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Welcome to serving in the Nauvoo and British Pageants! Your pageant experience begins now! This is a glorious opportunity to serve a mission as a family (or individual)! As you take advantage of this home- centered, church-supported program, individuals and families will have an opportunity to experience enhanced unity and growth as you are set apart as “special representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the duration of the pageant.” We anticipate bounteous blessings as a result of your preparation and service this summer.
A new monthly message will be posted here from January to June before you arrive in Nauvoo
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Among your preparations to participate in the Nauvoo and British Pageants, we encourage you to begin now to prepare spiritually. Every moment you invest in this study will enhance your Nauvoo experience.
Here are some resources that may be helpful in your study:
The family home evening lessons on the 5 L’s: Love, Listen, Learn, Life, and Lead
Doctrine and Covenants sections 121-136. Corresponding essays in
Revelations in Context
(available in Gospel Library under the History tile)
“What to Expect When You Visit Historic Nauvoo and Carthage Jail” on
history.churchofjesuschrist.org
Please take time to memorize "The Standard of Truth”. This will be recited at the daily devotionals that will be held prior to the pageant.
The Pageants teach important gospel doctrines including the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the divinity of the Book of Mormon, the plan of salvation, and the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith.
Nauvoo is a sacred, historical setting where great sacrifice was made by the early Saints, who consecrated themselves to the building up of the kingdom of God. We recognize the sacrifices you are making to share your testimony through your service this summer. You are not just portraying Saints from Nauvoo, you
are Saints in Nauvoo. Your love for the Savior will be demonstrated through your sacrifice and service.
We are thrilled that you have decided to apply and now have been selected to serve with us this summer. The efforts you invest in your spiritual preparation will provide great dividends and enhance your Pageant experience.
Our love to each of you,
The Nauvoo Pageant Presidency
Please share the following with your family during the month of January.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as participants in the Nauvoo and British Pageants, our purpose is to develop and implement the attributes of Christ in our daily lives.
Serving in the pageant is not performing, it’s worshiping.
“Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”
Joseph Smith HC 4:227
Five Christlike principles are offered as a basis for our pageant service. Following these principles will help us work with the Spirit in every aspect of our pageant participation. We find the following 5 attributes (each beginning with the letter “L”) in the Savior’s ministry. These principles are Love, Listen, Learn, Lift, and Lead—and may be represented by the 5 fingers on a hand.
FAMILY HOME EVENING: These five principles are the focus of five separate lessons you will be receiving by email each month for the next 5 months, beginning in February. These lessons are meant to compliment your other Family Home Evening Lessons throughout the month, in any way that best suits your family’s situation. It may be delivered in one evening, broken down into small concepts throughout the month or taught in conjunction with other gospel discussions and principles. Children and Youth may want to incorporate these principles into their goals. Please record your experiences so they can be shared in district meetings held during pageant.
When we see others the way the Savior sees them, we don’t have to try and love them, it comes naturally. “…pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that we may be filled with this love” (Moroni 7:48). As we deepen our understanding of the Savior’s love, our love for others will deepen.
Listening with love builds friendships, opens hearts and deepens communication. Listening is a form of love. It is a catalyst that binds hearts together. When we listen to others, we are telling them we care and that they are important to us. Listening to the spirit helps us learn how to become more like our Savior. “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit and you shall have peace in me.” (D&C 19:23)
Learning is magnified through humility. When we are humble, we open ourselves to be taught by the spirit, from each other and from our own experiences. “Let him who is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear;” (D&C 136:32)
As we lift one another, we become instruments in the hands of the Lord and are better able to face our own challenges. When we lift others, we help them to feel good about themselves and they will naturally want to be better. “Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. (D&C 81:5)
We lead best by example. When we exemplify the character of Christ, we open hearts to come unto Him and be more like Him. We also lead best when we are led by the Spirit. “…Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.” (3 Nephi 18:16)
The British Pageant - Truth Will Prevail will be presented together with the Nauvoo Pageant on alternating evenings this summer. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve gave approval in 2011 to develop a pageant to be performed on the grounds of the Preston England Temple. The pageant would recount the message of the Restoration as presented by the first missionaries who arrived in England in 1837. The pageant was performed in the summer of 2013 as the first official Church pageant in Europe and the first outside North America in several decades. In speaking of the decision to produce the pageant, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve explained, “The significance of the British Saints in the history of the Church is without parallel. … The pageant is a bridge-building effort to show the reciprocal relationship ebbing and flowing between Britain and America, very vital to the history of the Church.” This occasion marks the seventh year the British Pageant has been presented outside of the United Kingdom.
