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158:), as well as a dramatization of the events recorded therein. The pageant featured more than 700 cast members, 1,300 costumes, and a 10-level stage. It ran for seven nights in late July and attracted approximately 35,000 viewers annually. No donations were accepted and no tickets were required, although seating was first-come, first-served.
446:
There were 8,000 chairs available for audience seating in a large outdoor "bowl" at the foot of the stage, which was built on many levels up the side of the hill. Audience members could also bring their own chairs and blankets. Parking was available for 3,000 cars. The pageant attracted approximately
315:, this was initially delayed to 2021. However in March 2021, the Church announced that the Pageant had been cancelled and would not be rescheduled, thus ending its 82-year run. Commemorations (including an online stream of the 2019 edition) will be held to celebrate the history of the event.
247:
was tasked with writing a new script. He was instructed to make the script "accessible to a modern audience, targeting the non-scripture-reading, non-Mormon young adult," which he did in part by making the new version approximately 40 minutes shorter than the previous one.
161:
The
Pageant was performed for the last time in 2019; the LDS Church announced plans to discontinue the event after 2020 due to new directives discouraging large-scale pageants. The final performance was postponed to 2021 due to the
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243:
visited the pageant and called for a phasing out of full-time missionaries in the pageant. Consequently, the cast has since consisted entirely of regular church members. In 1988, author
140:
29:
628:
287:, served as the pageant's artistic director from 2005 until 2018. Starting at the end of the 2018 season, Utah educator Shawnda Moss replaced Hanson as artistic director.
201:, acting out scenes from the Book of Mormon and LDS Church history as part of the commemoration. Over the next decade, the conference grew in duration and scale, and
440:, cast members needed only to memorize movements and follow cues. The show opened after only a week of intensive rehearsals, and it closed after seven performances.
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311:
It was previously announced the 2020 would be the pageant's last year, as a result of new directives by the Church to discourage large-scale pageants. Due to the
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Over 1,300 costumes were utilized for the pageant, which played out on a 10-level stage. Special effects included earthquakes, floods, and fireballs.
436:, applied online between the previous August and November. Since the pageant soundtrack was prerecorded by professional actors, with singing by the
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1004:
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771:"Will next year's Manti Mormon Miracle Pageant be the last? Hill Cumorah show to end after 2020 as church steps away from large shows"
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he received from an angel on the Hill
Cumorah itself. The pageant also included the story of Smith's encounter with the angel,
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In 1991, local service organizations were invited to provide snacks and meals to pageant visitors. The offer was accepted by
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813:
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814:"Church Cancels 2020 Treks and Pageants: Youth camps and conferences in U.S. and Canada closed until further notice"
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During the 2012 season, the pageant held festivities and reunions in commemoration of its 75th anniversary.
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The pageant traces its roots back to the early 1920s and the "Cumorah
Conference" of the Eastern States
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752:"Manti’s Mormon Miracle Pageant is now history. Here are five remembrances of the show’s 52-year run."
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256:
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110:
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The pageant's cast included approximately 700 people. Prospective cast members, many from outside
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for the first official performance of the Hill
Cumorah Pageant, which premiered on July 23, 1937.
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to participate with his family in the cast of the pageant. Osmond played the role of the prophet
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751:
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533:"Elder Christofferson explains why the Hill Cumorah Pageant was a blessing and why it ended"
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contrasted the pageant's sincerity with the raucous tone of another major production, the
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263:, which have turned the pageant into their primary annual fund-raising event. In 1997,
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The pageant was 70 minutes in duration and depicted the overarching story of the
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514:"A bittersweet moment as the Hill Cumorah Pageant prepares for its final bow"
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Dramatic presentation by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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composing an original score for the pageant, which was recorded by the
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designing, building, and installing a five-track recording system; and
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The pageant advanced technologically over the next few decades, with
601:
597:"Donny Osmond Sheds Dreamcoat To Star in Mormon Pageant July 11–19"
95:
76:
60:
710:"Religion and Ethics Newsweekly: Brent Hanson Extended Interview"
260:
72:
966:
796:"Church finalizes pageant decision: 4 to end, 3 to continue"
662:"Hill Cumorah Pageant to celebrate 75th anniversary in 2012"
139:. Premiering in 1937, it was considered to be the flagship
836:"Hill Cumorah Pageant won't return, LDS Church announces"
413:
978:
475:"The Hill Cumorah Pageant: A Historical Perspective"
689:"Dixie State University Theatre Department Faculty"
489:
Neal A. Maxwell
Institute for Religious Scholarship
399:
178:, which was held each year annually in late July.
468:
466:
464:
462:
460:
996:
193:and travel to Palmyra and the recently acquired
129:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
43:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
457:
357:The script for the pageant was taken from the
327:A scene in the Hill Cumorah Pageant depicting
1015:Latter Day Saint movement in New York (state)
270:Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
85:restoration of the Gospel in the latter days
858:
806:
760:, 23 June 2019. Retrieved on 24 March 2020.
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
522:, 16 July 2019. Retrieved on 24 March 2020.
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1010:2021 disestablishments in New York (state)
27:
660:Rappleye, Christine (18 September 2011).
567:
929:
923:
659:
550:
417:
322:
1035:Recurring events disestablished in 2021
1005:1937 establishments in New York (state)
131:(LDS Church) staged at the foot of the
997:
908:. Hill Cumorah Pageant. Archived from
570:"A Mormon Spectacle, Way Off Broadway"
395:The Prophecy: A Day, A Night and a Day
267:left his starring role in the tour of
793:
1030:Recurring events established in 1937
852:
731:"Hill Cumorah Pageant Facebook post"
365:, including ten short story scenes:
1020:Latter Day Saint plays and pageants
408:The Restoration of Christ's Kingdom
13:
414:Cast, setting, and special effects
403:The Written Word: A Golden Message
283:Brent Hanson, a faculty member at
166:, but was later canceled in full.
