Experiences of the British Pageant
Carole Fullwood, Exeter Ward, Plymouth Stake
I missed seeing the first British Pageant as we live five hours from Chorley, and my husband isn’t keen on musicals. Although drama is my passion, I didn’t push him as I didn’t really know what the pageant was about. Our daughter signed up to be in the 2017 pageant, so I insisted that we went to support her as a family. It was so amazing. The size of the theatre, the expanse of the stage, and the number in the audience was breathtaking. Once the production began, I was captivated. The whole evening was inspiring, emotional, and so incredibly well presented that I went every night to see the pageant that week. We have since found early pioneers on both sides of our family and realise that the pageant stories are about our ancestors. This production touched our hearts so much and made us so grateful for the struggles of early pioneers so that we could have the gospel today, that it made us want to give something back. This year my husband and I, along with our three grandchildren, will all be appearing in the pageant family cast.
Leah Taylor, Exeter Ward, Plymouth Stake
I saw the pageant in 2017, the evening before I sent my son on his mission. It was an amazing experience — all the struggles the early Saints from Britain must have endured, and hard decisions made in leaving to go to America, and for those who stayed behind. It was a wonderful spectacle. It brought me to tears. I loved it at the end when all the missionaries came out to join the cast on stage. It was a very powerful moment. In fact, it still sets me off crying just thinking about it! I had the opportunity to talk to one of the performers after, and she had experienced some of my own troubles. We had a lovely discussion that gave me hope to continue. That evening will always stay with me. Afterwards, we walked around the Preston Temple in the dark. Everything was illuminated and it was beautiful.
Donna Lewis, Exeter Ward, Plymouth Stake
The pageant allowed me to feel connected to the pioneers for the first time. I had always seen the pioneers as just an American phenomenon and hadn’t appreciated how the people of the British Isles contributed to the early days of the Church. I really enjoyed the music and spectacle of the whole thing. It made me feel very proud to be British!