PROVO, Utah — A new musical, "Parley P. Pratt's Great Escape," premiered during Education Week Aug. 16 in BYU's DeJong Concert Hall.
The play was set in 1838 and 1839 when Parley was incarcerated in Missouri, at the same time that Joseph and Hyrum Smith were in Liberty Jail. Taken from Parley's autobiography, the events portrayed are largely true.
Composer Kelly Eisenhour; playwright/lyricist/producer Pam Blackwell; and director Chris Clark wanted to present something from Church history.
Sister Blackwell, who worked on the musical for two years, said Parley P. Pratt was her hero. His autobiography provided plenty of original information. His sense of humor, conversion and obedience "fueled her testimony," she said.
Parley P. Pratt was one of the "most significant individuals" who, in the early days, assisted in the establishment of the Church, she said.
Among those Latter-day Saints who were driven out of Missouri in October 1838, Parley Pratt, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and others agreed to meet with militia leaders who promptly arrested them and took them under guard to Independence, then to Ray County, Mo. They were charged with high treason against the state, murder, burglary, arson, robbery and larceny.
After an inquiry on Nov. 28, 1838, the prisoners were bound over for trial. Joseph and five others were taken to Liberty Jail, while Parley and others were remanded to the Richmond Jail.
After spending more than eight months imprisoned in Richmond and Columbia jails, he escaped to Illinois in July 1839.
Sister Blackwell said there are many meanings to "Parley P. Pratt's Great Escape." One, she said, "is that the Lord absolutely answers prayers."
