NAUVOO, Ill. — Time stood still for a moment as an audience seated above the Mississippi River, in the shadow of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple, watched on Aug. 7 the final and farewell performance of the memorable "City of Joseph" pageant.
For 29 years the story of Nauvoo has enthralled appreciative audiences. As this pageant concluded, approximately a million people had seen and heard the portrayal of the restoration of the gospel.
One spectator, John Brodmann, professor emeritus from Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo., never missed the pageant and never arrived to see "City of Joseph" without bringing friends with him.
"What you people have done in Nauvoo is spectacular — your lights, scenery, your music and the families mingling with the audiences are all so impressive," he exclaimed. He said that he had told many people about the pageant and encouraged them to see it.
R. Don Oscarson developed the idea of using music and script to relate the story of the restoration of the gospel. It was first performed at the opening of the Church's visitors center in Nauvoo in 1976. Brother Oscarson grew up with a love of history, especially that of the early saints of Nauvoo. His family roots tie him to Joseph Knight, who loaned the prophet Joseph Smith his wagon to bring the gold plates home from the Hill Cumorah. It seems very appropriate that the youngest member of the cast this year was 4-month-old Joseph Knight Oscarson, Don Oscarson's grandson.
When Brother Oscarson completed the script, he needed someone of significant ability to set the story to music. He contacted Maughan W. McMurdie, who was then working at Western Illinois University as a musical director. "We had no trouble working together," Brother Oscarson said. "I would write the lyrics and send them to Maughan and he would return them to me with the musical score. We always agreed. Maughan was the kind of composer who wrote after the words were created."
The cast of "City of Joseph" has been directed for all 29 years by Lynn Bodily. The pageant's president, Joel Orgill, said: "Lynn has had the ability to visualize the entire outdoor five-level stage and make it come alive with a cast of more than 600. He has made a city unfold right before the eyes of the audience. Moving dancers down the aisles, into the air and even flying across the stage to be caught in the arms of waiting cast members, meanwhile leaving the audience breathless."
Beth and Michael Fetterman, who came all the way from England to participate in this year's pageant said: "We are going to miss coming each year to perform as a family. Our children have grown up spending each summer anticipating seeing their old friends, rehearsing and performing and sharing with others the captivating story of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the founding of Nauvoo. It is part of our family tradition."
Brother Orgill said regarding the close of the pageant: "This has been a very real tug of my heart to see 'City of Joseph' come to an end. Yet in a sense it has not. Our attendance (this year) has been record breaking, with eight performances, 70,000 guests, and 6,000 referrals."
