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Fifteen years after The Book of Mormon first premiered on Broadway, Elder McKinley remains one of the musical’s most memorable (and scene-stealing) roles.
For Rory O’Malley, who originated the role and earned a Tony nomination for his performance, watching its evolution has been one of the greatest joys of his career. “It’s always a pleasure and an honor to get to see other actors interpretations of a role that you worked on for so long in small little black box theaters or little readings and thinking,’Is anyone ever gonna get to hear this?'”
Long before the show became a global phenomenon, O’Malley remembers the uncertainty surrounding its future.
“I remember after a reading, thinking, ‘This is the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of!’ And I went to an audition and a casting director said, ‘I saw the reading, it was unbelievable.’ And I said, ‘Thank you!’ And she said, ‘It will never be produced.’ And I left that audition so depressed! But I really wasn’t sure.”
That uncertainty makes the show’s lasting success all the more meaningful. O’Malley credits much of that to the meticulous approach of the creators- Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Robert Lopez, and Casey Nicholaw.
“They’re such technicians. If anything was not working and telling the story, they immediately cut it,” he told BroadwayWorld’s Richard Ridge. “Nothing was precious, even if it was getting a huge laugh. Which was hard for us, because if we could get a big laugh on something we wanted to keep it no matter what! But for them, they wanted to tell a story that made sense, that had a heart, and that was really captivating to the audience.”
Now, the show’s legacy continues with Franklin, who first joined the Broadway company in 2014 and has returned multiple times. In October 2025, he stepped into the role of Elder McKinley, bringing his own perspective while honoring those who came before him.
“I had the privilege of seeing some amazing people do the part- Grey Henson, Stephen Ashfield… I worked with both of them, and so it was hard not doing the brilliant things that they did because they’re so brilliant,” said Franklin. “It was amazing to go out there and trust what I was doing.”
Looking back, O’Malley holds the experience close above all others in his career. “I’m more proud of The Book of Mormon, the creative process than I am of anything else in my career, without a doubt.”
Watch in this video as both chat more about the character they hold so dear, and reflect on 15 years of The Book of Mormon.
