When “The Book of Mormon” opened on Broadway in 2011, John Eric Parker was onstage as the show was showered with rapturous reviews and cheers. In 2026, he is still, happily, there. Parker is the only original cast member standing, a rarity in professional musical theatre where performers usually move on within a year.
“I’m still here. I feel still very much viable. I still feel like I’m having a good time and I’m doing good work,” he says. “The first indication for me to go is to not have any joy. And this still brings me huge amounts of joy.”
The singer and actor, whose Broadway credits also include “All Shook Up” and “Rent”, makes himself available to newcomers if they seek his advice, but he does not press. “I don’t push myself or what I know on other actors because I feel like they have to be afforded the opportunity to find it for themselves,” he says.
Producer Anne Garefino finds it special to be able to walk into the theatre and get a hug from Parker, who she calls “a rock, but without being pushy about it.” She adds, “I’m honoured that he has stayed this long because he’s talented, he’s got a gorgeous voice.”
“The Book of Mormon” came to Parker during a low time. His sister passed away unexpectedly at the same time his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He juggled two offers — a new musical called “Memphis” and what would become “The Book of Mormon.” He was part of the cast that won the Tony Award for best new musical in 2010 for “Memphis”, and then again in 2011 for “The Book of Mormon”. “It was like lightning striking twice in a row,” he says.
Parker says the show has changed as the world around it changed, starting as a musical about faith and then, after the pandemic, about the joy of theatre itself. He used to avoid the term “last man standing”, but now embraces his role. “The notion of being tethered to something allows me to bungee jump even more,” he says.
