Pageant's production is a 'miracle' in itself
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More than 114,000 people witnessed this year's Mormon Miracle Pageant during its eight-day run, performed on a grassy hillside against a backdrop of the majestic Manti Temple.
About 10,000 folding chairs were set up on the temple grounds at the base of Temple Hill to accommodate the crowds attending performances July 9-11 and 14-18.Some 600 people participated in the pageant, with another 1,000 helping behind the scenes directing traffic, putting up and taking down chairs, cleaning up, distributing programs, cooking meals, serving on costume and make-up committees and working as stage and lighting directors. The production required the cooperation and help of all stakes in the Manti Utah Region, and some say it is a "miracle" in and of itself.
The pageant, directed by Ronald Hall, depicts the "miracle of the birth and growth of the Church." LaMar Hanson was the general chairman.
Included in each performance were colorful scenes from the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the gospel and martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the hardships and blessings of the westward migration of the saints and the eventual settling of Manti and the surrounding Sanpete Valley.
The Mormon Miracle Pageant story was first written by Grace Johnson of nearby Ephraim and has been modified and expanded into its present form. It was originally performed July 23, 1967, on a simple stage set up in a rodeo arena across the street from the temple. A crowd of 2,000 people attended that initial performance.
The next year, it was moved to its present site on the temple grounds. In 1970, a high-quality audio tape, which carries the narration, musical background and sound effects, replaced the live performances of a 300-voice choir and 50-piece orchestra.
Through the years, more than 2 million people have witnessed the Mormon Miracle Pageant.
Translators and written synopses in numerous languages explain the message of the restoration to hundreds who do not speak English. Non-members
