By ANGIE BERGSTROM
angie@du2.byu.edu
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors eight summer pageants throughout the United States.
From California to New York, and many places in between, these pageants are accessible to many church members. However, their real purpose is to share the gospel with people who are not members of the LDS Church.
'This is the best kind of missionary work,' said Jay Blair, coordinator of the pageants.
Funds for LDS missionary work pay for the pageants, Blair said.
'Teaching the gospel, the history of the church, the history of our ancestors under the star-studded sky with a cool canyon breeze with a fantastic music and that is a spiritual experience,' said Jay Cluff, president of the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti.
The pageant in Manti, which is the closest to the Provo area, has been performed for 33 years.
Manti stake centers provide barbecued turkey and roast beef dinners each night before the show begins in the community's LDS ward buildings at 6 p.m. The dinners raise money to support six LDS missionaries each year, Cluff said.
'The pageant was such a neat experience. The cast portrayed aspects of church history in a way that made it come alive to me,' said Angela Linford, 20, a junior from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Pageants will be held on the following dates:
'Jesus the Christ': March 27, 30, 31, April 1-3; Arizona Temple grounds, Mesa, Ariz.
'Mormon Miracle': June 17-19, 22-26; Manti Temple grounds, Manti, Sanpete County
'America's Witness for Christ': July 9-10, 13-17; Hill Cumorah, Palmyra, N.Y.
'And It Came to Pass': July 20-24, July 27-31; Oakland Temple Interstake Center, Oakland, Calif.
'Castle Valley Pageant': July 29-31, August 3-7; Mountain Amphitheater, Castle Dale, Emery County
'City of Joseph': July 30-31, August 3-7; adjacent to Nauvoo Visitors Center, Nauvoo, Ill.
'Martin Harris, the Man Who Knew': August 13-14, 17-21, 24-28; amphitheater adjacent to Clarkston Cemetery, Clarkston, Cache County
Calgary Nativity Pageant: December 18-25; Heritage Park, Calgary, Alberta