‘The Book of Mormon’ returns to Segerstrom Center

By Eric Althoff

March 22, 2018 4:20 PM PT

Jake Emmerling almost missed out on the show of a lifetime.

After enjoying himself a bit too heartily on St. Patrick’s Day 2012, the actor all but forced himself to audition the next day for “The Book of Mormon,” the naughty sendup of Latter-day Saints culture and beliefs that had taken Broadway by storm a year earlier.

“I almost didn’t go because I was so sick,” Emmerling said, recalling the audition. “I didn’t want to embarrass myself.”

Nonetheless, Emmerling, of Pittsburgh, Penn., soldiered on through his first professional audition since he’d moved to Chicago a month earlier.

Despite his hangover, he so impressed producers and casting directors that he was called back six times and got the job a month later.

More impressive still, Emmerling has been with the traveling production of “The Book of Mormon” since 2012, and he is currently appearing in the ensemble at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through April 1.

Emmerling warms up his voice backstage before the show, and says “centering and gathering” his energy prior to call-time is as important given how high-energy the show is.

“The fun thing with being on tour for so long [is cast members] will come in and leave, but that definitely brings a different kind of energy and focus to the show,” Emmerling said. “It definitely changes my show whenever we are doing it every night.”

The chuckle-inducing musical, from the creators of “South Park,” follows the misadventures of aspiring missionaries Elder Kevin Price (Kevin Clay) and Elder Arnold Cunningham (Conner Peirson), who are sent to Uganda to convert natives to the Mormon faith.

Emmerling said the show’s more-than-gentle ribbing of the tenets of Mormon faith resonates particularly with members of the Latter-day Saints community, who often come up to him after curtain to share their knowing appreciation of the lampoon.

“A lot of people [say], ‘Oh yeah, I was raised Mormon but no longer,’ or ‘I got to really connect with all the little jokes because I know the religion really well,’” Emmerling said. “It’s fun to meet the people.”

Even though “The Book of Mormon” satirizes the faith of the approximately 6 million U.S. adherents, Emmerling said audience members nonetheless tell him the show is actually a celebration of faith as much as it jests with belief at the same time.

“We’ve never gotten anyone that’s confronted us or questioned us per se at the stage door,” he said. “I think it’s also because the show does a beautiful job [of] telling a story about faith and honoring [that] no matter what you believe, it’s important that you believe, especially in having a strong moral compass.”

Since the show has aggressively poked audiences’ funny bones on Broadway and on tour for seven years, it may in fact be running out of people to shock, Emmerling said.

“It’s definitely not as exciting or as eccentric as when we first opened, but we still get audiences that do get a reaction if [it’s] their very first time seeing it, so that keeps it kind of fresh,” he said, adding that teenagers are among the most excited to chat with him at the stage door.

Part of the joy of touring with a show is getting to explore new parts of the country and enjoy steady work in an often-punishing profession.

“It’s my first tour, so it was just kind of hard not to look forward to new cities,” Emmerling said. “I’ve really just found a home with ‘Book of Mormon.’ It’s a part that I really connect with and a show that I love to do.”

While he has greatly enjoyed the gift to his career that has been “The Book of Mormon,” Emmerling said a time will come when he will hang up the white shirt and black tie of his missionary role.

“I feel like I’m [approaching] the end of my time [and beginning] a new chapter with my life. I’m not sure when,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s like, ‘OK, I’m ready to go.’”

Looking beyond “The Book of Mormon,” Emmerling would like to try his hand at Shakespeare and eventually move into directing and choreography. A dream role would be to join the cast of the “Frozen” tour.

“Come in with an open mind and come in with an open heart, because I think the show, as crazy as it gets, comes from a sincere place,” he said. “If you’re coming back for a second or third time, I hope you have as many laughs as you did the first.”