Show I Pageant Preview By LARRY STAHLE One to a customer Every year of the Mormon Miracle Pageants Pageant's short history a number of local residents start bragging that they attend every performance of the pageant and not only that they occupy the same seat each night This declaration has distressed many of the pageant officials in past years Seating Is limited and many times visitors did not have the opportunity to view the world- world famous outdoor event because there was just no place to smash another body in The four stake presidents within the Manti Mantl Region are making a special plea to residents of Sanpete County to attend the pageant only one night this year and then to vacate the chairs for the thousands of visitors many of them non who will be making the trek to Sanpete A special night has even been set aside by the stake authorities They have designated Monday evening July as family night for members of the Manti Mantl Region at the Mormon Miracle Pageant The residents of Sanpete are en encouraged encouraged encouraged en- en to hold their family home evening lessons before coming to temple hill Their closing advice Is that they would encourage everyone to stay home on the other eight nights of the pageant and leave the seat for a visitor Foreign Influence The kids who reside In the Sanpete South Stake both young and old have long been impressed with the mission of the Continued on Page Four Pageant Preview Continued from Page One pageant But now this same enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm en en- en- en is spilling over and Infecting the other areas of Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San- San pete County not to mention other parts of the world Monday night I interviewed a number of participants inthe In Inthe Inthe the pageant this year who do donot not reside within this stake One common question that I askedall asked askedall askedall all of them was for their impressions Im Impressions impressions im- im of the event now that they were a member of the cast The adjectives flowed through the air like a cool summer breeze on a hot summer eve eve- ning Such words as magnificent magnificent cent spectacular extremely spiritual warming heart-warming fantastic fantastic fantastic fan fan- and stupendous rang out from their lips The largest contingent of foreigners comes from that small northern village of Provo where they attend the BYU Two of the group Warren Abbott Ab- Ab Abbott Abbott Ab Ab- bott of Arlington Virginia a senior at BYU and Carl Dahlquist Dahlquist Dahl- Dahl quist of Arcadia California also a senior were part of the 1972 edition of the pageant They have talked about their experience constantly during the past 12 months and have converted six other students to the idea of participating this year The six converts have caught the spirit so well that they just bubble with as m. m The two veteran performers told a story which illustrated the eagerness of two coed con con- verts Eileen N Nesson esson of Bountiful Bountiful Boun Boun- her parents live in Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many and Diane Stoddard of California are de determined determined determined de- de that they are going tobe to tobe tobe be angels In the pageant even though Eileen Is currently on the disabled list having Injured one of her legs He said that their enthusiasm was bubbling over recently as they were traveling back to Provo and the contingent of eight were singing singing singing sing sing- ing Come Come Ye Saints going through Mt Pleasant The dri driver ver was apparently beating time to the music on the ac- ac and the car went whizzing through town a bit over the speed limit Suddenly the town police department had them pulled over to the side of the road Miss r N Nesson esson out to the officer that he couldn't give them a ticket because they were angels The hearted good-hearted officer chuckled and told themo them to o go a little bit easier on theas the gas as pedal Carl and Warren also In Involved involved in- in their roommate Steve Oliver liver of San Dimas California a L mere junior at the Y Steve had fad never seen the pageant before and was a bit skeptical but ut finally auditioned for the part part of Joseph Smith in which he was cast by Mrs Rux along with Darl Danl Mangelson The fourth recruit on the male side of the ledger was areal areal a areal real catch Crandon Joyner a sophomore student from Atlanta Atlan Atlan- ta Georgia was assigned the rule of Moroni Mrs Rux flux figured that the platform wouldn't have to be constructed as high for G 6 foot 6 inch 9 Crandon Cran- Cran don who notes that he feels that this experience will be very beneficial training for him He Heis Heis Heis is planning on a mission in the very near future Crandon seems to be enjoying this more than playing basketball which up to this time has been his first love Debra AndreJcik of Palmdale California is intrigued by the pageant She just graduated from the Y with a major in history She notes that she Is inspired each time she participates participates participates par par- in the Mormon Battalion Battalion Battalion Bat Bat- scene and says that she can actually feel the part of the pioneer and has mixed