER VELOPMENT. AT FIRST, CUNNGHAM WAS JT LATCHG ONTO PRICE LIKE A LEECH, SCE CUNNGHAM NEVER REALLY HAD A IEND BEFORE. THIS QUICKLY GETS ON PRICE'S NERV, BUT PRICE MELLOWS OUT OVER TIME AND CUNNGHAM MANS UP, G THE IENDSHIP TO BE GENUE AT THE PLAY'S END. I JT WANT TO HAVE FRIENDS: ALL HE WANTS OM THE START OF ACT I IS TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LIK HIM AS A IEND. IT'S WHY HE CLGS TO PRICE AS HIS "NEW BT IEND" THE MOMENT THEY GET ASSIGNED TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW LTLE MORE THAN EACH OTHER'S NAM. HE DO GET WHAT HE WANTS WH ELR PRICE, BUT NOT WHOUT SOME TROUBLE. I'VE HEARD OF THAT — WHAT IS IT?: DURG "TWO BY TWO", AFTER HEARG WHERE HE AND ELR PRICE WILL BE GOG ON THEIR MISSN. ELR CUNNGHAM: UGANDA? COOL! WHERE IS THAT? LAWFUL STUPID: SUBVERTG THIS IS PART OF HIS CHARACTERIZATN AND HIS ARC. HIS NSCIENCE — APPEARG THE FORMS OF THE THORY FIGUR HIS LIFE, REAL AND FICTNAL — SHOWS UP DURG "MAKG THGS UP AGA" TO CHASTISE HIM FOR LYG TO PREVENT SOMEONE OM RAPG A BABY. CUNNGHAM SENTIALLY TELLS HIS NSCIENCE TO SHUT UP, AND MAK THGS UP STEAD OF READG WHAT'S REALLY THE BOOK OF MORMON ORR TO NVERT PEOPLE. LAWYER-FRIENDLY CAMEO: CHARACTERS LIKE DARTH VAR MAKE APPEARANC HIS IMAGED SCEN, BUT ONLY EXTREMELY C STUM. WHICH ACTUALLY MAK FUNNIER. MANCHILD: HE'S VERY IMMATURE, WH CHILD-LIKE REACTNS AND DIFFICULTY BEHAVG HIMSELF. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HEAVILY IMPLIED WH NABULUNGI, PARTICULARLY DURG "BAPTIZE ME", BUT THEY NEVER GET AN OFFICIAL RELATNSHIP UPGRA. NO INDOOR VOICE: USUALLY PLAYED THIS WAY. HE OFTEN GETS BOUTS OF VERY LOUD, OBNOX LGHTER, THOUGH HE QUICKLY REGNIZ WHEN HE GO TOO FAR. NO SOCIAL SKILLS: VERY APPARENT OM THE BEGNG. HE DO IMPROVE AS THE SHOW GO ON THOUGH, AND MOST OF THE CHARACTERS E TO FD ENARG ANYWAY. RUNNG GAG: FDG NEW WAYS TO MISPRONOUNCE NABULUNGI'S NAME. STEPFORD SER: HE DON'T HAVE ANY IENDS, AND HE EQUENTLY GETS TROUBLE FOR LYG. HE NFIS PRICE THAT HE FEELS LIKE A BLACK SHEEP HIS FAY WHO DISAPPOTS HIS DAD. HE KEEPS PUTTG ON A STRONG FACE ANYWAY, AND "MAN UP" IS CUNNGHAM CIDG TO KEEP GOG SPE OF HOW BAD HE FEELS. TEETH-CLENCHED TEAMWORK: HE UNRGO THIS WH ELR PRICE TOWARDS THE CLIMAX OF THE PLAY. PRICE AND CUNNGHAM ARE HAVG AN ARGUMENT, WH NEHER BEG PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE OTHER AT THE TIME. BUT WH THE MORMON PRINT G TO PRI OVER THEIR MISSN AND CHECK THEIR PROGRS, CUNNGHAM SAYS THAT WOULD BE BOTH HIS AND PRICE'S BT TERTS TO AT LEAST ACT LIKE EVERYTHG IS FE. PRICE AGRE, BUT THE ANIMOSY REMAS UNTIL AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON THEIR SHOW. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH PRICE AND NABULUNGI BY THE END. TO BE LAWFUL OR GOOD: THE CX OF HIS CHARACTER VELOPMENT. CUNNGHAM CHOOS TO BE "GOOD" MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BY MAKG THGS UP OR NOT FOLLOWG MORMON DOGMA, WHICH PUTS HIM AT ODDS WH THE MORE "LAWFUL" PRICE. WHEREAS PRICE TRI TO DO EVERYTHG BY THE BOOK ONLY TO HAVE EVERYTHG BLOW UP HIS FACE, CUNNGHAM BENDS THE L AND GETS THGS ACPLISHED. "WELL DONE, SON" GUY: AS HE RELAYS TO ELR PRICE, CUNNGHAM FEELS LIKE HIS DAD IS NSTANTLY DISAPPOTED HIM. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CUNNGHAM TRI AS HARD AS HE DO IS THE BELIEF THAT IF HE SUCCEEDS, HE WON'T BE SUCH A DISAPPOTMENT ANYMORE. ELR CUNNGHAM: TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA BRG LOTS OF AINS TO THE CHURCH! AND THEN MY DAD WILL FALLY FEEL PROUD OF ME STEAD OF JT FEELG STUCK WH ME. YARLG: DURG "MAN UP". HOWEVER, 'S TENTNALLY EXAGGERATED FOR THE SAKE OF EDY.    NABULUNGI NABULUNGI HATIMBINIKKI M. JAM AS NABULUNGINOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: NIKKI M. JAM (OBC), ALEXIA KHADIME (ORIGAL WT END)NABULUNGI IS THE DGHTER OF THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE OF KGULI. SHE'S IENDLY, IALISTIC, AND UNLIKE THE RT OF HER VILLAGE, IS ACTUALLY TERTED WHAT THE STRANGE WHE BOYS HAVE TO SAY. IN PARTICULAR, SHE TAK A LIKG TO ELR CUNNGHAM, AND IS READY TO BELIEVE ANYTHG HE TELLS HER. ACCINTAL MISNAMG: ONE OF THE MOST PROMENT RUNNG GAGS IS ELR CUNNGHAM'S ABILY TO SAY HER NAME RRECTLY. SHE'S ADDRSED BY DIFFERENT NAM EACH TIME HE SPEAKS TO HER, UALLY AS A SHOUT-OUT (SUCH AS 'NALA', 'NICKI MAJ', OR 'NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-BATMAN') OR G A FUNNY WORD LIKE 'NECROPHILIA'. THE NAM GET UPDATED OVER TIME TO REFLECT CURRENT MEM ('NETFLIX-AND-CHILL') OR TO CLU REGNAL JOK (FOR EXAMPLE, WT END PRODUCTNS WILL HAVE HIM LL HER NIGEL FARAGE, A BRISH POLICIAN). WHEN JOSH GAD DID HIS FAL PERFORMANCE AS ELR CUNNGHAM, HIS LAST NAME FOR HER WAS NIKKI M. JAM. THE CHIEF'S DGHTER: THE DGHTER OF THE VILLAGE HEAD, AND THE FIRST TO BEIEND ANY OF THE ELRS. DADDY'S GIRL: SHE'S VERY CLOSE WH HER FATHER. DARK REPRISE: SGS A DARKER, SADR VERSN OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" AS ACT II NEARS S END WHEN SHE REALIZ THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS JT A BOOK OF STORI. DAYDREAM BELIEVER: SHE IALLY BELIEV THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS LERALLY TE, AS ELR CUNNGHAM TELLS , AND THAT "SAL TLAY KA SI" IS A PARADISE. SHE HAS A HEROIC BSOD WHEN SHE FDS OUT THAT 'S ALL JT STORI, PROMPTG A DARK REPRISE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" WHERE NABULUNGI CURS GOD FOR GIVG HER HOPE. HOWEVER, SHE SNAPS OUT OF WHEN THE OTHER UGANDANS REVEAL THAT THEY NEVER BELIEVED CUNNGHAM WAS TELLG THEM THE LERAL TTH, AND THAT WAS JT METAPHOR ALL ALONG. DO THIS REMD YOU OF ANYTHG?: HER SONG WH ELR CUNNGHAM ABOUT HER BAPTISM, "BAPTIZE ME", IS ONE LONG DOUBLE ENTENDRE ABOUT SEX. "I WANT" SONG: "SAL TLAY KA SI". IT'S ABOUT HOW "LIFE WON'T BE SO SHTY" IF SHE ACCEPTS THE MORMON TEACHGS. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HEAVILY IMPLIED WH ELR CUNNGHAM, PARTICULARLY DURG "BAPTIZE ME", BUT THEY NEVER GET AN OFFICIAL RELATNSHIP UPGRA. MISSG MOM: IMPLIED TO HAVE DIED BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE MIL. NICE GIRL: HAS A 'WONRFUL DISPOSN', AS MAFALA PUTS . SHE'S EASILY THE BIGGT SUPPORTER OF PRICE AND CUNNGHAM THE VILLAGE, AND GROWS PECIALLY CLOSE WH THE LATTER. HOWEVER, AS SHOWN BY HER DARK REPRISE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI," EVEN SHE HAS HER LIMS. SHOW WH A SHOW: HER PLAY, "JOSEPH SMH AMERIN MOS", WHICH PRENTS THE THGS THAT ELR CUNNGHAM HAS BEEN TEACHG THE UGANDANS. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH PRICE AND CUNNGHAM BY THE END. WI-EYED IALIST: FAR MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THE OTHER UGANDANS. THIS IS BROKEN AT THE END WHEN SHE REALIZ CUNNGHAM LIED TO HER, THOUGH DON'T LAST.    ELR MCKLEY ELR MCKLEYRORY O'MALLEY AS ELR MCKLEYNOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: RORY O'MALLEY (OBC), STEPHEN ASHFIELD (ORIGAL WT END), GREY HENSON (TOUR), PIERCE CASSIDY (TOUR)ELR MCKLEY IS THE DISTRICT LEAR OF DISTRICT 9. HE'S JT AS IENDLY AND ENTHIASTIC AS THE OTHER MORMON BOYS, BUT IS MORE THAN A LTLE DISHEARTENED BY HIS DISTRICT'S LACK OF BAPTISMS THE THREE MONTHS THEY'VE BEEN UGANDA. HE IS MOST CERTALY NOT GAY. ARMORED CLOSET GAY: ALMOST ALL OF "TURN IT OFF" IS SPENT TABLISHG HIM AS THIS, THOUGH HE'S MUCH NICER ABOUT THAN MOST EXAMPL OF THIS TROPE. DPE THE FACT THAT MCKLEY IS OBVLY GAY AND TRYG TO REPRS THIS, HE'S STILL FAIRLY POLE AND HELPFUL. BLACK COMEDY ANIMAL CELTY: IN THE SWEDISH VERSN OF "TURN IT OFF", RATHER THAN CSHG A BOX OF GAY THOUGHTS, MCKLEY ENURAG PRICE TO "IMAGE THAT [HIS] BRA IS MA OF SMALL, SMALL TS/GRAB THE T THAT'S GAY AND DROWN ". CAMP GAY: BURIED UNR SEVERAL LAYERS OF REPRSN, BUT STILL CLEARLY THIS. AFTER RTG PRICE AND CUNNGHAM TO WHERE THEY'LL BE SLEEPG, MCKLEY TAP DANC AWAY OM THE DOOR. FLAMG DEVIL: APPEARS AS ONE "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHERE HE'S DRSED BRIGHT RED, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHER MNS OF HELL, HE FIRST APPEARS DANCG WH A FEATHER BOA AND BECKONG TO PRICE. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: AS WH ALL THE MORMON CHARACTERS. MCKLEY: O-M-GOSH YOU GUYS, I AM EAKG OUT! INPATIBLE ORIENTATN: IMPLIED WHEN HE BRIEFLY RELLS HIS CSH ON HIS CHILDHOOD BT IEND STEVE. LARGE HAM: "TURN IT OFF" SHOWS HIM TO BE THIS. THE GUY TAP DANC AWAY LONG AFTER HIS SONG IS OVER, AND NTU WEARG A PK SPARKLY VT THE WHOLE TIME MANY PRODUCTNS. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: WHILE EVERY PRODUCTN HAS MCKLEY BE AT LEAST A LTLE B ATTRACTED TO PRICE, SOME HAVE TAKEN FURTHER AND IMPLIED THIS OF MCKLEY'S SI OF THEIR RELATNSHIP. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HE'S RATHER BLATANTLY CSHG ON ELR PRICE FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF THE SHOW, AND PENDG ON HOW A PRODUCTN PLAYS , AND HOW THE DIENCE CHOOS TO TERPRET , PRICE'S "EVEN IF WE BREAK THE L" LE, LIVERED WHILE LOOKG STRAIGHT AT MCKLEY, ULD BE TAKEN AS PRICE POSSIBLY RETURNG HIS FEELGS. MOR CHARACTER, MAJOR SONG: "TURN IT OFF" IS ONE OF THE SHOW'S MOST ACCLAIMED SONGS, BUT AFTER 'S OVER HIS MA ROLE IS TO BE THE FACE OF THE DISTRICT 9 ELRS AND BE THE SOURCE OF A FEW MORE GAY JOK. ONLY ONE NAME: CANONILLY, HE'S ONLY EVER REFERRED TO AS ELR MCKLEY — HOWEVER, THE FAN NICKNAME 'CONNOR' HAS REACHED A POT OF BEG SO UNIVERSAL THAT EVEN MOST ACTORS VOLVED WH THE SHOW ACCEPT AND E . STEPFORD SER: HAS AN ENTIRE SONG ABOUT REPRSG ONE'S FEELGS. COMPLETE WH ELABORATE TAP DANCG. TRANSPARENT CLOSET: HIS REPRSED HOMOSEXUALY IS ABOUT AS SUBTLE AS THE PK SPARKLY VT HE WEARS DURG "TURN IT OFF". WAISTAT OF STYLE: A PK, SPARKLY ONE, AS SHOWN HIS CHARACTER IMAGE. ALL OF THE ELRS GET THEM "TURN IT OFF."    MAFALA MAFALA HATIMBIMICHAEL POTTS AS MAFALANOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: MICHAEL POTTS (OBC), GIL TERERA (ORIGAL WT END)THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE OF KGULI, HE WEL ELRS PRICE AND CUNNGHAM TO UGANDA — AND MAK IMMEDIATELY CLEAR TO THEM THAT RELIGN IS FAR OM HIS VILLAGE'S TOP PRRY. HE IS ALSO NABULUNGI'S FATHER. BOYIEND-BLOCKG DAD: OF NABULUNGI, WHICH HE MAK CLEAR DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI". HE PROBABLY HAS BETTER REASON TO BE THIS WAY THAN MOST EXAMPL OF THIS TROPE, NSIRG THE AIDS EPIMIC AND GENAL-MUTILATG WARLORD NNG AROUND (AND THE FACT THAT HE HAS AIDS HIMSELF), BUT THREATENG TO GIVE PRICE AND CUNNGHAM AIDS THEMSELV IS STILL [[MORE THAN A LTLE EXTREME. CLTER F-BOMB: DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI". AFTER TABLISHG EXACTLY WHAT THE PHRASE MEANS, HE BE NOTIBLY MORE FOUL-MOUTHED. IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHG TO HURT HER...: HE WARNS ELRS PRICE AND CUNNGHAM THAT "IF EHER OF YOU LAYS A HAND ON HER," HE'LL GIVE THEM BOTH AIDS. LAST-SEND WORD SWAP: DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI": MAFALA: HERE'S THE BUTCHER, HE HAS AIDS; HERE'S THE TEACHER, SHE HAS AIDS; HERE'S THE DOCTOR, HE HAS AIDS; HERE'S MY DGHTER, SHE HAS A... WONRFUL DISPOSN! MOR CHARACTER, MAJOR SONG: LEADS "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI", THE BIG TABLISHG NUMBER FOR THE SETTG OF UGANDA, AND THEN FAS TO THE BACKGROUND TO ALLOW NABULUNGI TO TAKE PROMENCE. RAGE AGAST THE HEAVENS: "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" IS ALL ABOUT THIS. IT TRANSLAT TO "FUCK YOU, GOD," AND HE SAYS "WHENEVER SOMETHG BAD HAPPENS".    THE ELRS OF DISTRICT 9 THE ELRS OF DISTRICT 9THE RT OF THE DISTRICT 9 MISSNARI — ELRS THOMAS, ZELR, MICHAELS, NEELEY, SCHRAR, CHURCH, AND DAVIS. AS A GROUP, THEY'RE ALL IENDLY, ENTHIASTIC, AND ALMOST AS REPRSED AS ELR MCKLEY. ABIVE PARENTS: ELR CHURCH HAS AN ABIVE DNKARD FATHER AND A BATTERED MOTHER. ALL THERE THE SCRIPT: ELRS SCHRAR AND ZELR ARE NEVER ACTUALLY NAMED THE SHOW, BUT HAVE NAM THE SCRIPT ACPANYG THE TWO L THEY EACH HAVE. AS FOR THE OTHERS, THEIR NAM ARE EACH ONLY MENTNED ONCE, AND QUICK SUCCSN, MAKG THEM VERY EASY TO MISS. MORE LIKE ALL THERE IN THE PROPS, BUT THE BOARD THE MISSN HUT ALSO SHOWS WHAT THE OTHER MISSN PANN PAIRGS ARE, WHICH NEVER UP THE DIALOGUE (THEY ARE MCKLEY/THOMAS, ZELR/MICHAELS, NEELEY/SCHRAR, AND CHURCH/DAVIS). CAMP STRAIGHT: USUALLY ALL PLAYED AS SUCH, THOUGH VARI ST TO ST SOMEWHAT. OF URSE, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE NONE OF THEM ARE GAY EHER. DARK AND TROUBLED PAST: ELRS CHURCH AND THOMAS FELY HAVE THE, GROWG UP WH AN ABIVE FATHER AND LOSG A SIBLG TO NCER RPECTIVELY. IT'S IMPLIED THAT THE OTHERS MAY ALSO HAVE SIAR BACKGROUNDS. NEVER GOT TO SAY GOODBYE: ELR THOMAS' SISTER DIED OF NCER WHILE HE WAS ON LE TO BUY AN IPHONE, HER LAST WORDS BEG "WHERE IS MY BROTHER?" ELR THOMAS SAYS THAT THIS IS WHAT HE TRI TO BURY "TURN IT OFF". ONLY ONE NAME: NONE OF THEM HAVE FIRST NAM, THOUGH LIKE MCKLEY, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN GIVEN UNOFFICIAL NAM BY THE FANS. STEPFORD SER: ALL OF THEM "TURN IT OFF". THE WHOLE SONG IS ABOUT THE ELRS SAYG THE BT WAY TO AL WH BAD THOUGHTS AND DARK FEELGS IS TO JT PRETEND YOU DON'T FEEL THAT WAY. TRAMARK FAVORE FOOD: APPARENTLY POP-TARTS ARE THIS FOR ELR THOMAS, ENOUGH TO BE THE BASIS FOR A NICKNAME.    GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED
• GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS
• MORMON AND GAY: HOW IT’S GOG
• BOOK EXPLOR WHAT MEANS TO BE GAY AND MORMON
• GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS
• ‘BOOK OF MORMON’ STAR CLAR ‘BUD LIGHT IS GAY’ AMID DYLAN MULVANEY NTROVERSY
• GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS
• GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS
• ANDREW RANNELLS: GAY AND SER IN 'NEW NORMAL'

