“It was a formative show for me. It was super modern, funny, my type of humor,” said Dorner, who opted to pursue a stage career and remembers playing the “Book of Mormon” soundtrack when he drove from his hometown of Toledo to Ohio Northern University.
Little could Dorner have guessed that someday he’d be touring the country in the show that helped change his life. The irreverent musical comes to the Schuster Center March 25-29.
“In 11 years I went from singing along in my car to singing on stage and performing in the show professionally,” he said.
The story revolves around two 19-year-old Mormon missionaries who get sent on a two-year mission to a place entirely different than anything they had expected. “It’s a place with real problems and things these boys from Salt Lake City aren’t equipped to handle,” said Dorner who is cast in five different roles.
“I play every adult man you’ll see in the show,” he said. “Playing a bunch of roles is super fun and an interesting challenge. I do have to bounce around a lot and I’m all over the stage. I change costumes and wigs all the time so the characters look different but we don’t try to hide the fact that it’s always me. It’s a kind of joke in the show that anytime you see an adult figure, it’s just me in a different wig.”
Credit: Matt Simpkins Photography
Credit: Matt Simpkins Photography
He’s cast as Jesus, Joseph Smith (the American prophet who was the founder of the Church of the Latter Day Saints), the mission president and the main character’s father. He also does some voice-overs.
So how does he juggle so many roles?
“We travel with two wardrobe heads and hire local dressers,” Dorner said. “I have a person assigned to me who manages my wardrobe. When I come off stage, they have my costume set and ready to go. They take my old costumes.”
Irreverent, but with heart
Be forewarned that “Book of Mormon” is not for the easily offended. There’s lots of profanity, and plenty of shocking songs and scenes. That’s not surprising when you know that it’s the first stage musical by South Park partners, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The show is written in collaboration with Robert Lopez, co-creator of “Avenue Q.”
Dorner said that what makes the show so popular, despite its brand of humor, is that there’s a heart of gold present throughout.
“The resolution of the show is very satisfying,” he said. “It’s not just vulgarity for vulgarity’s sake. It tells a very powerful story if you’re listening close enough. Through all the course language, you find yourself caring about these characters.”
Church reaction
When Dorner was growing up, he lived close to a Church of the Latter Day Saints and was familiar with the religion. When preparing for the show, the cast was given a package of information about missionary rules, what’s acceptable and what is not.
Dormer has seen Mormon missionaries outside the theater talking to audience members after the show.
“They’ve used it as a way to talk to people about their religion, which I think is kinda cool,” he said. “They tell them the actual Book of Mormon is very different than the musical.”
Miriam Lofthouse of Centerville is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and points out the title of the show is misleading.
“The musical has nothing to do with the actual Book of Mormon,” she said. “If people really want to know more about the real book, they should check out the website ComeUntoChrist.org.
“We have 80,000 young missionaries worldwide who speak with people about God, Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon,” she said. “They are also involved in many humanitarian efforts.”
Lofthouse said serving missions has been life-changing for her own family.
“My husband and I served missions in the early ’90s in Chile and Austria. My 19-year-old daughter, Melissa, is currently on an 18-month mission in Brazil. My oldest son spent two years in Argentina, and another son and daughter served at different times in the Dominican Republic.”
She isn’t planning to see the Broadway show because of the vulgar language, but has read about it.
“I did talk to someone a couple of weeks ago who saw it and while he didn’t like the fact that it makes fun of our religion, he did say some parts of it are really funny.”
HOW TO GO
What: ”Book of Mormon," the Broadway tour presented by Dayton Live
When: March 25-March 29
Where: Benjamin and Marian Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton
Tickets: $34 and up at DaytonLive.org or the Dayton Live Ticket Office at 937-228-3630.
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