The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert The Creators & Cast of 'The Book of Mormon' | Hormuz It Or Lose It
Mar 17, 2026
Andrew Rannells, Tony-nominated, Grammy-winning actor who originated Elder Price, and Matt Stone, South Park co-creator and musical writer. They reminisce about creating The Book of Mormon, audition and casting stories, writing spicy, boundary-pushing songs, surprising reactions including church responses, and the musical’s rise from workshops to Broadway fame.
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Origins Of The Book Of Mormon Musical
- Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez conceived The Book of Mormon from a long-standing fascination with Joseph Smith and Mormon themes.
- The idea grew from casual conversations and mutual influences after meeting through Broadway and film projects, turning a provocative notion into a fully formed musical.
Chance Meeting After Avenue Q Sparked Collaboration
- Trey and Matt discovered Robert Lopez after seeing Avenue Q and found a surprise 'special thanks' to them in the playbill.
- That chance encounter led to hanging out, collaborating, and eventually inviting Lopez to join their Mormon musical project.
Workshops Shaped Risky Jokes Into Hits
- The creative team used iterative workshops to test audience reactions and refine the show, relying heavily on live responses.
- Repeated workshops let them pinpoint risky moments like the Hasadiga Ibuai scene and confirm it landed with most audiences despite occasional walkouts.