GAY MORMON, GAY CATHOLIC, GAY ACTIVIST: ‘BOOK OF MORMON’ STAR RORY O’MALLEY ON FAH, RIGHTS, AND RELIG EEDOM

Rory O’Malley was nomated for a Tony Award for “turng off” his homosexualy as Elr McKley “The Book of Mormon.

O’Malley was raised Catholic Oh and says he “turned off” his gay inty until the age of 19.

A GAY MORMON READS THE SCRIPTUR: THE BOOK OF MORMON

I spoke wh O’Malley about how his personal fah and upbrgg fluenced his “Book of Mormon” portrayal and about the state of gay rights and relig eedom the U.

Elr McKley is a closeted Mormon who sgs about “turng off” his homosexualy “like a light swch. In Mormonism, seems you n be gay, but you n’t act on .

GAY MORMONS

It’s basilly the same prciple Catholicism appli to gay people. You’re not sful bee you’re gay, but actg on is a s.

RO: Obvly as a gay man I have some rervatns and disappotments about how the church has alt wh the gay marriage issue. When I volunteered wh my church Cleveland where I grew up, no one was talkg about homosexualy, jt helpg the ls fortunate.

I jt wish they weren’t also tryg to get people to sign up to a certa way of thkg that n be stctive, pecially to some people the gay muny.