14:
1051:
1040:Works based on the Book of Mormon
960:
932:"A grand display of Mormon faith"
568:Applebome, Peter (13 July 2011).
480:Journal of Book of Mormon Studies
981:
930:Abcarian, Robin (17 July 2011).
154:(translated into English as the
975:Latter-day Saints Official site
898:
859:Argetsinger, Gerald S. (1992),
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794:Walch, Tad (December 5, 2018).
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473:Argetsinger, Gerald S. (2004).
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681:
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605:. 12 July 1997. Archived from
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1:
637:. 9 July 1997. Archived from
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381:The Voyage to Ancient America
629:"Mormon spirit moves Osmond"
285:Southern Virginia University
211:America's Witness for Christ
127:was an annual production of
7:
10:
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447:35,000 visitors annually.
333:vision of the Tree of Life
169:
1025:Works by Orson Scott Card
870:Encyclopedia of Mormonism
318:
257:Lions Clubs International
117:
101:
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56:
48:
38:
33:Hill Cumorah Pageant logo
26:
21:
342:, which Mormons believe
438:Mormon Tabernacle Choir
234:Utah Symphony Orchestra
230:Mormon Tabernacle Choir
185:would take some of his
61:Ancient American events
512:Christmann, Samantha.
429:
425:of the pageant on the
385:The Burning of Abinadi
378:The Building of a Ship
335:
150:'s encounter with the
906:"Program Information"
840:The Salt Lake Tribune
775:The Salt Lake Tribune
757:The Salt Lake Tribune
421:
375:The Visions of Christ
326:
261:Kiwanis International
875:Macmillan Publishing
390:The Ministry of Alma
253:Rotary International
238:LDS Church president
125:Hill Cumorah Pageant
22:Hill Cumorah Pageant
944:on October 21, 2013
750:Stephenson, Kathy.
634:New York Daily News
275:Samuel the Lamanite
203:New York University
143:of the LDS Church.
609:on 3 December 2012
575:The New York Times
430:
336:
305:The Book of Mormon
292:The New York Times
236:in 1957. In 1973,
218:stereophonic sound
205:English professor
77:American continent
989:LDS Church portal
937:Los Angeles Times
861:"Cumorah Pageant"
313:COVID-19 pandemic
209:wrote the script
195:Smith Family Farm
180:Mission president
164:COVID-19 pandemic
137:Palmyra, New York
121:
120:
111:Palmyra, New York
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991:
986:
985:
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953:
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940:. Archived from
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865:Ludlow, Daniel H
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519:The Buffalo News
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491:. Archived from
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346:translated from
245:Orson Scott Card
63:reported in the
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207:H. Wayne Driggs
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113:, United States
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961:External links
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363:Book of Mormon
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226:Crawford Gates
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156:Book of Mormon
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79:following his
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241:Harold B. Lee
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197:to celebrate
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191:New York City
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183:B. H. Roberts
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152:Golden Plates
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52:July 23, 1937
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967:Hill Cumorah
946:. Retrieved
942:the original
935:
925:
914:. Retrieved
910:the original
900:
873:, New York:
868:
854:
843:. Retrieved
839:
830:
817:
808:
800:Deseret News
799:
789:
778:. Retrieved
774:
765:
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
725:
713:. Retrieved
704:
692:. Retrieved
683:
671:. Retrieved
667:Deseret News
665:
655:
643:. Retrieved
639:the original
632:
623:
611:. Retrieved
607:the original
600:
591:
579:. Retrieved
573:
541:. Retrieved
539:. 2024-01-11
536:
527:
517:
508:
497:. Retrieved
493:the original
484:
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445:
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427:Hill Cumorah
369:The Prophet
356:
344:Joseph Smith
337:
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304:
290:
289:
282:
279:
268:
265:Donny Osmond
250:
215:
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187:missionaries
173:
160:
148:Joseph Smith
146:It depicted
145:
133:Hill Cumorah
124:
122:
107:Hill Cumorah
105:Foot of the
81:resurrection
537:Church News
199:Pioneer Day
999:Categories
948:23 January
916:2009-01-28
845:2021-03-22
822:LDS Church
780:2021-03-22
673:23 January
645:23 January
613:23 January
581:23 January
543:2024-04-18
499:2014-07-22
451:References
83:, and the
69:visitation
39:Written by
297:satirical
220:inventor
973:Pageants
893:24502140
818:Newsroom
602:Playbill
361:and the
302:musical
300:Broadway
232:and the
96:Religion
867:(ed.),
736:26 July
715:22 July
694:22 July
487:(1–2).
176:Mission
170:History
141:pageant
102:Setting
75:to the
57:Subject
891:
881:
352:Moroni
319:Scenes
259:, and
73:Christ
67:, the
863:, in
423:Stage
359:Bible
329:Nephi
189:from
92:Genre
950:2012
889:OCLC
879:ISBN
738:2018
717:2014
696:2014
675:2012
647:2012
615:2012
583:2012
371:Lehi
123:The
331:'s
135:in
109:in
71:of
1001::
934:.
887:,
838:.
820:.
816:.
798:.
773:.
754:,
664:.
631:.
599:.
572:.
552:^
535:.
516:,
485:13
483:.
477:.
459:^
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255:,
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919:.
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87:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
