The Mesa Arizona Temple Easter Pageant, "Jesus the Christ", Resumes after Renovation

[InCognitus]

With the Mesa Arizona Temple undergoing renovation for the last three years, the annual Easter Pageant was also put on hold during that time.  This week the Easter Pageant resumed, with a new stage and new script.  The Pageant will be performed this week and next week, nightly (except for Sunday) starting at 8:00 PM.

https://mesatemple.org/easter-program/

"The Mesa Easter Pageant is the cumulative work of many individuals over many years. At its heart are the life and mission of Jesus Christ. Although the pageant has not been presented since 2018 and the script and musical score have been rewritten, its message remains the same: Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and He invites all to come unto Him to receive life, light, healing and salvation."

https://mesatemple.org/mesa-arizona-easter-pageant-officials-announce-the-return-of-the-mesa-easter-pageant-in-april-2022/

And here's a news link on the event:   https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2022/04/08/mesa-easter-pageant-premieres-first-time-3-years/9494282002/

I attended the opening night performance on Wednesday, April 6 with the youth in our ward.  I also went back on Thursday night to talk to a few of the people with the pamphlets and signs at the curb.  I saw a lot of familiar faces and signs.  I'll probably go back again to see how it is going next week.

Edited April 9, 2022 by InCognitus

[Calm]

I was surprised. I thought they were planning on discontinuing all the pageants except maybe Nauvoo, but I guess they aren’t. 

[Okrahomer]

7 hours ago, Calm said:

I was surprised. I thought they were planning on discontinuing all the pageants except maybe Nauvoo, but I guess they aren’t. 

From the Church news website:  3 to continue, 4 to end

[InCognitus]

6 hours ago, Calm said:

I was surprised. I thought they were planning on discontinuing all the pageants except maybe Nauvoo, but I guess they aren’t. 

The Mesa Easter Pageant is quite popular, and it's held in a major metropolitan area with a large population, so it draws in large crowds.  And it is centered on the life of Christ, so it's hard to go wrong on that.  Some of the critics/protesters that show up come from other states, but we also have our fair share of those from the Phoenix area (i.e James White, Jeff Durbin).  I'm not sure what those guys would do if we didn't hold the Easter Pageant (it would be such a boring life).

There are close to 10,000 chairs set up on the lawn for attendees (our ward provided some of them from our building).  This photo, taken about an hour before the start, shows only a portion of the seating.  The stage is at the left, and the chairs go all the way back to the street at the far right (not shown in this photo).

 

[rongo]

On 4/9/2022 at 12:07 PM, Calm said:

I was surprised. I thought they were planning on discontinuing all the pageants except maybe Nauvoo, but I guess they aren’t. 

I think the purely Christ-centered ones may stay, but Restoration ones, like Palmyra or the Man Who Knew, are discontinued.  

ETA: As per Okrahomer's link, what I posted is inaccurate (British Mission, Nauvoo are still on). Still, I think there are reasons why the purely Book of Mormon or Witnesses ones are being done away with. 

Edited April 12, 2022 by rongo

[InCognitus]

I know this is several weeks after the fact, but I was just transferring photos from my phone, and have a better photo (taken from a different night's visit) of the Easter Pageant this year.  This shows the full panoramic scope of the seating area of the new arrangement in front of the Mesa Arizona Temple:

Here's another view up next to the stage:

[Calm]

Cool photo