List of pageants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained

This list of pageants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delineates those annual outdoor theatrical performance produced by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is reminiscent of early Christian Pageants which reenacted the world history in processional performance. Latter-day Saint pageants are held outdoors, they are free to the public, and typically last for a two-week period. In December 2018, the LDS Church announced that four pageants will phased out over the next several years.^[1]

Pageants in production

• Mesa Easter Pageant: Jesus the Christ, Mesa, Arizona: This free musical is presented during the two weeks before Easter on the north lawn of the Mesa Arizona Temple.
• The British Pageant: Truth Will Prevail (Chorley, Lancashire, England): Will generally be held every four years. The most recent pageant took place in August 2023.^[2] The next performance is scheduled for 2027 in England.^[3]
• The Nauvoo and British Pageants

Since the British Pageant is not an annual pageant in England, it was determined that a modified version of the British Pageant would be brought to Nauvoo in 2014 and be performed on alternating evenings during the pageant season. The Nauvoo Pageant is designed to emphasize the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith and honors the Saints who built this city and temple. The next series of pageants will be held July through August 2024.

Discontinued productions

• Castle Valley Pageant (Castle Dale, Utah)^[4]
• Clarkston Pageant (Clarkston, Utah)
• Hill Cumorah Pageant, Palmyra, New York: ended in 2019^[5]
• Mormon Miracle Pageant, Manti, Utah^[6]
• And it Came to Pass

An informal, indoor pageant near the Oakland California Temple, ceased production in 2007.^[7]

One-time productions

• People of the Book (Burbank, California, 1967)^[8]

See also

• Christian drama
• Easter Drama
• Jesuit drama
• Liturgical drama
• Morality play
• Mystery play
• Mormon literature
• Passion play
• Savior of the World

External links

• Pageants Latter-day Saints official site
• LDS Church Official site

Notes and References

1. Web site: Church finalizes pageant decision: 4 to end, 3 to continue. Walch. Tad. 2018-12-05. DeseretNews.com. en. 2018-12-09.
2. Web site: 2023-08-14 . It’s a Wrap! Inspiring British Pageant Continues to Wow Audiences after 13 Perf . 2024-04-18 . news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org . en.
3. Web site: The Nauvoo Pageant and The British Pageant in Nauvoo Illinois . 2024-04-18 . nauvoopageant.org . en.
4. Draper, Scottie. "Castle Valley Pageant Discontinued After 40 Years", ETV News, 3 June 2019. Retrieved on 24 March 2020.
5. Web site: Hill Cumorah Pageant won’t return, LDS Church announces. 2021-03-22. The Salt Lake Tribune. en-US.
6. Stephenson, Kathy. "Manti’s Mormon Miracle Pageant is now history. Here are five remembrances of the show’s 52-year run.", The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 June 2019. Retrieved on 24 March 2020.
7. Rott, Dale (2005). Intersections Between Theatre and the Church in the United States: 1930-1990. The Journal of Religion and Theatre.
8. "People of the [Other] Book" by Michael Hicks. Spencer Kimball's Record Collection: Essays on Mormon Music. Signature Books. 2020. 9781560852865.