Church of Jesus Christ re-examining its 7 pageants

SALT LAKE CITY — The Hill Cumorah Pageant of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will cease its 81-year run after its 2020 season.

That announcement was issued Saturday, hours after the church issued a statement saying such pageants are “discouraged.”

The church said that there will be changes to local celebrations, including pageants, explaining that “the goal of every activity in the church should be to increase faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to share his gospel message throughout the world.

“Local celebrations of culture and history may be appropriate,” reads the official statement from the church’s Newsroom website. “Larger productions, such as pageants, are discouraged.”

What will happen to the church’s other six pageants, including three held in Utah, is not yet clear but will be decided after additional discussions.

Hill Cumorah Pageant President Neil Pitts said the staff of the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, New York, is supportive of the decision.

“We had a wonderful run,” Pitts said in a statement. “Our church has asked us to focus more on the family, and this is certainly in line with that desire. We have had a wonderful 81 years and will focus on making the next two years an amazing experience for our cast, crew and audience.”

Pitts said right now, the focus of pageant officials is to communicate with regional and community partners and the pageant staff most affected by the announcement.

“We are sensitive to the fact that this will affect our wonderful community partners,” Pitts said. “We have been blessed by exceptional relationships with our friends in Manchester and Palmyra. We thank those communities for their years of generous support, and we will continue to work with them on future endeavors.”

Manti Stake President Mark Olson said he believes there will be an effort to continue the annual Mormon Miracle Pageant on the grounds of the Manti Utah Temple, even after the church may withdraw its support after the 2019 performances.

“We’re going to continue to move forward through 2019 and probably make some adjustments in the way we … go about our production in advertising and casting and in delivering the pageant,” President Olson said.

“There will be some modifications. We are currently planning further discussions with various local leaders, the pageant presidency and others.”

In its statement, church officials also noted they are communicating with local organizers in talks about the future of the popular pageant events.

“As it relates to existing pageants, conversations with local church and community leaders are underway to appropriately end, modify or continue these productions,” the statement says.

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The church lists seven pageants on its website. In addition to the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti and the Hill Cumorah Pageant in New York, the Castle Valley Pageant is held in Castle Dale, Emery County; the Clarkston Pageant–Martin Harris: The Man Who Knew is held in Clarkston, Cache County; the Mesa Easter Pageant is held in Mesa, Arizona; the Nauvoo Pageant in Nauvoo, Illinois; and the British Pageant is held in Chorley, Lancashire.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing across the earth,” the church’s statement said. “As this occurs, local church leaders and members are encouraged to focus on gospel learning in their homes and to participate in Sabbath worship and the church’s supporting programs for children, youth, individuals and families.”

Additional information will be posted throughout the evening.