'The Book of Mormon' Tour Launches with Two Gay Leads

By: Brandon Voss

8.27.2012

Official production photos have just been released for the First National Tour of The Book of Mormon, the Tony-winning musical from South Park's creators that's arguably Broadway's biggest juggernaut. The touring production, which opened Aug. 20 in Denver, stars Gavin Creel and Jared Gertner as hilariously mismatched Mormon missionaries Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, respectively. As if the show didn't piss off Mormons enough already, both actors are openly gay. Suck on that, Joseph Smith!

Creel, who came out in a 2009 interview with The Advocate, has been romantically linked to Jonathan Groff and, more recently, The New Normal's Andrew Rannells, who originated the role of Elder Price on Broadway. Gertner — who briefly replaced (straight) star Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham on Broadway — married his partner, Jeffrey Marshek, at a Connecticut ceremony in 2010.

The Book of Mormon tour, which runs through Sept. 2 at Denver's Ellie Caulkins Opera House, begins performances Sept. 5 at the Pantages Theatre in L.A. Find the full touring schedule here and check out all the new photos: