On A Mission

Offensive — and totally hilarious — Book of Mormon returns to Bass Concert Hall

Monica L. Patton, Ryan Bondy, Cody Jamison Strand in The Book of Mormon national tour

The smash hit Book of Mormon returns to Austin April 17-22.

Photo by Joan Marcus

If musicals came with warning labels, Book of Mormon would come with at least three:

Not appropriate for children.
Not suitable for those easily offended.
May cause minor, temporary bodily harm.

Book of Mormon no doubt covers very mature subjects and pushes the envelope all the way to the edge. That covers the first two warnings. The third is about the potential jaw or abdominal aches you may suffer after laughing nonstop for two hours. (I know because my face actually hurt after seeing the show for the first time.)

So, if none of these warnings scare you, and you’re okay with potential discomfort (both emotional and physical), you must catch Book of Mormon during its one-week run at Bass Concert Hall April 17-22.

The Tony Award-winning show follows the journey of two very different Mormon missionaries to a tiny African village where they try to convert people to the faith. They are exposed to some harsh realities in Uganda — which leads to some of the show’s funniest and most uncomfortable moments.

Andy Huntington Jones plays district leader Elder McKinley who is determined to be successful in bringing people to the church. Jones says in addition to its well-known humor, the show has a lot of heart and a profound message.

“Yes, we say funny things, but ultimately the story celebrates our innate need to connect and find meaning in life,” he explains. “I love traveling to new cities and making people laugh their butts off while also [making them think] about the role faith plays in their lives.”

Two of Book of Mormon’s three co-creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, also created the long-running Comedy Central animated series South Park. The musical was born out of Stone and Parker’s fascination with Mormons and mutual love of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The result is a fun, flashy, thought-provoking good time.

“I love this show,” says Jones. “The Book of Mormon will literally change your life. Or not. But aren’t you curious, Austin?”

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Tickets are currently on sale here. A limited number of $25 lottery tickets will also be made available at the box office before each performance.

theater

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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