ELR KEV PRICEANDREW RANNELLS AS ELR PRICENOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: ANDREW RANNELLS (OBC), GAV CREEL (ORIGAL WT END), NIC ROULE (TOUR)ELR KEV PRICE IS THE POSTER BOY FOR MORMONISM — IALISTIC, VOTED TO HEAVENLY FATHER, AND READY TO GO OUT ON HIS MISSN AND DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY, RATHER THAN HIS DREAM LOTN OF ORLANDO, HE'S SENT TO UGANDA WH A FELLOW MISSNARY WHO'S NEVER ACTUALLY READ THE HOLY BOOK THEY'RE EXPECTED TO PREACH. WHILE VOUT AND EARNT, PRICE HAS AN CREDIBLY FLATED SENSE OF SELF-IMPORTANCE AND A HUGE EGO, WHICH PUTS HIM A ROUGH SPOT WHEN HIS FAH IS CHALLENGED. THE ACE: INIALLY SCRIBED AS "THE SMARTT, BT, MOST SERVG ELR THE CENTER HAS EVER SEEN" BY HIS FELLOW ELRS. THIS QUICKLY BEGS TO FALL APART UPON ARRIVAL UGANDA, AS WHILE PRICE IS EARNT ABOUT HIS FAH, HE'S ALSO NEVER FACED ANYTHG LIKE THE RAVAGED UGANDAN UNTRYSI. AMBIGUOLY GAY: THE EXTENT OF THIS VARI PENDG ON THE PRODUCTN, BUT THIS IS ONE TERPRETATN OF THE CHARACTER. PRICE HAS NO NON LOVE TERT, AND WHILE HE NI HAVG GAY THOUGHTS TO ELR MCKLEY, THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO GETS CREASGLY SUGGTIVE MOST PRODUCTNS AS THE ST MEMBERS BEE AWARE OF THE POPULARY OF THE PAIRG. THIS IS PARTICULARLY EVINT "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHICH HAS ALWAYS FEATURED MCKLEY AS ONE OF THE MONS TORMENTG PRICE; SOME PRODUCTNS HAVE THEM MAKE OUT. IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTG THAT "TURN IT OFF" WAS ORIGALLY PRICE'S SONG, BUT THIS WAS CHANGED DUE TO FEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE TOO CLICHE. PRICE'S "EVEN IF WE BREAK THE L" LE LIVERED WHILE LOOKG STRAIGHT AT MCKLEY ULD BE TAKEN AS MAYBE EVER AFTER. ARSON, MURR, AND JAYWALKG: IN "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", HE CLAIMS TO BE WORSE THAN GENGHIS KHAN, JEFEY DAHMER, AND ADOLF HLER BEE HE LEFT HIS MISSN PANN. HLER IS SNDALIZED. ASS SHOVE: ON THE RECEIVG END OF ONE OM GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG NAKED PART WAY THROUGH ACT II. WH HIS OWN PY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, NO LS. BLACK COMEDY RAPE: THE ASS SHOVE PRICE GETS OM GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED SHOVG THE BOOK OF MORMON UP PRICE'S ASS IS PLAYED FOR LGHS. THE DOCTOR WHO REMOV THE BOOK SAYS 'S "SOMETHG CREDIBLE" THAT HE'S NEVER SEEN BEFORE. BREAK THE HGHTY: HIS ENTIRE CHARACTER ARC NSISTS OF BREAKG HIS IALISTIC SPIR TO SOMETHG MUCH MORE PRAGMATIC. PRICE STARTS OFF THKG THAT HE'LL BE THE SAVR OF NOT JT HIS MISSN, BUT THE ENTIRE MORMON FAH AND THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE. THE HARSHNS OF LIFE UGANDA AND THE EFFECTIVENS OF HIS EFFORTS QUICKLY SHOW PRICE THAT HE'S HOPELSLY OUT OF HIS LEAGUE. AS HIS EASRNT ATTEMPTS NSISTENTLY FAIL, PRICE IS FORCED TO NCE A FEW THGS (PECIALLY AFTER CUNNGHAM EARLIER DID JT THAT TO GREAT SUCCS). BROKEN ACE: STARTS SHOWG SIGNS OF THIS UPON ARRIVAL UGANDA WHEN HE SE HOW BAD THGS ARE, WHICH GETS WORSE WHEN HE FDS OUT THAT THE UGANDAN MISSN HASN'T NVERTED ANYONE YET. BY ACT II, THIS HAS FIRMLY SET AS PRICE HAS A CRISIS OF FAH. BUTT-MONKEY: TURNS TO ONE PRETTY QUICKLY, SPENDG MOST OF THE SHOW UNRGOG CREASGLY HORRIBLE SUFFERG, CULMATG GETTG HIS OWN PY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS. THIS IS ALL PLAYED FOR LGHS, AND 'S PART OF HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WHERE HE LEARNS ABOUT SEEG THE FORT FOR THE TRE WHEN TO RELIGN. COOL AND UNUAL PUNISHMENT: DURG "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", HIS IA OF TORTURE IS BEG FORCE-FED FFEE (WHICH MORMONS AREN'T MEANT TO DRK) BY A GROUP OF MONS, EVIL HISTORIL FIGUR, AND ELR MCKLEY. CRISIS OF FAH: HE'S SUFFERG ONE BY THE END OF ACT II. PRICE HAS HAD TO WATCH HIS FAH GET NSTANTLY TTED SCE ARRIVG UGANDA, AND WATCH CUNNGHAM SUCCEED WHERE PRICE HAS FAILED. PRICE IS TH FORCED TO REALIZE THAT HE'S NOT THE SAVR HE THKS HE IS, AND HIS LAST DCH EFFORT IS TO GO TO GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED'S MP WH WHOLEHEARTED FAH. THIS GET PRICE'S BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS FOR HIS TROUBLE. AFTER ALL THAT, PRICE SIMPLY N'T UNRSTAND WHAT HE'S DOG WRONG, SCE HE DID EVERYTHG HE WAS TGHT TO DO BACK HOME AND NONE OF IS WORKG. PRICE EVEN ADMS TO CUNNGHAM THAT HE'D QUTNED THE BOOK OF MORMON AND SEVERAL OTHER MORMON DOCTR BEFORE, SCE THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE, BUT "A MORMON JT BELIEV" AND HE PHED THOSE DOUBTS ASI BEE HE WAS TOLD THAT HE'D BE REWARD FOR . WHEN ALL OF HIS EARNT ATTEMPTS AT FOLLOWG THE DOCTRE BLOW UP HIS FACE, PRICE BE RATHER BTER AS A RULT. THIS EVENTUALLY LEADS TO A "EUREKA!" MOMENT WHERE PRICE REALIZ THAT BLDLY FOLLOWG DOGMA WON'T WORK, AND THAT CUNNGHAM'S EFFORTS, WHILE ODD, WERE EARNT AND EFFECTIVE. DARK REPRISE: HAS ONE FOR A SECTN OF "TWO BY TWO" RIGHT AFTER "I AM AI". AFTER HIS CRISIS OF FAH, PRICE WORRI THAT HE'S NEVER GOG TO SEE ORLANDO AGA, SGG SOMBERLY ABOUT HOW EVERYTHG HE WANTS IS OUT OF REACH. DEY PROTAGONIST: INIALLY SET UP AS THE HERO OF THE STORY WH CUNNGHAM AS THE IC RELIEF. PRICE SWCH TO MORE OF A DTERAGONIST ROLE BY ACT II, AND THE MIL ENDS WH CUNNGHAM AS THE HERO AND PRICE AS HIS CLOST SUPPORTER. DISNEY ACID SEQUENCE: EXPERIENC ONE THE FORM OF "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHERE HE HAS AN OPN-CHANGG DREAM THANKS TO EVERYONE SAID DREAM TELLG PRICE WHAT A JERK HE IS FOR ABANDONG CUNNGHAM. APPROPRIATE, NSIRG HIS LOVE OF THE DISNEY PANY. DNK ON MILK: AFTER HIS HEROIC BSOD, PRICE IS FOUND BY CUNNGHAM A FFEE SHOP, DOWNG TWELVE CUPS WORTH OF THE STUFF. IT TI TO PRICE'S CRISIS OF FAH SCE MORMONS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DRK FFEE, AND PRICE IS CHUGGG DOWN A VERY FFEATED DRK LIKE 'S THE END OF THE WORLD. EARN YOUR HAPPY ENDG: IT TAK SOME CHARACTER VELOPMENT, A CRISIS OF FAH, AND A HEROIC BSOD TO GET THERE (NOT TO MENTN AN ASS SHOVE). BUT PRICE DO ULTIMATELY E OUT OKAY BY THE PLAY'S NCLN. HE CIS THAT, EVEN IF HE AND CUNNGHAM AREN'T FOLLOWG THE TEACHGS OR THE L EXACTLY, 'S STILL HELPG THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA AND BRGG THEM TO THE CHURCH. THIS ROLV PRICE'S PERSONAL MONS, AND HE ENDS THE PLAY A GOOD PLACE. "EUREKA!" MOMENT: HE HAS ONE AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON A PLAY FOR THE MORMON PRINT, WHICH GETS THE AREA MISSNED. PRICE REALIZ THAT CUNNGHAM'S EFFORTS, WHILE NOT TE TO THE TEXT, ACPLISHED THEIR GOAL OF BRGG FAH TO UGANDA, WHICH PRICE TO ARGUE IS WHAT THE MORMONS SHOULD REALLY BE FOCG ON. FISH OUT OF WATER: QUICKLY FDS HIMSELF TO BE ONE UGANDA. SCE HE'S NEVER LEFT HOME BEFORE, SUDNLY GOG TO A THIRD-WORLD UNTRY WHERE THGS ARE TERRIBLE OM DAY-TO-DAY REALLY GETS TO PRICE. HE TRI TO BACK OUT ON JT THE SEND DAY, QUICKLY LOS HIS NERVE, AND UNRGO A CRISIS OF FAH WHEN HIS ATTEMPTS AT NVERTG PEOPLE BACKFIRE ON HIM. THE FUNDAMENTALIST: DENSTCTED. VERY MUCH ONE AT THE START OF THE SHOW, BELIEVG WHOLEHEARTEDLY THE BOOK OF MORMON AND HEAVENLY FATHER. THIS GRADUALLY WEARS OFF AS THGS START GOG PEAR-SHAPED UGANDA. THEN WHEN HE HS ROCK BOTTOM DURG HIS HEROIC BSOD, PRICE ADMS THAT THERE WERE PLENTY OF TIM WHEN HE QUTNED THE BOOK OF MORMON WHILE STUDYG , BUT HE PHED THROUGH ANYWAY BEE HE WAS TOLD WAS THE ONLY WAY HE ULD ACHIEVE THE HAPPS HE HAD ON HIS FAY VATN TO ORLANDO. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: IN ALL BUT ONE PRECISN F-STRIKE STANCE, PRICE AVOIDS CURSG. HE DON'T EVEN SAY THE TULAR PHRASE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI", EVEN BEFORE LEARNG WHAT MEANS. THIS MAK THE AFORAID PRECISN F-STRIKE SENTENCE MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN HE ACTUALLY DO SAY . HE'LL SAY THGS LIKE "TO HECK WH L!", WHICH OTHER ELRS TO GASP. HEROIC BSOD: AFTER HE FAILS TO DO EVEN A SGLE GOOD THG FOR HIS CHURCH WHILE WATCHG CUNNGHAM GET NVERTS BY THE DOZENS, PRICE IS LEFT WH A CRISIS OF FAH. PRICE SNAPS OUT OF AFTER REALIZG THAT, FOR ALL OF THE "CREATIVE LIBERTI" CUNNGHAM HAS TAKEN WH THE BOOK OF MORMON, HE'S BROUGHT HOPE TO THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA, WHICH IS WHAT THE TWO OF THEM WERE SENT THERE TO DO THE FIRST PLACE. HEROIC WANNABE: IN "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)", ELR PRICE SGS ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO BE SEEN AS A SAVR AND "DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE THAT BLOWS GOD'S EAK' MD". IT QUICKLY GO AWRY ONCE HE HAS TO PUT HIS FAH TO THE TT, AS PRICE ALMOST STANTLY LOS HIS NERVE WHEN PUT OUTSI OF HIS FORT ZONE UGANDA. HETEROSEXUAL LIFE-PARTNERS: WH CUNNGHAM BY THE END. HE EVEN CLAR CUNNGHAM TO BE HIS BT IEND, WHICH PRICE WAS HANT TO DO BEFORE. IGNORED EPIPHANY: DISCSED. AFTER DOWNG TWELVE CUPS OF FFEE DURG HIS CRISIS OF FAH, PRICE ADMS TO THE BARISTA THAT THERE HAD BEEN MOMENTS WHERE HE THOUGHT THAT THGS THE BOOK OF MORMON DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE, BUT PRICE IGNORED THEM AND PHED THEM ASI BEE HE THOUGHT HE ULDN'T HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT HIS FAH. PRICE BACK AROUND TO THAT EPIPHANY THE CLIMAX, SO 'S ULTIMATELY A SUBVERSN. INNOCENTLY INSENSIVE: PRICE'S BEHAVR ISN'T ACTIVELY MALIC; HE'S OPTIMISTIC AND MEANS WELL, BUT GENERALLY ACROSS AS NARCISSISTIC AND NAIVE. THIS LASTS UNTIL THE END OF THE PLAY, WHERE HE HAS A "EUREKA!" MOMENT ABOUT HOW TO HELP THE UGANDANS. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME: THE ENTIRETY OF "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)" IS AN ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT BASED AROUND THIS TRA. PRICE BELIEV HIMSELF TO BE A GREAT MORMON SAVR WHO WILL CHANGE THE WORLD, AND THAT HE WANTS TO "DO SOMETHG CREDIBLE THAT BLOWS GOD'S EAK' MD". AFTER THGS START GOG WRONG UGANDA, PRICE REQUTS A TRANSFER, ONLY THKG ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT HIMSELF AND NOT RG ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO CUNNGHAM.PRICE: HEAVENLY FATHER HAS CHOSEN YOU AND ME—JT MOSTLY ME! MANCHILD: GRANTED, HE'S BARELY A LEGAL ADULT AT THE AGE OF NETEEN, BUT HE SHOWS SHAS OF THIS HIS OBSSN WH ORLANDO (BEE OF THGS THE CY LIKE DISNEY, SEA WORLD, AND PUTT-PUTT MI GOLF THAT HE REALLY LIKED WHEN HE WAS THERE AT THE AGE OF NE). MY GREATT FAILURE: "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM" REVEALS THAT HE STOLE A MAPLE GLAZE DOUGHNUT AT THE AGE OF FIVE AND BLAMED ON HIS BROTHER JACK, WHO GOT GROUND FOR . DURG THE SAME SONG, HE'S ALSO UNRGOG A CRISIS OF NSCIENCE BEE HE BROKE RULE 72 BY ABANDONG CUNNGHAM. NOT WORTH KILLG: IMPLIED TO BE HOW HE MAK OUT OF HIS NONTATN WH GENERAL BUTT FUCKG NAKED ALIVE. PRICE STEAD GETS THE BOOK OF MORMON SHOVED UP HIS ASS BEE THE GENERAL DON'T WANT TO BOTHER WH HIM. OPN-CHANGG DREAM: "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM." PRICE WAS NTENT TO JT LEAVE CUNNGHAM ALONE UGANDA, BUT REALIZ THAT HE'S DONE SOMETHG TERRIBLE THE RULT. THAT, AND HE PISSED OFF J AT THE SAME TIME. PRECISN F-STRIKE: GETS ONE OF THE AT THE END. AFTER THEIR WHOLE AREA IS MISSNED, PRICE SAYS THAT THE MORMON ELRS SHOULDN'T STICK JT TO DOGMA, AND DO THGS THEIR OWN WAY. WHEN PRICE'S FELLOW MORMONS PLA THAT THE MISSN PRINT WON'T ALLOW THAT, PRICE RPONDS WH "YOU KNOW WHAT, GUYS? FUCK HIM!" AND LIVERS AN AOP THAT THE RULTS ARE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE NCERNED WH, NOT BLDLY FOLLOWG THE L. PRETTY BOY: DON'T HAVE TO BE, BUT IS UALLY ST AS ONE. RUNNG GAG: HIS OBSSN WH ORLANDO. PRICE WANTS TO GO TO ORLANDO ON HIS MISSN, AND WANTS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ORLANDO WHEN HE CIS "SCREW THIS, I'M OUT OF HERE!" REGARDS TO UGANDA. HE EVEN WANTS HIS OWN "PLA ORLANDO" AS HIS ETERNAL REWARD. SCREW THIS, I'M OUT OF HERE!: AT THE END OF ACT I, HE CIS HE'S NOT GOG TO GO THROUGH WH HIS MISSN AND MAK PLANS TO GET OUT OF THERE WH A TRANSFER. A NIGHTMARE — SPECIFILLY, A "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM" — CHANG HIS MD. SMALL NAME, BIG EGO: HIS "I WANT" SONG "YOU AND ME (BUT MOSTLY ME)" HAS PRICE CLAR HIS SIRE TO "BE THE MORMON THAT CHANGED ALL OF MANKD." CUNNGHAM EVEN MANAG TO LIFT PRICE'S SPIRS BY SAYG THAT, IF NO ONE HAS BEEN NVERTED UGANDA YET, THEN PRICE WILL ONLY SEEM MORE CREDIBLE WHEN HE PULLS OFF; PRICE ACCEPTS THIS WHOLE-HEARTEDLY. BY "ALL-AMERIN PROPHET", PRICE ADVERTIS HIMSELF AS MUCH AS THE ACTUAL MORMON TEACHGS. HE GETS OVER , ALBE NOT WHOUT A FEW SLIC OF HUMBLE PIE. TEETH-CLENCHED TEAMWORK: HE UNRGO THIS WH ELR CUNNGHAM TOWARDS THE CLIMAX OF THE PLAY. PRICE AND CUNNGHAM ARE HAVG AN ARGUMENT, WH NEHER BEG PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE OTHER AT THE TIME. BUT WH THE MISSN PRINT G TO PRI OVER THEIR MISSN AND CHECK THEIR PROGRS, CUNNGHAM SAYS THAT WOULD BE BOTH HIS AND PRICE'S BT TERTS TO AT LEAST ACT LIKE EVERYTHG IS FE. PRICE AGRE, BUT THE ANIMOSY REMAS UNTIL AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON THEIR SHOW. