The Lamoni Queen
Isn't Jacqueline beautiful in her costume? I went down to Sanpete County yesterday for the project and met some wonderful people in Manti.
A few facts on the Mormon Miracle Pageant: 600+ performers (the town has about 2,500 citizens), 8 performances each year, expected total attendance is around 75,000. Most locals I talked to had played a variety of roles in the pageant over the years, perhaps starting as a boy as Nephite warrior, growing up to be a pioneer handcart tower, then into a major role like Joseph Smith or Brigham Young.
The performers, in costume, visit with the crowd while the attendees stake out their seats (the staff puts out 14,000 chairs for the weekend crush). As the first few stars come out, the 100 minute program begins, retelling key events of the LDS texts and history as seen through the eyes of a fictional couple, early converts to the church.
Not having seen this production before, I was naturally in the wrong place for a few scenes - the script runs at a rapid pace - but overall, I'm pretty happy with the pictures and grateful for the welcome I received. The biggest surprise (except for the flaming volcano set) happened after the pageant ended. I never imagined I would see a line of red tail lights snaking down Highway 89 in Sanpete County, much less at midnight on a Tuesday. This year's shows continue through Saturday, and expect a conga-line drive home if you go on the weekend.
