Broadway tunes tell life story; free performance by Nauvoo Pageant cast

ST. GEORGE — It’s the story of a life: yours, mine, every man’s. “Our Story Goes On,” performed by the core cast of this year’s Nauvoo Pageant, will take to the Tuacahn stage Sunday at 7 p.m.

Photo from "Our Story Goes On" performed prior to 2015, ensemble. Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tuacahn Center for the Arts, St. George News
Photo from “Our Story Goes On” performed prior to 2015, ensemble. Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tuacahn Center for the Arts, St. George News

Set to a score of Broadway tunes, the inspiring nondenominational program features more than 20 professional performers and is a gift from the cast and Tuacahn Center for the Arts to the Southern Utah community.

“It’s very inspiring. Every person who sees it would love it,” said John Ricks, president of the Nauvoo Pageants.

The Nauvoo, Illinois, pageants are an annual event presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that tell the history of the early years of the church. This is the third year key cast members will travel to Tuacahn to stage a separate show for the public, Ricks said.

Prior to the performance, the Nauvoo Pageant Bagpipe Band will treat the audience to a rousing set of traditional bagpipe marches and tunes.

“We also play a lot of LDS hymns, so that makes it kind of unique to the Nauvoo Pageant Pipe Band,” Drum Major Scott Sharp said.

Photo from "Our Story Goes On" performed prior to 2015, with bagpipes and accompanying instruments. Location, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tuacahn Center for the Arts, St. George News
Photo from “Our Story Goes On” performed prior to 2015, with bagpipes and accompanying instruments. Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Tuacahn Center for the Arts, St. George News

More than 20 pipers from the region are expected to play and teach the audience a few of the traditions surrounding this unique instrument.

“We find that most of our audiences are very interested in our uniform and what we wear, the kilts and the tartan,” Sharp said, “and the bagpipes and how they work and where they came from.”

Although the pipes have a tradition of marching into battle, Sharp said that as a concert instrument, the pipes are a versatile tool.

“We’ve found they enhance whatever mood or feeling. If it’s a sad occasion, it’s usually more sad with the pipes. If it’s patriotic, it seems to be more patriotic,” Sharp said. “If it’s something special like this performance, it just seems to enhance that, as well.”

The bagpipe band performance begins at 6 p.m.

Neighbors and families are welcome to attend the evening’s entertainment at no charge. The event has a history of filling seats quickly, so early arrival is suggested. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

“Members of any faith would appreciate this,” Ricks said. “People leave this saying that was very inspiring and very professional.”

Event details

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

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1 Comment

  • anybody home September 14, 2015 at 9:11 am

    Man, talk about false advertising. How exactly does the Nauvoo Pageant filled with Mormon propaganda get to be billed as an “inspiring nondenominational program”?

    It’s okay to say people of other faiths might enjoy it, but to call it a nondenominational program is blatantly untrue. But then, these are the people who believe the Garden of Eden was in Missouri.

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