John Eric Parker: The Last Original Mormon on Broadway

0:00On March 30, John Aird Parker is the last original cast member still rocking the stage in the Book of Mormon on Broadway. The show kicked off in 2011 with killer reviews and 9 Tony wins, including Best Musical. 15 years later, into 2026, he's the only one from that debut crew holding it down. A real unicorn in theater were folks usually. Bounce after a year or so, back then, Lightning struck twice for Parker. He nailed a role in Memphis, which snagged the Best New Musical Tony in 2010. Right after, the Book of Mormon opened, and that cast took home the same award in 2011. Celeb's like Steve Martin, Robin Williams, will be Goldberg and the Modern Family Crew, packed the house on opening nights. Life hit hard around that time. His sister passed suddenly, and his mom got hit with Alzheimer's. But the show became his anchor, bringing massive joy even through the grief. He doesn't force advice on new cast members, letting them discover their flow.

1:01Though producers rave about his voice and talent. Parker stepped away briefly when his mom died, and after tying the knot, plus gigs like Tales of the City and some vacations. Now he calls his dressing room, his midtown office, and serves on boards for Broadway cares, slash equity fights, aides and Broadway inspirational voices. That steady gig lets him stretch without the constant hustle. These days, he owns the last man standing title, inspired by his uncle, the sole survivor of seven siblings who rode up at a reunion like Superman. The show stays fresh, a living thing that keeps surprising him with every twist. This has been Global News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.