"The Book of Mormon" inspired him to go into theater; now he's the show's leading man

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A stage actor's career is coming full circle as "The Book of Mormon" returns to Chicago.

The Broadway hit is playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through April 16, but it first came to Chicago in late 2012, and stayed through the first half of 2013.

In one of those audiences was a teen named Sam McLellan, who was growing up in Wisconsin when he came to Chicago to visit his sister. She decided to take him to the show, and it became a turning point that changed the trajectory of McLellan's entire life.

McLellan is now starring in "The Book of Mormon" as Elder Price on stage in Chicago, in what he describes as a dream come true.

"After seeing that show, I was like, 'That is what I want to do,'" McLellan said. "I mean that was April of 2013 that I saw that show, so it's almost 10 years exactly that I'm here in Chicago playing the leading role in the show that made me want to do musical theatre. It's crazy!"

McLellan said his sister, who first took him 10 years ago, doesn't live in Chicago anymore, but was at Sunday night's show.