The first production of the Nauvoo Pageant was 2005, under the direction of the First Presidency and members of the Quorum of the Twelve. A committee of eight writers and seven composers were commissioned in 2004 to produce the script and musical score. Many volunteers donated time and talents to build props, construct costumes, record the soundtracks, and create scenery, including the panels that represent the Nauvoo Temple. The pageant features a core cast of actors who deliver the spoken lines of the production live each night. The production is supported by an ensemble of 120-150, many participating with their families. Five family casts rotate through the four weeks of pageant performances.
Presenting both the Nauvoo and British Pageant in Nauvoo will allow audiences, performers, and other volunteers to view the close and continuing relationship between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles and the United States. The faith, devotion, and sacrifice of the nineteenth-century British members of the Church made possible the flourishing religious community that was established in Nauvoo.
Every evening before the pageant performance, a Country Fair is hosted on the grounds adjacent to the pageant stage and seating area. The Country Fair allows visitors to experience firsthand Joseph Smith’s teaching that “friendship is the fundamental principle of Mormonism.” When visitors get to know members of the cast as they play games, saw logs, race in gunny sacks, find ancestors, dance, stick pull, quilt or play stick ball, we hope their hearts are opened for the message of the gospel. The Country Fair activities end at 8:30pm as a parade brings visitors from the fair grounds to the pageant seating area.
Cast members can invite visitors to fill out guest cards, offer free souvenir items from the missionary kiosk (e.g.; picture of Christ), or plan to meet them after the performance for further conversations.
Visitors learn more about the historical events portrayed in the Pageant by attending six historical vignettes presented by actors in the Pageant and Young Performing Missionaries. Each vignette is performed twice weekly at various locations in Old Nauvoo. Trail of Hope along Parley Street, King Follett Discourse in the West Grove, Women of Nauvoo in the Relief Society Garden, Letters of Joseph and Emma near the Mansion House, Go Ye Into All the World at the Seventies Hall, and Youth of Zion across from the Print Shop on Main Street.
The Nauvoo Pageant Bagpipe Band is a significant part of the spirit, missionary efforts, and gospel message of the Nauvoo Pageant. The Bagpipe Band will be involved in many important aspects of the overall Pageant experience. Band members will participate in scheduled outreach performances in surrounding communities, pre-vignette performances, Mulholland Street performances, Country Fair activities, and the Nauvoo Pageant Parade leading the guests to the seating area of the Pageant.
There are hundreds of volunteers who organize and facilitate critical aspects of the pageant each year. Volunteer endeavors include: cast activities, costuming, security, country fair, food services, work crew, bagpipe band, family support, maintenance, medical, photography, and many others. Their contribution is essential to the success of the Pageant and the tremendous experience enjoyed by the cast and the visitors.
As a participant in the Nauvoo Pageant, you are a special representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such, you have the opportunity of being set apart for your service. Please let your Bishop or Branch President know about your participation in the Nauvoo Pageants and that your family will need an appointment to be set apart prior to leaving for Nauvoo. Below are the instructions for your Bishop or Branch President. A reminder letter will be sent about two months before your arrival date. Please be set apart before you come.
All family members who are participating in the Pageant are to be set apart as “members of the Nauvoo and British Pageants and as special representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the duration of the Pageant.” There is no need for participants to be sustained or released from this service.
You are provided links to brochures, posters and pass along cards, which you can share with friends, family and acquaintances. LINK
Link to pageant information
In addition to your normal packing list, you may want to consider bringing the following:
Scriptures
Costume shoes, socks, hair supplies for all family members on stage. (see costume info)
A pen/pencil and notebook.
A hat/visor, sunglasses, shade for your face.
Stay cool: umbrella, portable fan, neckbands, etc.
Sun screen
Insect repellent with chigger protection (can be purchased in Nauvoo)
Water bottles
Snacks and backstage activities for children
A flashlight for walking from the stage to your vehicle after performances
Basic first aid supplies
Lightweight, loose clothing. All clothing should reflect the guidelines found in the “For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet.
A backpack for carrying your supplies
Temple recommends for all family members attending the temple.
Jacket, sweater or sweatshirt for rain or cool weather
Registration will be held in the foyer of the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters building, located approximately 3 miles East of town on Highway 96 at 885 East Hwy. 96, Nauvoo, IL 62354.
Red Cast & Volunteers |
Sunday, June 28 |
5:00 pm |
Blue Cast & Volunteers |
Sunday, July 5 |
5:00 pm |
Yellow Cast & Volunteers |
Sunday, July 12 |
5:00 pm |
Green Cast & Volunteers |
Sunday, July 19 |
5:00 pm |
Gold Cast & Volunteers |
Sunday, July 26 |
5:00 pm |
*If you are a pageant volunteer, work crew member, or a member of the bagpipe band arriving on a date other than those listed above, please come to the Pageant office to register. The Pageant office is located two blocks south of the Pageant stage at 555 South Partridge St. in Nauvoo.
Prior to your arrival in Nauvoo, you will be contacted about sending an updated picture of each member of your family to be used for your security badge, you will be given an information packet, and if you have registered to participate in the meal program your plan selection will be verified. Cast members will be scheduled for a costume fitting either Sunday afternoon or the following day. Please bring your pageant shoes to your costume fitting. At 4:30pm Sunday evening, all pageant participants will meet with the Pageant Presidency and the production team for an orientation held in the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters (PHQ). (If your family has a meal plan, make sure you come early enough to eat before our meetings. Dinner will start at 4:00pm.)
Every cast member, volunteer, bagpipe band, and work crew member will be assigned to a “district.” Assistant district leaders will be assigned to help you prepare for discussions at district meetings while in Nauvoo. They will also assist the Core Cast District leader as they lead the districts in spiritual discussions. Districts also determine your stage location and assignment.
If you choose to participate in the optional meal plan, the meals will be served at the Nauvoo Pageant headquarters cafeteria and catered by a contracted provider, supported by pageant volunteers. Meals are set out buffet-style in a self-serve line. Patrons are welcome to help themselves to what they’d like. Sometimes there is a limit to the main dish in order to ensure there will be enough for everyone planning to eat. Persons with dietary restrictions should plan to provide their own meals. Meals are ordered a week in advance, but a $5.00 salad bar is available for purchase during service hours, without reservation. Purchased meals are non-transferrable.
Lunch 11:30am – 1:00pm (no lunch will be served on Fast Sundays) Dinner 4:00pm – 5:00pm
This schedule may change based on the rehearsal needs of the Pageant. Should such a change be necessary, the Pageant office will make arrangements to adjust dining hours. Only dinner will be served on fast Sundays.
Nauvoo/British Pageant Cafeteria
In order to keep the pageant headquarters clean, please only eat in the dining area. Also, public health code specifies that all those who dine in the Pageant cafeteria will be fully dressed, including shoes.
Water and Ice
Pageant participants are welcome to fill their water bottles in the cafeteria. Due to the demands on the ice machine for meal preparation purposes, the cafeteria does not provide ice to the cast. Water and ice are available at the stage.
Nauvoo Pageant Office – 555 South Partridge – 217-453-2429
Nauvoo Pageant Medical (First Aid) Building near the Pageant stage
Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters (PHQ) - 885 East Hwy. 96, Nauvoo, IL 62354
Nauvoo Visitors Center - 217-577- 2603
Nauvoo is hot and humid during the summer months. During long hours outdoors rehearsing and performing, it is possible to become dehydrated or develop a heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
The following precautions are recommended:
Drink at least two quarts of fluids per day
Bring small portable fans, cool neckbands, umbrellas, hats, visors, etc., to help stay cool
Eat three meals a day so that you have plenty of energy
Use plenty of sun screen
Wear comfortable, well-fitting and closed toe shoes, especially at the stage area
If you are currently taking any medication, bring enough to last your entire stay
A medical provider will be available at every rehearsal and performance.
The Nauvoo Pageant supports parents as they nurture and protect their children. In order to safeguard all participants and create an uplifting, family-oriented environment, the Pageant have established the following guidelines:
Parents are responsible to supervise their children at all times, including rehearsals, unless children or youth are participating in a Pageant-sponsored activity with the appropriate leaders chaperoning them. For the safety of all, please do not allow children to be unattende
At no time should an adult be alone with other participants’ children or youth.
All Pageant children’s activities will be supervised by at least two volunteers, either two sisters or a married couple who serve together. Usually 4-8 leaders will participate in children’s activities.
Youth and single individuals should not pair off with members of the opposite sex. They can visit with one another in common areas, but not in personal sleeping quarters; and should observe appropriate evening hours.
A responsible adult should accompany a child when using the restrooms either at the stage area or the Pageant Headquarters (PHQ).
One of the benefits of being in Nauvoo for the Pageant this summer is being in Nauvoo!You and your family can enjoy many of the activities and historical sites in Nauvoo. There will be some free time for the cast during the second week of your stay on Thursday - Saturday. Before then you will be very busy in rehearsals and performances.
The website, www.historicnauvoo.net, provides detailed information about Nauvoo and its activities, including links to the Nauvoo Temple schedule.
Historical vignettes presented by the Nauvoo Pageant core cast
Check the vignette schedule included in the Pageant Newspaper for times and locations.
Enrich your understanding of the restoration by learning more about life in 1840s Nauvoo.
The Pageant has arranged for youth baptism sessions during the second week of Red, Blue, Yellow and Green Casts and Gold Cast has sessions during their week in Nauvoo. To participate youth must have a limited use recommend signed by their home bishop. Individuals wishing to attend an endowment session should make their own appointment. The temple operates on a "first come, first served" basis so please be dressed and in the chapel 30 minutes prior to each session. Clothing rental is available.
Nauvoo Temple, 217-453-6252.
Located at 310 Buchanan, Carthage, IL. This is a 25-minute drive from Nauvoo.
Located off Parley Street, this is a great place to find ancestors’ headstones.
Look up information about relatives who lived in Nauvoo.
The Homestead, Red Brick Store, Nauvoo House, Smith family cemetery, and the Mansion House are owned by the Community of Christ Church. They have a tour that begins at the Joseph Smith Historic Center at 149 Water Street. There is a charge of $4.00 per person for the tour. For information regarding tours call the Community of Christ Visitors Center 217-453-2246 or check their website at cofchrist.org/visit-nauvoo
Entertainment - Pick up tickets for the Young Performing Missionaries shows (“Just Plain Anna-Amanda” and "The Promise") at the Visitors Center. Tickets are free but are limited. (First Come First Serve) The Visitors Center opens at 9am each day. The phone number is 217-577-2603. (Large group reservations can be made at 217-577-2610)
Free Wagon Rides through Historic Nauvoo. Departs every 20 to 30 minutes from the front of the Family Living Center. No cost but tickets required. Pick up same day as ride at the Visitors Center – opening at 9am each day. Tickets are distributed the same day for the free "Carriage Rides"
in the parking lot of the Visitor Center. (opens at 9am)
The costumes of the Nauvoo and British Pageant are integral to the look and feel of the 1840’s settings. More importantly, they are designed to visually support the important spiritual messages of the production. The Pageant portray the gathering of saints in the British Isles and the saints in Nauvoo during the time of Joseph Smith and the exodus.
