This year marks the 67th year of the Mormon Miracle Pageant held at the base of the Manti Temple where over 84,500 people attended last year.
The pageant consists of three main parts, the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith, stories from the Book of Mormon and the journey of the pioneers.
To kick off this year’s pageant, Elder O. Vincent Haleck of the second quorum of the seventy spoke to hundreds of cast members at the pre-show devotional held June 20. He shared a motivational message about the special spirit that is felt attending the pageant.
“Hope (the audience) comes to feel, that is the reason why you have prepared so many days and hours,” Haleck said.
Kari Tanner, a senior from Chino Hills, Calif., studying Spanish translation, went to the pageant for the first time June 20. The setting made the pageant all the more special to her.
“(It was) very powerful to have the temple as the background,” Tanner said.
Tanner, a returned missionary, believes those investigating the Church would have a better understanding of the gospel by attending. The pageant is easy enough for everyone, not just members of the Church, to understand.
Not only is the pageant an enjoyable experience for those watching, it impacts the cast and crew as well. The cast, consisting of 940 people, has 700 under 18. Doug Barton, tech director and former president of the pageant, has participated in the pageant since 1969 when he was 16 years old. Like Barton, many cast members have taken part yearly from a young age. The pageant seems to have had a profound impact on the young men especially.
“Eighty-five percent of the young men who participate go on missions,” Barton said.
Debra Corbett-Creery, from Manti, participates with her family of thirteen, because she is a decedent of Hyrum Smith.
“It’s such a privilege to be involved,” Creery said.
The pageant will continue June 28-30. It starts at 9:30 p.m. and is about one hour and 45 minutes. For directions and more information for to mormonmiracle.org