feelIngs feelings feelings feel feel- ings as she see the young men one of whom could be the person person person per per- son she would marry march marchoff off ocr to war Another BYU student who is donning lonning a pioneer costume and participating in the pageant Is very familiar to the people of Sanpete South Stake Mrs Edith Procter who resided in ManU Mantl for or several years has worked with the pageant a number of years rears in the wardrobe depart depart- ment nent This year she decided to toast cast ast her lot as an actress and became part of the New England and pioneer sequences She is really Johnny on the spot when it comes to rehearsals not to mention her public relations re relations relations re- re lations stint dispatching brochures brochures brochures bro bro- chures to students at the Y from all parts of the globe Another thespian taking part partin in the pageant who is far from home is Mike Padeken of Kaawa Oahu Hawaii another student of BYU He was encouraged to try tryout out for the pageant by Marie Norma and Frank Olsen He Heis Heis Heis is employed for the summer at the trailer plant In Ephraim prior to new assignment this fall as a teachers teacher's aid in Richfield Richfield Richfield Rich Rich- field working with Indian stu stu- dents Mike who served an mission among the Laman- Laman lies ites was immediately assigned the role of a The lucky guy wont won't ha have e to be up with brown makeup every night David Wilkey son of the former North Sanpete High School basketball coach Mack Wilkey Is serving in three roles In the pageant despite his promise to himself that he wouldn't even try tryout out He accompanied his pal down to ManU Mantl one evening for the tryouts tryouts tryouts try- try outs and after listening to the director Mrs Rux and the tape he plunged In and promised promised promised prom prom- his Ws support He soon found himself listed for the parts of S Sw 1 y w a w V NEPHI CHRISTENSEN fashions sword to be used In the Mormon Miracle Pageant the Angel Moroni John Taylor and Robert Henshaw Captain Allen also reported back for duty for the fourth time in the Mormon Miracle Pageant The good captain better better bet bet- ter known as Gary Magnuson of Salt Lake City also assumes the role of a preacher In the season off-season when he is not rehearsing re rehearsing rehearsing re- re for the pageant he serves as a speech pathologist for the Granite School District He said that it was amazing to him each night how plus people came to assume their parts in the pageant t most of them In a frivolous mood andas and andas andas as soon as the tape started to play their r whole mood would change and their countenance became serious in pursuit of their roles He is the brother of Mrs Gaylen Ruth Chris Chris- of Manti Mantl The tiny hamlet of Wales is well represented by Fred Rees son of Mr and Mrs Newell Rees Although this Is his first year In the pageant he Is going to assume the role of a bad guy Chief Mrs Ann Breeze and her daughter of Axtell are busy rehearsing their parts in the New Kew England and pioneer scenes The Breeze family moved to Sanpete last December from New York State where they lived near the town of Palmyra They had an opportunity opportunity opportunity to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant twice and now are part of f the churchs church's other great missionary pageant Both Mrs Breeze and daughter Serena testified that both pageants are very necessary They have retired retired re tired ired to a small farm in Axtell and have three of their six children children chil chil- dren Iren still at home The traveling population of the he pageant is not restricted to o those young in years Mrs Matilda Hill 78 of Gunnison a i thespian and director in her own right Is thrilled with her opportunity to be a part of the pageant Although five years ago LO the doctors told her that she he would never walk again due to a broken hip she is as lively as any member c of the cast In the fulfillment o oher of her roles as a New Englander and pioneer Stuart Allan of Renton Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington a cousin of Mrs Ken Kei Claudia Olsen of ManU Mantl participated participated participated par par- in the pageant last las year and was eager to be associated associated associated asso asso- with it this year As h he embarks upon his second year he confesses that he has a great love for the pageant A quartet of young Rooster Valley citizens make a weekly to Manti ManU to assume assum their roles The four Willene Willen Standley Alan Borg Nedra Nedr and Richard Larsen all comment they are prow proud to be part of the pageant cast Although most of them have seen it before they report tha that It is more meaningful to take an acU active ve part How can a woman who doubles as a stake Relief Society president dent and a ward Relief Society president find time to join the cast of the pageant Its It's nc no problem for Ida Donaldson o of Moroni who comes to Manti along with her daughter Kathleen Kathleen Kath Kath- leen teen Lund to fulfill their assignments assignments as as- as in the New England and pioneer scenes She said salt that her Relief Society work is very important but that she