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH CUNNGHAM AND NABULUNGI BY THE END. TO BE LAWFUL OR GOOD: THE CX OF HIS CHARACTER VELOPMENT. PRICE CHOOS TO BE "LAWFUL" AT FIRST, WHICH PUTS HIM AT ODDS WH THE MORE "GOOD" CUNNGHAM. WHEREAS PRICE TRI TO DO EVERYTHG BY THE BOOK ONLY TO HAVE ALL BLOW UP HIS FACE, CUNNGHAM BENDS THE L AND GETS THGS ACPLISHED. THIS PRICE TO HAVE A CRISIS OF FAH UNTIL HE CIS THAT HIS FAH IS STRONG ENOUGH TO ACCEPT BENDG THE L IF MEANS HELPG PEOPLE. UNSYMPATHETIC COMEDY PROTAGONIST: DOWNPLAYED. WHILE PORTRAYED WH SOME SYMPATHY DUE TO HOW EARNT HE IS ABOUT THE MORMON FAH, PRICE'S MASSIVE EGO AND SIRE TO HOG THE SPOTLIGHT ALLOW THE DIENCE TO LGH AT HIS CREASG FAILUR. PL, PRICE UNRGO SOME CHARACTER VELOPMENT TO GET THROUGH THE WORST PARTS OF HIS CHARACTER. WHAT THE HELL, HERO?: ON THE RECEIVG END OF ONE OM J "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM." J: YOU BLAMED YOUR BROTHER FOR EATG THE DOUGHNUT, AND NOW YOU WALK OUT ON YOUR MISSN PANN? YOU'RE A DICK! WI-EYED IALIST: STARTS THE SHOW AS ONE, BELIEVG THAT HE'S GOG TO CHANGE THE WORLD. IT DON'T LAST, AS HE UNRGO A BREAK THE HGHTY ARC THAT SE HIM UNRGO A CRISIS OF FAH AFTER HE FAILS BUT CUNNGHAM SUCCEEDS.    ELR CUNNGHAM ELR ARNOLD CUNNGHAMJOSH GAD AS ELR CUNNGHAMNOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: JOSH GAD (OBC), JARED GERTNER (ORIGAL WT END), BEN PLATT (TOUR)ELR ARNOLD CUNNGHAM IS AN ENTHIASTIC BUT CHILDISH YOUNG MORMON WHO'S EXCED TO GO OUT AND PROSELYTIZE WH HIS NEW "BT IEND". EVEN THOUGH HE HASN'T ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK OF MORMON. HE ALSO HAS A VERY ACTIVE IMAGATN — THAT IS TO SAY, HE LI A LOT. THIS PROBLEMS THE REMOTE UGANDAN VILLAGE THEY'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO WHEN HE STARTS TAKG A FEW "CREATIVE LIBERTI". ACQUIRED SUATNAL NARCISSISM: HE GETS A B OF A SWELLED HEAD AFTER NVERTG ALL OF THE UGANDANS. ONCE THEY ALL PUT ON A PLAY SHOWG THE ELRS AND CHURCH LEARS EXACTLY WHAT HE TGHT THEM, CUNNGHAM CRASHG BACK TO EARTH. APPLIBILY: IN-UNIVERSE. AFTER REALIZG THAT THE TEXT OF THE BOOK OF MORMON ON S OWN ISN'T DOG ENOUGH TO NVERT THE UGANDANS TO MORMONISM, HE STARTS THROWG THGS TO MAKE MORE APPLIBLE TO THEM. WHILE MAY BE A PLETE ASS PULL ON CUNNGHAM'S PART, HIS "TEACHGS" STILL VOKED ASS PULL: IN-UNIVERSE, HE SPENDS MOST OF ACT II DOG THIS WH HIS "ALTERNATIVE" TEACHGS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, THOUGH NOT WHOUT GOOD REASON. CUNNGHAM CIS THAT IF THE TEXT SELF ISN'T GOG TO NVCE THE UGANDANS NOT TO DO THGS LIKE GENAL MUTILATN AND BABY RAPE, THEN HE'LL MAKE WORK BY PULLG OM POP CULTURE AND PRETENDG THAT 'S THE BOOK OF MORMON. BT FRIEND: DOUBLE SUBVERTED WH ELR PRICE. CUNNGHAM STARTS LLG PRICE HIS BT IEND THE MOMENT THEY'RE PAIRED UP TOGETHER FOR THEIR MISSN, THOUGH PRICE CLEARLY DON'T RECIPROTE. THE END OF ACT I HAS PRICE DROP A WHAM LE THAT HE FEELS STUCK WH CUNNGHAM, WHICH HURTS CUNNGHAM'S FEELGS. HOWEVER, CUNNGHAM'S AWKWARD BUT EARNT SIRE TO HELP EVENTUALLY WS PRICE OVER BY THE END OF THE PLAY. BIG DAMN HERO: IN HIS AND PRICE'S NONTATN THE GENERAL AT THE END, HE HIS "TERPRETATN" OF THE BOOK OF MORMON TO NVCE THE GENERAL TO BACK OFF. BIG FUN: HE IS UALLY EHER PLAYED BY AN OVERWEIGHT ACTOR, OR AN ACTOR WHO IS STUMED TO APPEAR FAT. HE'S ALSO RATHER LOVABLE AND FUNNY WH HIS AWKWARD CHARM AND EARNT BUT MISGUID SIRE TO BE HELPFUL. BREAK THE CUTIE: MORE THAN ONCE. FIRST AFTER BEG ABANDONED BY PRICE, AND THEN AGA AFTER "JOSEPH SMH, AMERIN MOS" WHEN NABULUNGI REPROACH HIM FOR GIVG THEM FALSE HOPE. COMPULSIVE LIAR: BY HIS OWN ADMISSN, CUNNGHAM LI QUE OFTEN. HE LI ABOUT THGS THE BOOK OF MORMON TO THE UGANDANS, LI ABOUT THE TEXT TO NABULUNGI, AND LI ABOUT HOW BAD HE FEELS WHEN PRICE ACCINTALLY HURTS HIS FEELGS. HOWEVER, ELR CUNNGHAM IS PRENTED SYMPATHETILLY BEE HE HAS GOOD REASONS TO LIE ABOUT THOSE THGS. CROSSOVER COSMOLOGY: ESSENTIALLY WHAT HIS VERSN OF MORMONISM BE, ALTHOUGH WH REFERENC TO ANCHIS LIKE STAR WARS AND THE LORD OF THE RGS RATHER THAN OTHER RELIGNS. DARE TO BE BADASS: "MAN UP" IS CUNNGHAM NVCG HIMSELF THAT THAT HE N'T N AWAY OM UGANDA AFTER SEEG HOW BAD THGS ARE, SO HE HAS TO MAN UP AND WORK THROUGH . DO THIS REMD YOU OF ANYTHG?: HIS SONG WH NABULUNGI ABOUT HER BAPTISM, "BAPTIZE ME", IS ONE LONG DOUBLE ENTENDRE. ESTABLISHG CHARACTER MOMENT: DURG THE OPENG SONG, "HELLO." HE NS AFTER EVERYONE ELSE, AND HIS "DOORBELL" SOUNDS LIKE A LOUD BUZZER. THEN HIS NO INDOOR VOICE TRODUCTN WHICH SHOWS HE DON'T FOLLOW THE SCRIPT. THIS SETS UP CUNNGHAM AS THE IC RELIEF WHILE ALSO SHOWG THAT HE'S NOT THAT GOOD WH THE STRICT DOGMA. ELR CUNNGHAM: HELLO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE RELIGIONS? I HAVE A FREE BOOK WRITTEN BY JESUS! FEIGNG INTELLIGENCE: HE HASN'T READ A SGLE WORD OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. THIS ALLOWS HIM TO TAKE "CREATIVE LIBERTI" WH THE TEXT AS A RULT. GEEK PHYSIQU: USUALLY PORTRAYED BY A SHORT OVERWEIGHT ACTOR, OR AN ACTOR THAT IS MA TO APPEAR OVERWEIGHT. GIVE GEEKS A CHANCE: NABULUNGI FDS HIS NERDS RATHER CUTE. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: AS WH ALL THE MORMON CHARACTERS, HE REAS OM SWEARG. WHEN HE FDS OUT WHAT "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" MEANS, HE HAS A FREAK OUT, PECIALLY SCE HE SAID "LIKE THIRTEEN TIM" BEFORE BEG TOLD WHAT MEANT. HEROIC BSOD: AFTER HIS "CREATIVE LIBERTI" GET THE ENTIRE AREA MISSNED, CUNNGHAM IS PRETTY UPSET. HE EVEN SAYS "I REALLY DID THIS TIME" AFTER THKG THAT HE'S ED THE MISSN FOR EVERYONE, ON THE VERGE OF TEARS. HETEROSEXUAL LIFE-PARTNERS: WH PRICE BY THE END, AFTER BOTH OF THEM UNRGO CHARACTER VELOPMENT. AT FIRST, CUNNGHAM WAS JT LATCHG ONTO PRICE LIKE A LEECH, SCE CUNNGHAM NEVER REALLY HAD A IEND BEFORE. THIS QUICKLY GETS ON PRICE'S NERV, BUT PRICE MELLOWS OUT OVER TIME AND CUNNGHAM MANS UP, G THE IENDSHIP TO BE GENUE AT THE PLAY'S END. I JT WANT TO HAVE FRIENDS: ALL HE WANTS OM THE START OF ACT I IS TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LIK HIM AS A IEND. IT'S WHY HE CLGS TO PRICE AS HIS "NEW BT IEND" THE MOMENT THEY GET ASSIGNED TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW LTLE MORE THAN EACH OTHER'S NAM. HE DO GET WHAT HE WANTS WH ELR PRICE, BUT NOT WHOUT SOME TROUBLE. I'VE HEARD OF THAT — WHAT IS IT?: DURG "TWO BY TWO", AFTER HEARG WHERE HE AND ELR PRICE WILL BE GOG ON THEIR MISSN. ELR CUNNGHAM: UGANDA? COOL! WHERE IS THAT? LAWFUL STUPID: SUBVERTG THIS IS PART OF HIS CHARACTERIZATN AND HIS ARC. HIS NSCIENCE — APPEARG THE FORMS OF THE THORY FIGUR HIS LIFE, REAL AND FICTNAL — SHOWS UP DURG "MAKG THGS UP AGA" TO CHASTISE HIM FOR LYG TO PREVENT SOMEONE OM RAPG A BABY. CUNNGHAM SENTIALLY TELLS HIS NSCIENCE TO SHUT UP, AND MAK THGS UP STEAD OF READG WHAT'S REALLY THE BOOK OF MORMON ORR TO NVERT PEOPLE. LAWYER-FRIENDLY CAMEO: CHARACTERS LIKE DARTH VAR MAKE APPEARANC HIS IMAGED SCEN, BUT ONLY EXTREMELY C STUM. WHICH ACTUALLY MAK FUNNIER. MANCHILD: HE'S VERY IMMATURE, WH CHILD-LIKE REACTNS AND DIFFICULTY BEHAVG HIMSELF. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HEAVILY IMPLIED WH NABULUNGI, PARTICULARLY DURG "BAPTIZE ME", BUT THEY NEVER GET AN OFFICIAL RELATNSHIP UPGRA. NO INDOOR VOICE: USUALLY PLAYED THIS WAY. HE OFTEN GETS BOUTS OF VERY LOUD, OBNOX LGHTER, THOUGH HE QUICKLY REGNIZ WHEN HE GO TOO FAR. NO SOCIAL SKILLS: VERY APPARENT OM THE BEGNG. HE DO IMPROVE AS THE SHOW GO ON THOUGH, AND MOST OF THE CHARACTERS E TO FD ENARG ANYWAY. RUNNG GAG: FDG NEW WAYS TO MISPRONOUNCE NABULUNGI'S NAME. STEPFORD SER: HE DON'T HAVE ANY IENDS, AND HE EQUENTLY GETS TROUBLE FOR LYG. HE NFIS PRICE THAT HE FEELS LIKE A BLACK SHEEP HIS FAY WHO DISAPPOTS HIS DAD. HE KEEPS PUTTG ON A STRONG FACE ANYWAY, AND "MAN UP" IS CUNNGHAM CIDG TO KEEP GOG SPE OF HOW BAD HE FEELS. TEETH-CLENCHED TEAMWORK: HE UNRGO THIS WH ELR PRICE TOWARDS THE CLIMAX OF THE PLAY. PRICE AND CUNNGHAM ARE HAVG AN ARGUMENT, WH NEHER BEG PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE OTHER AT THE TIME. BUT WH THE MORMON PRINT G TO PRI OVER THEIR MISSN AND CHECK THEIR PROGRS, CUNNGHAM SAYS THAT WOULD BE BOTH HIS AND PRICE'S BT TERTS TO AT LEAST ACT LIKE EVERYTHG IS FE. PRICE AGRE, BUT THE ANIMOSY REMAS UNTIL AFTER THE UGANDANS PUT ON THEIR SHOW. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH PRICE AND NABULUNGI BY THE END. TO BE LAWFUL OR GOOD: THE CX OF HIS CHARACTER VELOPMENT. CUNNGHAM CHOOS TO BE "GOOD" MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BY MAKG THGS UP OR NOT FOLLOWG MORMON DOGMA, WHICH PUTS HIM AT ODDS WH THE MORE "LAWFUL" PRICE. WHEREAS PRICE TRI TO DO EVERYTHG BY THE BOOK ONLY TO HAVE EVERYTHG BLOW UP HIS FACE, CUNNGHAM BENDS THE L AND GETS THGS ACPLISHED. "WELL DONE, SON" GUY: AS HE RELAYS TO ELR PRICE, CUNNGHAM FEELS LIKE HIS DAD IS NSTANTLY DISAPPOTED HIM. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CUNNGHAM TRI AS HARD AS HE DO IS THE BELIEF THAT IF HE SUCCEEDS, HE WON'T BE SUCH A DISAPPOTMENT ANYMORE. ELR CUNNGHAM: TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA BRG LOTS OF AINS TO THE CHURCH! AND THEN MY DAD WILL FALLY FEEL PROUD OF ME STEAD OF JT FEELG STUCK WH ME. YARLG: DURG "MAN UP". HOWEVER, 'S TENTNALLY EXAGGERATED FOR THE SAKE OF EDY.    NABULUNGI NABULUNGI HATIMBINIKKI M. JAM AS NABULUNGINOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: NIKKI M. JAM (OBC), ALEXIA KHADIME (ORIGAL WT END)NABULUNGI IS THE DGHTER OF THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE OF KGULI. SHE'S IENDLY, IALISTIC, AND UNLIKE THE RT OF HER VILLAGE, IS ACTUALLY TERTED WHAT THE STRANGE WHE BOYS HAVE TO SAY. IN PARTICULAR, SHE TAK A LIKG TO ELR CUNNGHAM, AND IS READY TO BELIEVE ANYTHG HE TELLS HER. ACCINTAL MISNAMG: ONE OF THE MOST PROMENT RUNNG GAGS IS ELR CUNNGHAM'S ABILY TO SAY HER NAME RRECTLY. SHE'S ADDRSED BY DIFFERENT NAM EACH TIME HE SPEAKS TO HER, UALLY AS A SHOUT-OUT (SUCH AS 'NALA', 'NICKI MAJ', OR 'NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-BATMAN') OR G A FUNNY WORD LIKE 'NECROPHILIA'. THE NAM GET UPDATED OVER TIME TO REFLECT CURRENT MEM ('NETFLIX-AND-CHILL') OR TO CLU REGNAL JOK (FOR EXAMPLE, WT END PRODUCTNS WILL HAVE HIM LL HER NIGEL FARAGE, A BRISH POLICIAN). WHEN JOSH GAD DID HIS FAL PERFORMANCE AS ELR CUNNGHAM, HIS LAST NAME FOR HER WAS NIKKI M. JAM. THE CHIEF'S DGHTER: THE DGHTER OF THE VILLAGE HEAD, AND THE FIRST TO BEIEND ANY OF THE ELRS. DADDY'S GIRL: SHE'S VERY CLOSE WH HER FATHER. DARK REPRISE: SGS A DARKER, SADR VERSN OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" AS ACT II NEARS S END WHEN SHE REALIZ THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS JT A BOOK OF STORI. DAYDREAM BELIEVER: SHE IALLY BELIEV THAT THE BOOK OF MORMON IS LERALLY TE, AS ELR CUNNGHAM TELLS , AND THAT "SAL TLAY KA SI" IS A PARADISE. SHE HAS A HEROIC BSOD WHEN SHE FDS OUT THAT 'S ALL JT STORI, PROMPTG A DARK REPRISE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" WHERE NABULUNGI CURS GOD FOR GIVG HER HOPE. HOWEVER, SHE SNAPS OUT OF WHEN THE OTHER UGANDANS REVEAL THAT THEY NEVER BELIEVED CUNNGHAM WAS TELLG THEM THE LERAL TTH, AND THAT WAS JT METAPHOR ALL ALONG. DO THIS REMD YOU OF ANYTHG?: HER SONG WH ELR CUNNGHAM ABOUT HER BAPTISM, "BAPTIZE ME", IS ONE LONG DOUBLE ENTENDRE ABOUT SEX. "I WANT" SONG: "SAL TLAY KA SI". IT'S ABOUT HOW "LIFE WON'T BE SO SHTY" IF SHE ACCEPTS THE MORMON TEACHGS. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HEAVILY IMPLIED WH ELR CUNNGHAM, PARTICULARLY DURG "BAPTIZE ME", BUT THEY NEVER GET AN OFFICIAL RELATNSHIP UPGRA. MISSG MOM: IMPLIED TO HAVE DIED BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE MIL. NICE GIRL: HAS A 'WONRFUL DISPOSN', AS MAFALA PUTS . SHE'S EASILY THE BIGGT SUPPORTER OF PRICE AND CUNNGHAM THE VILLAGE, AND GROWS PECIALLY CLOSE WH THE LATTER. HOWEVER, AS SHOWN BY HER DARK REPRISE OF "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI," EVEN SHE HAS HER LIMS. SHOW WH A SHOW: HER PLAY, "JOSEPH SMH AMERIN MOS", WHICH PRENTS THE THGS THAT ELR CUNNGHAM HAS BEEN TEACHG THE UGANDANS. ¡THREE AMIGOS!: WH PRICE AND CUNNGHAM BY THE END. WI-EYED IALIST: FAR MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THE OTHER UGANDANS. THIS IS BROKEN AT THE END WHEN SHE REALIZ CUNNGHAM LIED TO HER, THOUGH DON'T LAST.    