My sweetie is still under the weather, so we had to head off on an adventure without him. As it turned out, 18 members of my family all met up on Saturday night in Manti to enjoy the very last performance of the Mormon Miracle Pageant.
It was difficult to say, "Goodbye." The pageant was such a big part of my life as a child and youth and then again later taking my own children that I shed many tears as the angels covered the hill during the last scene for the final time.
My family took part in the very first pageant when it appeared on the fairgrounds rather than on temple hill. Mom kept the bonnets we used as pioneers in the bottom drawer of her dresser and many times she brought them out and let us try them on. Since it was 1967 and I was born in 1965, I don't remember much about the actual experience, but at 2 1/2-year-old, I'm sure I made a pretty cute little pioneer.
After that first year, we begged Mom many times to let us participate again and I remember helping make Mormon Miracle Pageant brownies (yeah, it really is a thing!) and other items for the food booths. Back then everything was homemade and the only booths allowed near the temple were the ones that helped support the wards and the pageant itself.
I was so excited to turn 12 so that I could be one of the angels! Then it was one of the Nephites and finally a Lamanite. I remember my older brother showering forever trying to get the makeup off after he was one of the Lamanite warriors. My oldest sister was a Lamanite dancer and I have a vague memory of some stubborn black dye that refused to wash out of her hair. I remember trips out to the lake with my friends since that was literally the best and most thorough way to get rid of the paint. We never dreamed that it might hurt the fish or the environment since the paint was all non-toxic, but washing off an all-over body paint took way more hot water than our house could support, especially since we almost always had more than one in need of washing. Once I swam all the way across the lake in the middle of the night with a cute guy just to prove I could do it.
When I was 17, I secured an audition for the role of Mary Henshaw, even though I was told up front that I would be one of the last choices since Mary was supposed to be played by someone who was at least 18. I didn't get the part, but I will never forget wearing the long flowing dress and trying to walk sideways down the hill without falling or messing up the flow. It's not as easy as it looks!
After I was married, my sweetie and I worked a shift in one of the stake-sponsored food booths where we actually sold hamburgers and those amazing brownies. My dad drove the cast bus and Mom and I used to sit on the curb and count the cars when it was all over each night to see if we could guess how many people might have attended. Those numbers always appeared in our local paper.
And finally, the many years of taking my own children to enjoy the magic of the larger than life story as it unfolded at the base of the beautiful Manti Temple; up until last night, when it slipped into the pages of history and the memories of those who lived it.
There will never be anything like it.
3 comments:
My uncle, Doug Barton, has worked on lighting since the beginning, and their whole family has been involved in various ways all these years. I'm sad our children never saw it as it was a part of my childhood and also got my husband interested in the Book of Mormon when he was a teenager and saw it with friends.
Remember when Jim fell asleep in his lamanite paint and Randy got his hair wet and rubbed his head against Jim's to see what would happen?? ����
Thanks for sharing this endearing story of your memories and moments at this spectacular pageant. I wish we would have been able to attend this year. It is very sad to me that this era is over.
We saw it a couple of times because of not living in this state. It was a fabulous production.
I really enjoyed reading your memories and experiences with it and your faithful attendance to it through the years with your children.
Sending loving thoughts and hugs for this one!
Post a Comment