wanted to give her daughter the experience of being in the pageant so that she would com come cometo cometo to understand the principles of Dr the church better It Would B Be a Dull Battle BaHle Chief glares at al Captain Mon Mori nl They hurl threats at e e. e h other Their warriors become impatient to tc resolve the question by doing battle cattle one with another to find out which race the or r Is superior Without Without With With- out ut the help of one N Nephi W W. W Christensen the battle would be e a boxing match without gloves loves Mr Christensen a Piute County farmer who came to tomake tomake make nake his Ws home in Sanpete eight years coo ago has a lit literally er all y be been en the spearhead of the battle scene In the pageant Christensen Christen Christen- ago Mr Four years asked to repair a anum- anum number number num num- sen was and ber of the which had been broken weapons during luring the pageant Although he was 76 and a farmer by he was trade not a carpenter eager to do his part When the 1970 pageant was stages the the planning in turned again pageant leaders help helpIn for to o Mr Christensen In making a new set of fightIng fighting fighting fight fight- He answered the utensils ing call Bali and headed for his small red workshop and went to work implements of Because the war take so long to construct threatened the warriors warriors warriors war war- Mrs Rux that in the 1971 edition if f they broke one of Mr Chrisensen's Christensen's Chris Chris- they ensen's superb creations were dismissed from their men fighting The roles young guarded yarded the their i r tomahawks swords words and spears with their caught li lives Ives ves Some were even using king their bare hands Instead But on the final of f the weapons night sight most of the weapons went down the drain Gaining experience e each a c h year rear Mr Christensen decided this his year the equipment was going to be second to none He le wanted to do everything to make the scene in n his power look ook authentic yet protect the health of the energetic young warriors Recognizing that the best wood for the project was straight grain aspen he made contact with Bishop Keith Hanen Hansen Hansen Han- Han sen en of Fairview and asked him If f he could obtain some aspen trees rees through his saw mill so that they could be aged and ready spring Mr Hansen this for use or agreed but the early winter agreed monkey wrench Into the threw a cut but lears The trees were gears they were unable to bring them down because of the early snow Mr Christensen made ire ire- frequent frequent fre fre- quent ent trips to the dump to find metal to be used In the construction construction construction con con- of the weapons The protected the metal strips handle so that no young warrior Most would be hurt accidentally of the cutting work on the metal had to be done wi with th a coal chisel Hundreds of hours during the winter and spring time have been spent by Mr Christensen In his workshop forming tomahawks tomahawks tomahawks toma toma- daggers and swords hawks He estimates that it H takes between between be between be- be tween three and four hours tomake to tomake tomake make each individual ment He had to overcome a problem problem problem lem with the tomahawks They wanted a different kind of blade on the war implement Finally he came up with the idea of using some old heavy belt from his farm That worked out Ideal During the past few months he has made 40 new tomahawks 30 daggers and 52 swords notto not notto notto to mention some repair work He confesses that he has had more enjoyment and benefit from the pageant than he has helped the pageant He loves the to go over and talk with audience following the production production production tion and hear their reaction to the pageant The Tables Are Turned During the past few years T it has been almost almost irn i for oss s the directors t to tomen hid find men to serve as Lam 1 tf n anis t. t J They all wanted to be bes th the guys geY s N gob g e i Now t llA tables are turned want to don the red they JJ r t go scantily scantily clad clad Into ba battle file emerge a as s the losers Why the change side 1 be fits I am told it seems seep the word has I s Ir n spread 11 4 that John Keeler Chi Chief o et eto j of f o a few years ears Ji t devised a system of slit Silting Silting-j Ci the ditch and having hang the H wash his back after alter 5 the t Of course no noo one onit i sure t that the warriors warrior can A l. l mand the same nas t sit in the ditch S attired l In u l levis but its it's worth Wort a ti Macksene Mason Legal Eye i Many have wondered why director of the pageant Ma Masene Rux is sene always so s sh when faced with tough sit sit J i I have the answer t knows Perry Mason per ti In an edition of the Dese tV News last week Howard Pea Pei Pe Peason son Interviewed the new p Pe e F. F Mason Monte Markham n ji recalled that he had once w win Wor Worin world in a production with Mrs hits R R RH But that's not all Mrs can recall working with R mond Burr the original Pe Per ta A AMason Mason in a play Where depicted hefty King Henry With all that Influence Perry Mason watch out r Legal-eye Legal Rux History is is s the short trudge from Adam to atom |