ELR MCKLEY ELR MCKLEYRORY O'MALLEY AS ELR MCKLEYNOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: RORY O'MALLEY (OBC), STEPHEN ASHFIELD (ORIGAL WT END), GREY HENSON (TOUR), PIERCE CASSIDY (TOUR)ELR MCKLEY IS THE DISTRICT LEAR OF DISTRICT 9. HE'S JT AS IENDLY AND ENTHIASTIC AS THE OTHER MORMON BOYS, BUT IS MORE THAN A LTLE DISHEARTENED BY HIS DISTRICT'S LACK OF BAPTISMS THE THREE MONTHS THEY'VE BEEN UGANDA. HE IS MOST CERTALY NOT GAY. ARMORED CLOSET GAY: ALMOST ALL OF "TURN IT OFF" IS SPENT TABLISHG HIM AS THIS, THOUGH HE'S MUCH NICER ABOUT THAN MOST EXAMPL OF THIS TROPE. DPE THE FACT THAT MCKLEY IS OBVLY GAY AND TRYG TO REPRS THIS, HE'S STILL FAIRLY POLE AND HELPFUL. BLACK COMEDY ANIMAL CELTY: IN THE SWEDISH VERSN OF "TURN IT OFF", RATHER THAN CSHG A BOX OF GAY THOUGHTS, MCKLEY ENURAG PRICE TO "IMAGE THAT [HIS] BRA IS MA OF SMALL, SMALL TS/GRAB THE T THAT'S GAY AND DROWN ". CAMP GAY: BURIED UNR SEVERAL LAYERS OF REPRSN, BUT STILL CLEARLY THIS. AFTER RTG PRICE AND CUNNGHAM TO WHERE THEY'LL BE SLEEPG, MCKLEY TAP DANC AWAY OM THE DOOR. FLAMG DEVIL: APPEARS AS ONE "SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM", WHERE HE'S DRSED BRIGHT RED, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHER MNS OF HELL, HE FIRST APPEARS DANCG WH A FEATHER BOA AND BECKONG TO PRICE. GOSH DANG IT TO HECK!: AS WH ALL THE MORMON CHARACTERS. MCKLEY: O-M-GOSH YOU GUYS, I AM EAKG OUT! INPATIBLE ORIENTATN: IMPLIED WHEN HE BRIEFLY RELLS HIS CSH ON HIS CHILDHOOD BT IEND STEVE. LARGE HAM: "TURN IT OFF" SHOWS HIM TO BE THIS. THE GUY TAP DANC AWAY LONG AFTER HIS SONG IS OVER, AND NTU WEARG A PK SPARKLY VT THE WHOLE TIME MANY PRODUCTNS. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: WHILE EVERY PRODUCTN HAS MCKLEY BE AT LEAST A LTLE B ATTRACTED TO PRICE, SOME HAVE TAKEN FURTHER AND IMPLIED THIS OF MCKLEY'S SI OF THEIR RELATNSHIP. MAYBE EVER AFTER: HE'S RATHER BLATANTLY CSHG ON ELR PRICE FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF THE SHOW, AND PENDG ON HOW A PRODUCTN PLAYS , AND HOW THE DIENCE CHOOS TO TERPRET , PRICE'S "EVEN IF WE BREAK THE L" LE, LIVERED WHILE LOOKG STRAIGHT AT MCKLEY, ULD BE TAKEN AS PRICE POSSIBLY RETURNG HIS FEELGS. MOR CHARACTER, MAJOR SONG: "TURN IT OFF" IS ONE OF THE SHOW'S MOST ACCLAIMED SONGS, BUT AFTER 'S OVER HIS MA ROLE IS TO BE THE FACE OF THE DISTRICT 9 ELRS AND BE THE SOURCE OF A FEW MORE GAY JOK. ONLY ONE NAME: CANONILLY, HE'S ONLY EVER REFERRED TO AS ELR MCKLEY — HOWEVER, THE FAN NICKNAME 'CONNOR' HAS REACHED A POT OF BEG SO UNIVERSAL THAT EVEN MOST ACTORS VOLVED WH THE SHOW ACCEPT AND E . STEPFORD SER: HAS AN ENTIRE SONG ABOUT REPRSG ONE'S FEELGS. COMPLETE WH ELABORATE TAP DANCG. TRANSPARENT CLOSET: HIS REPRSED HOMOSEXUALY IS ABOUT AS SUBTLE AS THE PK SPARKLY VT HE WEARS DURG "TURN IT OFF". WAISTAT OF STYLE: A PK, SPARKLY ONE, AS SHOWN HIS CHARACTER IMAGE. ALL OF THE ELRS GET THEM "TURN IT OFF."    MAFALA MAFALA HATIMBIMICHAEL POTTS AS MAFALANOTABLY PORTRAYED BY: MICHAEL POTTS (OBC), GIL TERERA (ORIGAL WT END)THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE OF KGULI, HE WEL ELRS PRICE AND CUNNGHAM TO UGANDA — AND MAK IMMEDIATELY CLEAR TO THEM THAT RELIGN IS FAR OM HIS VILLAGE'S TOP PRRY. HE IS ALSO NABULUNGI'S FATHER. BOYIEND-BLOCKG DAD: OF NABULUNGI, WHICH HE MAK CLEAR DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI". HE PROBABLY HAS BETTER REASON TO BE THIS WAY THAN MOST EXAMPL OF THIS TROPE, NSIRG THE AIDS EPIMIC AND GENAL-MUTILATG WARLORD NNG AROUND (AND THE FACT THAT HE HAS AIDS HIMSELF), BUT THREATENG TO GIVE PRICE AND CUNNGHAM AIDS THEMSELV IS STILL [[MORE THAN A LTLE EXTREME. CLTER F-BOMB: DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI". AFTER TABLISHG EXACTLY WHAT THE PHRASE MEANS, HE BE NOTIBLY MORE FOUL-MOUTHED. IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHG TO HURT HER...: HE WARNS ELRS PRICE AND CUNNGHAM THAT "IF EHER OF YOU LAYS A HAND ON HER," HE'LL GIVE THEM BOTH AIDS. LAST-SEND WORD SWAP: DURG "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI": MAFALA: HERE'S THE BUTCHER, HE HAS AIDS; HERE'S THE TEACHER, SHE HAS AIDS; HERE'S THE DOCTOR, HE HAS AIDS; HERE'S MY DGHTER, SHE HAS A... WONRFUL DISPOSN! MOR CHARACTER, MAJOR SONG: LEADS "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI", THE BIG TABLISHG NUMBER FOR THE SETTG OF UGANDA, AND THEN FAS TO THE BACKGROUND TO ALLOW NABULUNGI TO TAKE PROMENCE. RAGE AGAST THE HEAVENS: "HASA DIGA EEBOWAI" IS ALL ABOUT THIS. IT TRANSLAT TO "FUCK YOU, GOD," AND HE SAYS "WHENEVER SOMETHG BAD HAPPENS".    THE ELRS OF DISTRICT 9 THE ELRS OF DISTRICT 9THE RT OF THE DISTRICT 9 MISSNARI — ELRS THOMAS, ZELR, MICHAELS, NEELEY, SCHRAR, CHURCH, AND DAVIS. AS A GROUP, THEY'RE ALL IENDLY, ENTHIASTIC, AND ALMOST AS REPRSED AS ELR MCKLEY. ABIVE PARENTS: ELR CHURCH HAS AN ABIVE DNKARD FATHER AND A BATTERED MOTHER. ALL THERE THE SCRIPT: ELRS SCHRAR AND ZELR ARE NEVER ACTUALLY NAMED THE SHOW, BUT HAVE NAM THE SCRIPT ACPANYG THE TWO L THEY EACH HAVE. AS FOR THE OTHERS, THEIR NAM ARE EACH ONLY MENTNED ONCE, AND QUICK SUCCSN, MAKG THEM VERY EASY TO MISS. MORE LIKE ALL THERE IN THE PROPS, BUT THE BOARD THE MISSN HUT ALSO SHOWS WHAT THE OTHER MISSN PANN PAIRGS ARE, WHICH NEVER UP THE DIALOGUE (THEY ARE MCKLEY/THOMAS, ZELR/MICHAELS, NEELEY/SCHRAR, AND CHURCH/DAVIS). CAMP STRAIGHT: USUALLY ALL PLAYED AS SUCH, THOUGH VARI ST TO ST SOMEWHAT. OF URSE, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE NONE OF THEM ARE GAY EHER. DARK AND TROUBLED PAST: ELRS CHURCH AND THOMAS FELY HAVE THE, GROWG UP WH AN ABIVE FATHER AND LOSG A SIBLG TO NCER RPECTIVELY. IT'S IMPLIED THAT THE OTHERS MAY ALSO HAVE SIAR BACKGROUNDS. NEVER GOT TO SAY GOODBYE: ELR THOMAS' SISTER DIED OF NCER WHILE HE WAS ON LE TO BUY AN IPHONE, HER LAST WORDS BEG "WHERE IS MY BROTHER?" ELR THOMAS SAYS THAT THIS IS WHAT HE TRI TO BURY "TURN IT OFF". ONLY ONE NAME: NONE OF THEM HAVE FIRST NAM, THOUGH LIKE MCKLEY, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN GIVEN UNOFFICIAL NAM BY THE FANS. STEPFORD SER: ALL OF THEM "TURN IT OFF". THE WHOLE SONG IS ABOUT THE ELRS SAYG THE BT WAY TO AL WH BAD THOUGHTS AND DARK FEELGS IS TO JT PRETEND YOU DON'T FEEL THAT WAY. TRAMARK FAVORE FOOD: APPARENTLY POP-TARTS ARE THIS FOR ELR THOMAS, ENOUGH TO BE THE BASIS FOR A NICKNAME.    GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED GENERAL BUTT-FUCKG-NAKED

