'Book of Mormon' to start tour in Denver

NEW YORK, May 13 (UPI) -- "The Book of Mormon," the Broadway musical that recently earned 14 Tony Award nominations, is to begin its national tour in Denver in December 2012.

The profanity-laced musical comedy features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the Emmy Award-winning creators of Comedy Central's animated series, "South Park." Tony Award-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, "Avenue Q."

"Mormon" was choreographed by five-time Tony Award-nominee Casey Nicholaw and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

Starring Josh Gad,Rory O'Malley and Andrew Rannells, it tells the story of how two well-meaning, but naive missionaries cheerily try to convert Ugandan villagers facing poverty and strife unlike anything they have ever imagined. While one of the young visitors is overwhelmed, the second attempts to teach the villagers about God in a way to which they can relate and inspire them to hope for better lives.

The "Mormon" national tour will kick off at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. A complete tour schedule will be announced in the coming weeks, the show's producers said Thursday.

"We can't tell you how much it means to us to open the tour in the state in which we grew up. It's like coming home," Parker said in a statement. "We can't wait to play the show across America and the fact that we're getting the chance to start where we grew up is an incredible bonus and very humbling."

"I am honored that Matt, Trey and the entire team have given Denver the nod to open their national tour at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts," said Randy Weeks, president of the DCPA. "'The Book of Mormon' has reinvented Broadway. It's fantastic that the folks in Colorado will have the first opportunity to see the tour."