The British Pageant focuses on stories of conversions in the British Isles and the hardships and joys of immigrating to a new country. These costumes will reflect styles from that era and are different from the Nauvoo Pageant costumes.
In the Nauvoo Pageant, the saints united to build a city and then a temple as they became refined and sanctified by these experiences. Costume changes throughout the course of the performance visually represent this process of sanctification. Cast members begin each performance wearing jewel toned costumes. As events in the performance unfold, cast members replace the jewel tones with similar clothing in lighter colors. These individual changes, scattered randomly through the cast, create an almost imperceptible lightening of the overall look. In the finale, the families return to the stage singing “The Spirit of God” dressed entirely in creams and tans, symbolic of the spiritual sanctification that took place among the Saints of Nauvoo. Costume elements and colors are assigned by districts.
Through district assignments, cast members will be taught when to make the necessary changes in costume pieces.
All cast members will be provided costumes appropriate to meet the needs of the productions. Wearing the costumes as they are assigned helps to depict the variety and lifestyles of the British Isles and Nauvoo.
Fitting appointments are scheduled prior to or at registration and take place in the costume department at the Pageant Headquarters building.
The color, style, and related pieces of your costume are determined by your district assignments.
Costumes are selected at the time of fittings.
You will need to bring the shoes you will be wearing on stage. Shoes will be approved at fittings and used to insure proper hem lengths.
Most questions about costumes will be answered at the time of fittings and additional questions will be addressed throughout the rehearsal process.
At times indicated on your schedule, costumes will be available for pick up at the costume shop.
One or two representatives will check out all costume pieces for the family.
All costume pieces are inventoried, and a copy will be given to each family.
Cast members will be assigned a large laundry basket to hold smaller items of clothing. Please use care when placing items like hats or bonnets in these baskets so they do not become smashed with heavier items placed on top of them. The laundry basket will be checked in with all costume pieces, hats and accessories.
Laundry and care instructions will be distributed at the time of check-out.
You are responsible for care of costumes.
Laundry and care instructions will be distributed at the time of check out.
Any needed repairs will be handled by the costume shop
All costumes are issued with hangers and should be hung when not being worn.
Costumes are returned after the finale
performances: Friday night – British Pageant (at the
Spanish Translation tent North of the stage) and
Saturday night – Nauvoo Pageant in the Rehearsal
Hall at PH
Cast members should review inventory list before
returning costumes.
As with check-out one or two representatives of
the family can take care of check-in.
Matters of damage or loss will be dealt with on
a case by case basis.
Because the Pageant stage is sloped, shoes that have a rounded toe and low to moderate heel height will be best. Open toed shoes should not be worn on stage. Please do not choose shoes with large tread. Pictured are some examples of styles that are acceptable. In order to look good with both the original jewel tones and the final creams of cast costumes, shoes should be in brown tones. The shade of brown can range from medium brown to a taupe color. Goodwill and second-hand stores are excellent sources for appropriate shoes. Shoes will be needed for costume fittings. Please have them easily accessible when you arrive for registration.
Examples of Men’s Shoe Styles Examples of Women’s Shoe Styles
Socks should be off-white, taupe, light tan, or gray. Pure white socks are distracting to the audience and should be avoided. Women and girls should wear socks that come to the knee. For men and boys, a dress sock is preferable. Tights or opaque trouser socks are acceptable for women and girls. Cast members may wish to bring multiple pairs of socks for each individual to ensure adequate time for laundry.