RO: We kd of have this motto now of “no gay left behd. I’m always surprised when people fend marriage equaly bee they thk church will be forced to perform gay marriag. I haven’t met any gays who want to barge through the doors of a Baptist church for their weddg.

BP: What role do you thk relign plays perpetuatg or batg homophobia?

RO: Seeg relig lears who embrace the gay muny is one of the most powerful msag right now. We’re happy we have a pope who seems not to hate gay people, who ls tolerant language about gay people.

GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS

Freedom of relign is very strong this untry, and I don’t thk that givg rights to the gay muny will ge on that at all.

The Supreme Court wasn’t gog to release the tap, which was upsettg to many the gay muny.

MORMON AND GAY: HOW IT’S GOG

I’ve always said that theaters small towns are oas for gay muni. It wasn’t until after leavg the Church my early 20s – for reasons more related to my journey as a gay man than for reasons related to the historicy of the Book of Mormon – that I was exposed to some of the historil problems related to the Book of Mormon.

BOOK EXPLOR WHAT MEANS TO BE GAY AND MORMON

The Book of Mormon, Amerin Christiany, and the Gay Mormon Prediment. It has been poted out that the Book of Mormon says nothg explic about homosexualy.

GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS

) The “Topil Gui” published wh the current, official standard works of the LDS Church lists one Book of Mormon reference the sectn unr “Homosexualy” (2 Nephi 13: 9), but the reference listed is actually a quotatn of Isaiah 3: 9, which merely referenc, whout elaboratn, “their s as Sodom.

‘BOOK OF MORMON’ STAR CLAR ‘BUD LIGHT IS GAY’ AMID DYLAN MULVANEY NTROVERSY

There’s no evince that what is actually beg discsed the passage ced 2 Nephi has anythg at all to do wh homosexualy. This might actually be of fort to gay men and lbians who so equently have been the victims of harsh, unfair judgments, and who have – morn tim pecially – been equently “st out of our synagogu” (Alma 32: 9). Of greater fort and signifince to me as a gay man is the Book of Mormon’s wns regardg the active role God plays the liv of his children.

It has been cricised by the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (Glaad) for s e of the word "fag" ("They missed the pot, " Stone gmbl), and nomated for a Glaad award for outstandg TV for s episo tled Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ri. " And as if to antagonise their long-sufferg liberal fans even more, Parker announc that the two he and Stone believe are "gay marriage and guns.

GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS

"We're om Colorado, and look at the way Colorado's gone polilly the last few electns, " adds Stone, "'s now gay-iendly, weed-iendly, gun-iendly. The doctre of The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats, which church is often mistakenly lled the Mormon Church, is que clear on the practice of homosexualy.

GAY MORMON CHARACTERS STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS

“Homosexual activy is a ser s. Mormon doctre clar homosexual activy a s not bee is bigoted and old fashned, but bee the practice of homosexualy trat the eternal purpose of the fay.

ANDREW RANNELLS: GAY AND SER IN 'NEW NORMAL'

To have feelgs of homosexualy is not a s, but a stggle. Any gay Mormon who has the stggl still has a choice of whether or not to act on those feelgs.

The Church of J Christ of Latter-day Sats and s members ntu to, and will ntue to, receive a great al of cricism and persecutn for s view on homosexualy. Th, the LDS Church’s view on the practice of homosexualy will never change.

Bee the world already has a liberal view on sexualy and do not thk a great al of the practice of sex before marriage, views the LDS Church’s views towards gay Mormons as expectatns which are far too high. “It is neher fair, nor realistic” the world says, “to expect a person who has homosexual attractns to rema celibate for their entire liv. The stggl of homosexual attractn for gay Mormons are, admtedly, very hard.