One of the most successful shows in Broadway history, The Book of Mormon broke box office records when it debuted in 2011 and received nine Tony awards, including Best Musical. A collaboration between Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of the show South Park) and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), the show was a critical success, cited for both its religious irreverence and sendup of musical traditions. In Singing and Dancing to The Book of Mormon: Critical Essays on the Broadway Musical, Marc Edward Shaw and Holly Welker have assembled a collection that examines this cultural phenomenon from a variety of perspectives. Contributors to this volume address such questions as: What made the musical such a remarkable success? In what ways does the show utilize established musical theatre traditions and comic tropes, but still create something new? What religious and cultural buttons does the work push? What artistic and social boundaries—and the transgressions thereof—give the work its edge? Another focus in this volume is the official and unofficial Mormon reactions to the musical. Because the coeditors and several of the contributors have ties to the Mormon community, they offer unique perspectives on the musical’s finer points about Mormon doctrine. Beyond the obvious appeal to theatre devotees, Singing and Dancing to The Book of Mormon will be of interest to scholars of religion, sociology, theatre, and popular culture.

Stop looking for the Book of Mormon in Mesoamerica and start looking for Mesoamerica in the Book of Mormon! Second Witness, a new six-volume series from Greg Kofford Books, takes a detailed, verse-by-verse look at the Book of Mormon. It marshals the best of modern scholarship and new insights into a consistent picture of the Book of Mormon as a historical document. Taking a faithful but scholarly approach to the text and reading it through the insights of linguistics, anthropology, and ethnohistory, the commentary approaches the text from a variety of perspectives: how it was created, how it relates to history and culture, and what religious insights it provides. The commentary accepts the best modern scholarship, which focuses on a particular region of Mesoamerica as the most plausible location for the Book of Mormon’s setting. For the first time, that location—its peoples, cultures, and historical trends—are used as the backdrop for reading the text. The historical background is not presented as proof, but rather as an explanatory context. The commentary does not forget Mormon’s purpose in writing. It discusses the doctrinal and theological aspects of the text and highlights the way in which Mormon created it to meet his goal of “convincing . . . the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.”

The shortest runs can have the longest legacies: for too long, scholarship surrounding British musical theatre has coalesced around the biggest names, ignoring important works that have not had the critical engagement they deserve. Through academic interrogation and industry insight, this unique collection of essays recognizes these works, shining a light on their creative achievements and legacies. With each chapter focusing on a different significant musical, a selection of shows spanning 2010s are analysed and the development and evolution of the genre is explored. Touching on key, hit shows such as SIX, Matilda, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, The Grinning Man and Bend it Like Beckham, each chapter discusses different theatrical elements, from dramaturgy and musicology to reception, and also includes an interview with a practitioner related to each musical, providing in-depth understanding and invaluable practical and industry knowledge. Identifying the intersectionality between industry insight and academic analysis, Contemporary British Musicals: 'Out of the Darkness' challenges the narrative that the British musical is dead : creating a new historiography of the British musical that celebrates the work being created, while providing a manifesto for the future.

William Alexander Linn's 'The Main LDS Books' is an extensive compilation that serves as a thorough introduction and academic resource on the core texts and writings that underpin the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This collection not only includes the cardinal works of scripture—The Bible (KJV), The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price—but it also encompasses a wealth of doctrinal essays, discourses, and biographies by influential LDS leaders and scholars. With a keen editorial eye, the texts are arranged to present an overarching narrative of the LDS faith and its teachings, shedding light on its theology, history, and the lives of its founders. The scholarly exposition is complemented by an examination of the Church's theological evolution through seminal works, such as 'Jesus the Christ' by Talmage and 'A Rational Theology' by Widtsoe, contextualizing the LDS Church within the broader Christian tradition and American religious history. Linn himself, historically known for his critical views on Mormonism, notably in his book 'The Story of the Mormons,' has here taken on the role of editor to present an unvarnished and comprehensive outlook on Mormon writings. His extensive research into Mormon history and doctrines, as indicated in his past works, equips him with a unique perspective that brings forth the complexities and nuances of the LDS Church. Through 'The Main LDS Books,' Linn offers an inclusive treasury that gives readers the opportunity to explore and understand the LDS faith from its foundational texts, through prophetic teachings and expositions, to the vibrant histories of its leaders. This collection is recommended for scholars, theologians, historians, and anyone with a keen interest in the intricacies of the LDS Church and its canonical literature. It provides an unparalleled resource for comprehensive study, reflection, and discourse on the multifaceted aspects of Mormon thought and leadership. Whether one approaches this collection from an academic, faith-based, or historical standpoint, 'The Main LDS Books' is an indispensable anthology that delivers depth, variety, and scholarly insight into one of the most intriguing religious movements of the modern era.

A history of the Mormon faith and people as they use the art of music to define and re-define their religious identity

Musical theatre is often perceived as either a Broadway based art form, or as having separate histories in London and New York. Musical Theatre Histories: Expanding the Narrative, however, depicts the musical as neither American nor British, but both and more, having grown out of frequent and substantial interactions between both centres (and beyond). Through multiple thematic 'histories', Millie Taylor and Adam Rush take readers on a series of journeys that include the art form's European and American origins, African American influences, negotiations arounddiversity, national identity, and the globalisation of the form, as well as revival culture, censorship and the place of social media in the 21st century. Each chapter includes case studies and key concept boxes to identify, explain and contextualise important discussions, offering an accessible study of a dynamic and ever evolving medium. Written and developed for undergraduate students, this introductory textbook provides a newly focused and alternative way of understanding musical theatre history.

A home reference guide to key terms in Mormon culture. A one-volume compendium of Mormon culture, this handy reference book covers key doctrinal terms, beliefs, ordinances, church history and growth, and more. You’ll find extensive entries on the prophets and personalities from all four standard works accepted by the church, and many interesting anecdotes and facts on a wide array of topics. Teens and adults will appreciate the fresh, innovative approach this encyclopedia takes as it culls the vast sea of LDS information available into a manageable book suitable for the whole family.

"The most detailed study yet of early Mormon thought about the ""end times,"" The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism shows how Mormon views of Christ's imminent second coming exerted a profound influence on Mormonism between 1830 and 1846. By exploring how early LDS interpretation of the Bible and the Book of Mormon affected, and was affected by, Mormon millennial doctrines, Grant Underwood provides the first comprehensive linkage of the history of early Mormonism and millennial thought. He also probes LDS perceptions of the institutions and values prevalent before the Civil War, reassessing Mormonism's relationship to the dominant culture and placing Mormon millennial thought in the broader context of Judeo-Christian ideas about the end of the world."

Every few weeks a politician, pundit or soap star causes a media storm by making a gaffe or tweeting a joke that some people do not find funny. Comedy is very hard to get right and yet we think it’s important to have a sense of humour and not take yourself too seriously. On the other hand, a sense of humour failure can lead to losing your friends, your twitter account, your job, your career and, in some cases, your life. James Cary knows about this. He is a sitcom writer who’s written jokes about bomb disposal in Afghanistan (Bluestone 42), defended comments about Islam by Ben Elton on Newsnight, been on a panel with radical Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary, sits on the General Synod of the Church of England and somehow managed to co-write episodes of Miranda. An odd mix, but one that makes him very readable. This entertaining, breezy book, explains how comedy works (with jokes and quotes) and gives much-needed insights into the controversy surrounding humour.

The ideal introduction to what many historians consider the most innovative and successful religion to emerge during the spiritual ferment of antebellum America.