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Scaling back Church pageants


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Posted

https://www.ksl.com/article/46415519/manti-pageant-to-be-scaled-down-following-statement-from-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints

Looks like a major cutback.  I've already seen people saying "the end of pageants" instead of scaled back.  Manti, Nauvoo, Cumorah... such a history.

Posted (edited)

Me and my family were in the Oakland Temple Pageant the last year it ran (I think like 2007?). It was a pretty fun production, but they decided that it wasn't as effective as it used to be to get people interested in the church. It was also a really big commitment for my parents. I think the feeling was that resources could be better used elsewhere.

Edited by mapman
Posted (edited)

Does anyone remember ‘Moroni?’ It played at the Salt Palace in the ‘70s, in all it’s cornball glory. My uncle provided the lipsyncing Moroni’s singing voice. That was a long time ago, the era of ‘My Turn on Earth,’ ‘Saturday’s Warrior,’ and the stake road show.

Edited by Spammer
Posted
32 minutes ago, Spammer said:

the stake road show.

I remember those. I broke several traffic violations driving from one church building to the next trying to not be late. Perhaps that's why they stopped having them?

Posted

Interesting move. I hope the hill commits pageant at least will continue.

https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/statement-local-celebrations-pageants-october-2018?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LDSNewsRoomTop15+(RSS%3A+LDS+Newsroom)

I wish we did more stake activities to use the gym and stage for the community. It would have some good potential of we used it right. I can't remember the last time we used the stage for anything but a class in a long time

Posted
1 hour ago, Avatar4321 said:

Interesting move. I hope the hill commits pageant at least will continue.

https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/statement-local-celebrations-pageants-october-2018?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LDSNewsRoomTop15+(RSS%3A+LDS+Newsroom)

I wish we did more stake activities to use the gym and stage for the community. It would have some good potential of we used it right. I can't remember the last time we used the stage for anything but a class in a long time

Christmas parties with skits and talent shows in my ward every year.

Posted (edited)
22 minutes ago, Calm said:

Christmas parties with skits and talent shows in my ward every year.

It’s hard to put on something theatrical on a ward or even a stake level these days without it seeming cheesy. 

Edited by Scott Lloyd
Posted (edited)

I don't remember ever seeing something that wasn't cheesy.  Sometimes sweet like nativity scenes, but still cheesy.  (Except for the performance music pieces, most wards seem to have at least one and usually more very talented and devoted musicians) The nature of the beast if one is going to make it fun to put on as well as somewhat entertaining,

Edited by Calm
Posted
21 minutes ago, Calm said:

Christmas parties with skits and talent shows in my ward every year.

You do? I know we had them years ago, but in the last 10 or so in my previous ward, it was said that things needed to be more spiritual. No more funny skits or talent shows. I understand the sentiment to get spiritual, but can we have some time to laugh and get to know each other outside of the spiritual domain? I'm sure the Lord would approve of that. My husband and I laugh to this day when a few bishops ago and someone else put on a funny skit and he was the back side of a donkey or something like that. Very memorable and heart warming, some of those skits. But in the last 10 years my previous ward would have a dinner and some music every year. Or a video of each family saying something about the Saviour or something to do with the Christmas. I understand it's importance, but there are no more days of funny I guess. And our ward said no more to Santa visiting the kids and having them sit on his lap for a candy cane. That was nixed, I long for those old days. So hopefully, the statement about no more pageants doesn't mean your ward will put the kabosh on them. If the church feels the need for families to just do things at home from now on, and just come for Sunday worship two hours a week, that will be a sad day.

Posted
3 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

It’s hard to put on something theatrical on a ward or even a stake level these days without it seeming cheesy. 

Aren't road shows and such supposed to be cheesy?

Posted

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Mesa temple rennovation. I've heard we don't know if the pageant will continue and that part of the plans with the new landscaping are designs to make things better for the pageant. This is an Easter pageant rather than a Book of Mormon one.

Posted
9 hours ago, Avatar4321 said:

Interesting move. I hope the hill commits pageant at least will continue.

I saw it posted that the last year for the Hill Cumorah pageant will be 2020.  I don't know where they got their information.  Maybe someone here knows if that's true and will post more about that.

Posted
51 minutes ago, ALarson said:

I saw it posted that the last year for the Hill Cumorah pageant will be 2020.  I don't know where they got their information.  Maybe someone here knows if that's true and will post more about that.

The church released a statement saying Hill Cumorah is done in 2020. 

Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Aren't road shows and such supposed to be cheesy?

The photos of my mother in a giant yellow bird costume in the 80s would agree.

Edited by JLHPROF
Posted
15 hours ago, Calm said:

I don't remember ever seeing something that wasn't cheesy.  Sometimes sweet like nativity scenes, but still cheesy.  (Except for the performance music pieces, most wards seem to have at least one and usually more very talented and devoted musicians) The nature of the beast if one is going to make it fun to put on as well as somewhat entertaining,

 

11 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Aren't road shows and such supposed to be cheesy?

Seems like a couple of generations ago (when road shows flourished in the Church) people had a greater tolerance for homespun entertainment than we do today. 

In some ways, I miss those days. I have warm memories from my childhood and youth of watching and later participating in road shows. I’m not certain they would hold the same appeal for youth in the Church today. 

Posted (edited)

They didn't for me in my youth. Never pushed my parents to go to camp primarily for that reason.  So glad they went away where I couldn't avoid them.  Introverts rule! ;)

Edited by Calm
Posted

Our stake is hosting Messiah next year. I wonder if that would eventually be out too? 

Posted (edited)
12 minutes ago, MorningStar said:

Our stake is hosting Messiah next year. I wonder if that would eventually be out too? 

'Local celebrations of culture and history may be appropriate. Larger productions, such as pageants, are discouraged'.

Having once survived a performance of Messiah, I don't think it fits into the 'larger production' category. It was just a group of people singing for what felt like about ten hours ...

Edited by Hamba Tuhan
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, MorningStar said:

Our stake is hosting Messiah next year. I wonder if that would eventually be out too? 

It seems to me that this would be the sort of “community” celebration that is allowed under the new policy. 

I think what is being targeted are the massive spectacles that have become traditional in past years. I would guess they include the pageants at Palmyra, Manti, Nauvoo, Mesa, and perhaps Clarkston (Martin Harris) and Castle Dale. These were on such a large scale that they were under the auspices of the Missionary Department and the Church actually sent out roving trucks with sound equipment, lighting, etc. that went from pageant to pageant to accommodate them. 

Edited by Scott Lloyd
Posted

Sucks, I love the Hill C. Pageant.  The pageant really provided a place of pride and fellowship for us on the east coast.  

I do realize that activity rates are dropping, interest may be lower, and expenses/liabilities are getting higher, but the Hill Cumorah Pageant made LDS seem near mainstream on the east coast.  It was a real presence outside of the DC metro.

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