Stephen Colbert Guests March 16, 2026
Guests
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Robert Lopez, Andrew Rannells, and Josh Gad
The March 16, 2026 episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert featured Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Robert Lopez, Andrew Rannells, and Josh Gad.
Episode clips
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Robert Lopez, and Andrew Rannells
Trey Parker reflects on Stephen Sondheim’s encouragement, the Mormon Church’s unexpectedly friendly reaction and developing The Book of Mormon with Matt Stone and Robert Lopez, while announcing the musical’s 15th-anniversary Broadway celebration.
Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez celebrate 15 years of The Book of Mormon, recalling Stephen Sondheim’s encouragement, an offended audience member’s dramatic exit and the Mormon Church’s good-humored Playbill ad. They also explain the late creation of “I Believe” and announce Magical Mormon Mystery Week on Broadway.
Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez trace the creative path to The Book of Mormon, from their childhood fascination with funny songs to the mutual influence connecting South Park and Avenue Q. Lopez credits Parker and Stone’s work with inspiring Avenue Q, while the collaborators recall discovering their shared idea for a Mormon musical.
Matt Stone
Matt Stone revisits his creative partnership with Trey Parker, the mutual influence between South Park and Avenue Q and the audience and church reactions that shaped The Book of Mormon before its 15th-anniversary celebration.
Robert Lopez
Robert Lopez explains how South Park inspired Avenue Q, how his long-held Mormon-musical idea aligned with Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s, and how workshops, casting and “I Believe” helped build The Book of Mormon.
Andrew Rannells
Andrew Rannells recalls auditioning for Elder Price, surviving constant rewrites and seeing The Book of Mormon reach audiences far beyond Broadway. He also revisits Mitt Romney’s declined invitation and returns to perform “I Believe” with the company.
Andrew Rannells looks back on originating Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, from dressing like a missionary at his audition to navigating new pages and lyrics throughout previews. He also recalls Mitt Romney declining an invitation to introduce the cast and marvels that the once-niche musical now tours successfully in Salt Lake City.
Andrew Rannells and the Broadway company of The Book of Mormon perform “I Believe.”
Other episode clips
FAQ
- Who were the guests on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Mar 16, 2026?
- Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Robert Lopez, Andrew Rannells, and Josh Gad were the guests on this episode.
- When did this episode air?
- Mar 16, 2026.