TORONTO -- Toronto may be bombarded by a BOM Squad in 2013.

That's the name for fervent fans of the runaway hit Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, which Mirvish Productions is bringing to the city in April.

New York University drama student Jesse Eisenberg has seen the religious satire 11 times -- and counting -- on the Great White Way.

The 19-year-old says that's nothing compared to some Book of Mormon fans, who've seen the show upwards of 100 times.

Such superfandom is common in the theatre world.

American Idiot director and co-writer Michael Mayer says by the time the show closed on Broadway, there were people who'd seen the show 50 or 60 times.

And theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber says during his recent U-K arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, half a dozen fans saw all 24 dates.

Lloyd Webber says he's also heard of some people have seen his Phantom of the Opera more times than he has.

 

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 31, 2012 D2