Bigger, Longer, and Choreographed

Perhaps you remember the dead-on Broadway-style music in South Park’s 1999 movie Bigger, Longer, & Uncut. The plot of that movie, advanced by escalating tension between Canada and the United States, is carried by full-scale animated production numbers like ‘Blame Canada’ and ‘What Would Brian Boitano Do?’

Now South Park’s creators — Trey Parker and Matt Stone — are taking their act to the Great White Way. Yesterday they announced plans to open a new musical comedy in Spring 2011 titled ‘The Book of Mormon.’ Parker told the New York Post, ‘Matt and I both grew up around a lot of Mormons. I’ve never met a Mormon I didn’t like. They’re really nice people. They’re so Disney. They’re so Rodgers and Hammerstein.’

They’ll team up with ‘Avenue Q’ co-creator, composer, and lyricistRobert Lopez.

Parker and Stone have been equal-opportunity offenders throughout their careers, picking out targets across the political spectrum, as well as most major organized religions (namely Christianity and Scientology). And it’s difficult to see this show debuting without some sort of protest. Parts will be foul, to be sure. Parts will be cringe-worthy. But just like Lopez’s R-rated take on ‘Sesame Street,’ this new show should also be entertaining and caustically intelligent. And successful: between the three creators, they’ve already got four Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Tony Award.

And the music should be tight, too… (though not suitable for the ‘Sesame Street’ set).

-Michael Guerriero