The Pageant That Isn't
By Sunny McClellan Morton

Historic Kirtland sits just off the highway that connects Nauvoo and Palmyra. During "pageant season," Kirtland is deluged with thousands of Latter-day Saints who stop in "on their way" to see the show. But Kirtland's got a show of its own now, as thousands of visitors have discovered in the past few years.

A few years back, "there just wasn't much for visitors and guests to do in the evening while they were visiting Kirtland," recalls Wally Selden, President of the Kirtland Stake. He saw an opportunity for his stake members to be of service to Church members — and those of other faiths — who visit Kirtland. So he challenged Polly Dunn, a stake member with a professional theater background, to come up with a show. This is Kirtland! celebrates its fourth season this summer.

Click to Enlarge
In the 2005 production, “Joseph Smith” leads Church members in singing their testimonies of the Savior in the song, "He Lives," written by local convert Nathan Johnson, who himself plays Joseph Smith this season.

"I wanted something entertaining, upbeat, a little humorous from time to time, and no longer than an hour!" President Selden laughs. "We've had comments from professionals that this has been as good as anything that the Church has produced."

Praise for This is Kirtland!

Sherry Hale Brian comes from the Ruth and Nathan Hale family, well known as the owners and operators of the longest-running center stage theater in the nation. The family operates five theaters, including the impressive Hale Centre facility in Salt Lake City. Theater is in her blood.

"My mother was the voice on the Kirtland film," she says. "She's a published playwright. My parents both acted and directed all their lives."

About eighteen months ago she and her husband were called to come to Historic Kirtland, where her husband now serves as director. She first saw This is Kirtland! last summer. She admits her own surprise at the production's quality as she describes the audience's response. "You can tell a lot about a show by the comments you hear as people leave." She smiles. "What I heard was, 'Wow, they were really good!' “

She describes the show as "exceptional," adding, "I'm extremely impressed. It's written well, it's directed well, the cast and costumes are on par with anything you'd see in good theater. It's delightful. It tells the story of Kirtland. I don't think anyone could go away disappointed."

Karon Tomlinson, former curator of the Lake County Historical Society and a fairly recent convert to the Church, was pleased by the historical aspects of the show. She comments on the use of a leading local settler — not a Mormon — as the show's narrator. "The first time I saw the show I thought it was very clever how you used Christopher Crary as the lead. I knew he himself never became a Mormon, but he was friendly with the Mormons."

Show narrator “Christopher Crary,” an early resident of northeast Ohio who wrote about the Latter-day Saint settlement in Kirtland.

Karon also appreciated that early Kirtlanders who joined the Church were the focus of this show. "You really touched on the people here," she emphasizes, not just the leaders of the Church or those who later became well known in Church history. "It was people who were here [already] and doing for each other, and living for God and trying to be good people."

Mary Elizabeth Rollins borrows the Kirtland Saints' only copy of the Book of Mormon from Isaac Morley.

But It's Not a Pageant!

Visitors have commented on the fact that Kirtland's theatrical offering is different than the pageants. Sherry Brian appreciates the variety. "Plays and musicals where you get involved in the stories — they touch your heart."

Cast members who have seen the pageants — and love them! — agree that This is Kirtland! offers something different. "I feel the Spirit at all the pageants, but there's just a strength about this one," explains Christine Hoth, who has been involved with the production since its first season. "I think a lot of it has to do with the people [in the show]. They're emotionally invested — spiritually invested — in this area. They live here and know the history. Every general authority and prophet who visits talks [to us] about this area."

Both Christine and Rebecca Bills, the show's costumer, agree that the intimacy of the production — only 450 seats — also makes it unique. "It's an up-close feeling instead of being one of thousands of spectators at a distance," describes Rebecca. "You're right there, enclosed in a smaller arena. There's a freshness to it when the actors are right there too, speaking their parts."

The Making of This is Kirtland!

How did this show come to be? Very quickly, and with the hand of the Lord. "We did not start [research] until the beginning of February, and didn't pull in our two main writers until March," remembers director Polly Dunn of the production's first year. "But we had auditions the end of April and started rehearsals the middle of May."

The biggest miracle about the making of This is Kirtland! is that "the Lord used who he had!" exclaims Polly. "The people who pulled this production together had never written a musical — there was theater experience and writing experience but not musical theater experience. Also it came together very quickly. It was obvious to every single member of that committee that the Lord wanted this to happen. The actual writing happened in about six weeks, with people who were, meanwhile, living regular lives."

Rebecca agrees. As the costumer for nearly three seasons, she has responsibility for elaborate period costumes for fifty cast members, some of whom have more than one outfit. Each costume involves several pieces, from hats, bonnets and house caps to shawls and overcoats to lace collar pieces, aprons, and layers of underclothing for the women. "What I've marveled about this whole experience is that I can tell I'm being helped," says Rebecca, who was eight months pregnant with her sixth child when the show opened last summer. "Things come easier. I'm able to find just the right fabric at just the right price. I've seen a lot of miracles happen."

Other miracles have occurred. Kirtland Stake members with professional experience in sewing, set design and construction, hairstyling and even wig-styling have appeared when their talents were needed. The stake was even able to come up with professional sound and lighting equipment.

Testimony and Sacrifice

“There's testimony threaded through the entire production," says President Selden. "People walk away feeling uplifted and good, not just about the Church, but about themselves."

Sacrifice — consecration of one's time — is a theme as well. "The first two years were a great deal of fun," agrees Nate Johnson, who is playing the part of Joseph Smith for the second time. "But after our third child was born the sacrifice was certainly greater. Still, we saw the good that was being done in sharing this message, and I felt strongly that the Lord would have us contribute what we can."

"I think back to my temple covenants," adds Rebecca Bills. "I consecrate all my time and talents to building the kingdom of God. Since I have a talent in [costuming], it's a way to do this — literally. Also, because my education was at BYU on scholarship, this is a way to give back."

And though her efforts require sacrifice on the part of her five children, Rebecca firmly believes it blesses them as well. "I think it's important for them to see me doing work that's meaningful, that's outside of the things I do just for the family," she explains. "I think that will help them be willing, in the future, to commit their time and talents to things that are worthwhile."

Keeping Up the Good Work

After so much investment in the creation of the show — and so much positive feedback the first year — it seemed a shame not to run it for another summer, and then another, and now another.

"The show gets better every year — because of the people who gain experience and come back, because new ideas come to me, and because it gets deeper and stronger in my heart." Every season has brought with it a "tighter and better show," with "a little more character and fun along the way."

What's especially fun about this year's show? Polly doesn’t hesitate: "The people who are in it! Their enthusiasm. They make me laugh, but then they turn around and can make things happen and present this in such a real way. I'm excited about the new people in it, and what the old people bring back to it with new ideas."

Click to Enlarge

High-energy dancing is a highlight of the show each year.

This year's dancers (several with college or professional dance experience) have also inspired Polly, a professional choreographer, to lengthen the main dance number and make it more challenging. Leaps, cartwheels, you name it — you'll see it in the show.

Visitors are often surprised to learn that this is not a Church-sponsored pageant, centrally funded and staffed by members from around the country. It is entirely a local effort, from the smallest five-year old cast member to the directors, writers and stage technicians. But, as has been pointed out, that's one of the things that make the production special. As President Selden observes, “This show is really about testimony and sacrifice — both of the early Saints and of the stake members who give so much to participate now."

Click to Enlarge

The full cast sings at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.

This is Kirtland! opens today at the Kirtland Stake Center, just down the street from Historic Kirtland. For more information, visit www.thisiskirtland.com or call 440/256-9805.