Yes, you’ve probably heard about the more recent Book of Mormon Broadway musical, but this one took place in 1912!
It started with a novel, Corianton, (by B.H. Roberts), then a stage play that was created combining Roberts’ book and another book called A Ship of Hagoth. (If you haven’t yet read the Book of Mormon, these names will not be familiar at all, but both people are part of the narrative, if only for a few paragraphs.)
Years later, the play’s creator brought this Book of Mormon musical to Broadway (he financed the project himself). Even as the Broadway musical was short-lived, the story had yet another life through a movie.
It’s a little-known story that Mormon historian Ardis Parshall has shared in detail here. (Ardis is a master at bringing little-known Mormon stories to light.) Middle-Aged Mormon Man is the blog where we first found the story.
We hope our readers enjoy reading more about the real first Book of Mormon musical on Broadway. Thanks to Ardis for her work in researching this, and to MMM for sharing about it as well.