The hours of rehearsal out of doors give most cast members a tanned appearance. This quality makes stage make-up unnecessary. If the adult women of the cast desire to wear make-up, applying a heavier version of normal street make-up works best.
Videos to help you adapt your hair to fit the 1840's time period can be found at: hair.nauvoopageant.net
Hairstyles for Males:
Hair was worn longer in the Nauvoo period. Adult men also wore sideburns, beards and mustaches. Men and boys should not cut their hair 8 to 10 weeks prior to pageant participation. Allowing such growth is the easiest way to disguise a modern hairstyle. There are no distinct partings in the hair. If needed, suggestions for trimming and styling appropriate to district assignments will be given at costume fittings. Examples of appropriate hairstyles for men are shown below:
Hairstyles for Females:
During the 1840s, women and girls wore smooth, neat hairstyles. Hair was parted in the middle, without bangs, buns were smooth, tight and placed in the center back of head.
Girls under 12 years of age with long hair may wear ringlets, or braids. (Remember it is very humid in Nauvoo and ringlets do not last well.)
Young women incorporated braids into their buns, which were tight to the head and off the neck.
Adult women hair styles should be plain, simple and elegant. Hair is parted in the middle pulled back on the sides with a bun tight to the head and nothing on the neckline. Some wore ringlets over the ears with nothing falling past the chin line. Women with dark hair should not wear ringlets over the ears.
This style is reserved for the Emma Smith character.
Examples of appropriate hairstyles for adult women are shown below:
If a modern hairstyle is not adaptable, the costume staff will provide day caps or hats as appropriate. Young women and adults always wore their hair up.
Bobby pins, ponytail bands (thin), hairnets, etc., that match your hair color.
Hair gel, hair spray, etc., that is maximum strength to survive the heat, humidity, and time constraints of rehearsal and performance.
Sponge rollers, rag rollers, or small curling irons for creating ringlets.
No bows or ribbons in the hair. Hair pins and bobby pins need to be hidden as much as possible.
Generally, yes, though some carriers could be less reliable in some areas. A new AT&T cell tower in Nauvoo was activated in the spring of 2019. Best cell service in town is in front of the Temple.
Internet access could be available in your specific residence. Internet access will also be available at the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarter Building (PHQ), the Pageant Missionary Office (555 Partridge St.) and on the Pageant outdoor site.
Nauvoo Family Inn and Suites has coin operated laundry facilities available to hotel guests. Nauvoo Vacation Villas has laundry facilities in each unit. The RV park has laundry facilities available for guests staying at the park. There is also one coin-operated Laundromat in Nauvoo on Mulholland Street. Other laundry facilities may be found in the nearby towns of Hamilton, IL, Keokuk and Fort Madison, IA. (approx. 30 min).
The dress is casual for practices on stage. Ladies may wear slacks, capris, shorts (below the knee) or jeans with blouses or tee shirts. Men may wear slacks, jeans or shorts (below the knee), and shirts, polo or tee shirts. The stage is raked, so closed toe shoes are recommended.
Yes, see the addresses listed for letter and packages on the next page.
Nauvoo has a few shops to accommodate immediate needs, including one gas station, a pharmacy and a few small restaurants (no fast food). The Dollar General store on Muholland St. has a variety of merchandise for sale, including dairy. For more extensive shopping, Keokuk, Iowa is a 30 min drive from Nauvoo. It has a Super Wal-Mart, two large grocery stores, several gas and service stations and many fast food restaurants. Ft. Madison, Iowa is about a 20 min drive, has three large grocery stores, many gas stations, a variety of restaurants and fast food. Burlington, Iowa, a 40-minute drive is an even larger community with additional stores and services, including a small airport.
Office phone number: 217-453-2429.
Email: thenauvoopageant@gmail.com
Office fax number: 888-726-9251.
The Nauvoo Pageant Office is located at: 555 South Partridge St. Nauvoo, IL 62354
Additional information and applications for participation in the Nauvoo Pageant can be found at: nauvoopageant.org