Steven Telsey ’18 currently portrays the roles of “Mormon,” Elder Cross and Elder Davis on the tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Telsey recently began performances on June 11, 2019, in Toronto, Canada.
Steven Telsey’s journey with “The Book of Mormon” began during spring break of his senior year when he decided to go in for an open call.
“That time, I didn’t get past the first round,” stated Telsey, a member of the Class of 2018.
A few months later he went in for a “future replacements” call and heard nothing for nearly a year. Then, this past April, he was called back in to audition for the producers “and the rest is history!” said Telsey.
Telsey received the exciting news this past April, having just moved to New York a few months prior. “I saw that I was receiving a phone call from my agents. When they said ‘Hey, Steven. You’re on speaker,’ I quickly replied, ‘…no way.’ They said, ‘way,’ and I screamed so loud that Patrick (current roommate and fellow 2018 Elon Music Theatre alum) heard from down the hall.”
Several weeks later, Telsey had three days of choreography rehearsals in New York City, and soon joined the Mormon company in Philadelphia on May 28. Telsey had two weeks to learn his various tracks in the production.
“Luckily the Mormon team is fabulous and was incredibly supportive when I was learning the show!” Telsey noted.
“Without Elon, there is no way I would be in this musical,” Telsey stated firmly. “I had absolutely zero dance training before attending Elon. If it wasn’t for the brilliant and patient educators that the Elon Music Theatre program provides for its students, as well as the opportunities that we as student receive within the Department of Performing Arts, I would not physically have the ability to be dancing in an ensemble eight times a week. I also have to give a huge shout out to Dr. Kenneth Lee, my voice teacher. It’s because of him that I am able to sustain my voice throughout this beast of a score.”
Telsey is currently performing in “The Book of Mormon” and is set to tour in over 25 cities around the country.
More information about the national tour of “The Book of Mormon” can be found here.