Local Specials
(2009-07-10)
Emma and Joseph Smith
The play depicts the story of Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Latter-day Saints. But the Pageant is not the only thing going on in Nauvoo. Before it begins there is a "County Fair" with 19th century type activities to set the stage.
There will also be six 15 minute vignettes. Each will be performed twice a week. They include "Trail of Hope," "Women of Nauvoo," "Letters of Emma and Joseph," and "Youth of Zion."
Cast Coordinator Linda Gee says a lot of work goes into the pageant each year. Gee enjoys working with the cast and making sure they are eager to start. "We get them all excited and ready to participate, so that when they walk through the door to register they can hardly stand that they waited so long to be here," Gee says.
Jeff Dickamore plays Joseph Smith in the Pageant. He has Family ties to Nauvoo. "I have a great-great-great-great grandfather and grandmother who lived in Nauvoo," says Dickamore. "They knew the Prophet Joseph and his family personally."
Dickamore, who is from Utah like many other volunteers for the Pageant, has strong feels about being in Nauvoo. "Its really fascinating to come here and just to feel the history of this place and the sacrifice that went into building it," Dickamore says.
The Impact of the Pageant on the Community
A number of businesses line Mulholland Street in Nauvoo. It's the main street through town.
One of those shops is the Fudge Factory. Kathy Nelson says there is a noticeable increase in sales when the Pageant is in town. "Especially weekends, but days even through the week are busier than normal," Nelson says. "Anything that brings business to town, we enjoy."
A couple doors down is the Art Needlework Shop. Mary Lou Fernetti has owned the business since the 1980's. The store sells Nauvoo tee-shirts and different knick-knacks. There's also a Nauvoo press-a-penny machine.
Fernetti says business during the winter is slow, so things are bound to pick up when the pageant gets underway. "I was also here when City of Joseph was here," Fernetti says. "It always picked up then too. And it still does. It picks up when the Pageant is going on."
Further down Mulholland Street is something a bit different. It's the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center. The centers mission "is to help tourists get the other side of the story as far as Mormon history and doctrine are concerned."
Interim Director Steve Dealy says the center has more visitors during the month of July than any other time of the year. "We welcome the influx of tourists," says Dealy. "Primarily Latter-day Saints. They are the ones that we are hoping to build friendships with and speak with about our faith. To have them coming for the Pageant is something we look forward to every year."
Daely says people from the center will be at the Pageant every night to pass out information to visitors.
The visitors, cast members, and volunteers who come to be a part of the Nauvoo Pageant make this small town a busy town for at least one month each year.
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