Constitution_Prologue_Hill_Cumorah_Pageant_1987-04-20_Annotated.pdf
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Part of Prologue: The Constitution, Hill Cumorah Pageant 1987
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- Constitution_Prologue_Hill_Cumorah_Pageant_1987-04-20_Annotated.pdf
- Text
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PAGE.ANT. 1987
REVISED
APRIL 20th, 1987
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P R O L O G IJE
Narrator:
narrator in suit
on narrators stage
(down center)
music bridge of
patriotic music:
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THIS YEAR'S
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
COINCIDES WITH THE BI-CENTENNIAL OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787.THIS CONVENTION
GAVE BIRTH TO THE DOCUMENT GLADSTONE CALLED II THE
MOST WONDERFUL WORK EVER STRUCK OFF ••• BY THE
BRAIN AND PURPOSE OF MEN."
WE CELEBRATE THIS 200TH BIRTHDAY OF THE
AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.
warm up stage
where several men are
seated around a large
table representing
the drafting of the
constitution.
JAMES MADISON, REFERRED TO AS THE FATHER OF THE
yONSTITUTION, WROTE 'A FITTING TRIBUTE ABOUT HIS
RENOWNED COLLEAGUES:
MADISON RISES and
THERE NEVER WAS AN ASSEMBLY OF MEN,
CHARGED WITH A GREAT AND ARDUOUS TRUST, WHO
WERE MORE PURE IN THEIR MOTIVES, OR MORE
EXCLUSIVELY ••• DEVOTED TO THE OBJECT COMMITTED
TO THEM, THAN WERE THE MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL
CONVENTION OF 1787."
.
speaks:
scene dims but
not out!
LIGHTS UP. ON
NARRATOR:
George Washington
rises and moves as
he is being described:
Madison speaks:
11
Narrator:
"WISE MEN WHOM I RAISED UP UNTO THIS VERY
PURPOSE" IS THE EXPRESSION THE LORD USED IN
DESCRIBING THE PATRIOTS HE CALLED AND THROUGH
WHOM HE WORKED TO GIVE THIS NATION BIRTH.
MEN LIKE GEORGE WASHINGTON, EXPERIENCED
SOLDIER- LEADER. FATHER OF OUR NATION. HE
HELPED HOLD THE AMERICAN COLONIES TO THEIR
UNITED PURPOSE. GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE HONEST,
CLEAR-SIGHTED INSPIRER OF MEN.
Washington Speaks:
George Washington
speaks to the
assembly and to
the audience.
"LET US UNITE,,IN IMPLORING THE SUPREME RULER OF
NATIONS TO SPREAD HIS HOLY PROTECTION OVER
THESE UNITED STATES: [AND] TO THE CONFIRMING OF
OUR CONSTITUTION: TO ENABLE US AT ALL TIMES TO.
ROOT OUT INTERNAL SEDITION ••• PUT INVASION TO
FLIGHT •.• TO VERIFY THIS GOVERNMENT [AS] A
SAFEGUARD TO HUMAN RIGHTS."
-2-
Franklin rises and
paces as if speaking
ta the assembly:
BEN.JAMIN FRANKLIN, ONE OF THE BEST DIPLOMAT
OF HIS DAY.
Frankl in speaks:
IF A SPARROW CANNOT FALL TO THE 1:iROIJND WI THOIJT
HIS NOTICE, IS IT PROBABLE THAT AN EMPIRE
CAN RISE WITHOUT HIS AID? WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED,
SIR, IN THE SACRED WRITINGS, THAT 'EXCEPT THE
LORD BUILD THE HOUSE -- THEY LABOR IN VAIN THAT
BUILD IT.•-- I BELIEVE WITHOUT HIS CONCURRING
AID WE SHALL SUCCEED IN THIS POLITICAL BUILDING
NO BETTER THAN THE BUILDERS OF BABEL."
11
Narrator:
Jefferson enters scene
and talks briefly with
Franklin and greets
people around table.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, A GIANT IN EVERY SENSE;
HIGHLY EDUCATED, A FLUENT WRITER, STATESMEN,
AND TRAINED LAWYER .
Adams enters bringings
something in and
places it on table
and sits.
.JOHN ADAMS, A GREAT PARLIAMENTARIAN, DIPLOMAT,
EXPERIENCED MINISTER TO EUROPEAN NATIONS,
TEACHER, FARMER, LAWYER, A PATRIOT THROUt:iH AND
THROIJf.1H •••
AND SO WE MIGHT GO ON. EACH MAN A LEADER IN
HIS OWN RIGHT ....••• HOW COULD GOD HAVE CHOSEN
BETTER?
Lits dim down on group ,as
lights up on Webster on
DANIEL WEBSTER SPOKE OF THESE MEN AND THEIR
stage #2L speaking to a
TIME:
group of people in
silhouette below him.
Webster speaks:
Lits out on Hill
'TRULY .•• THESE FOUNDERS AND FATHERS OF THE
CONSTITUTION WERE GREAT MEN •••• ALL THAT
READING AND LEARNING COULD DO; ALL THAT TALENT
AND INTELLH:iENCE COULD DO; AND WHAT PERHAPS IS
STILL MORE, ALL THAT LONG EXPERIENCE IN
DIFFICULT AND TROUBLED TIMES •.• COULD DO,
CONSPIRED TO FIT THEN FOR THE GREAT [WORK]."
Up on narrator:
Narrator:
slo1.1.1 fad up on
Joseph
Lits out on
narrator
THE FIRST PROPHET LEADER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS
CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS,
,JOSEPH SMITH,
FREQUENTLY SPOKE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE
DOCUMENT"S DIVINITY:
-
3 -
Joseph Smith speaks
Transcription of highlighted text above:
“Lits up full on Joseph
in Jail (possibly use
a disguised Mary Stage
to look like a prison.”
"THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS A
GLORIOUS STANDARD; AND IS FOUNDED IN THE WISDOM
OF GOD. IT IS A HEAVENLY BANNER. IT IS .•. LIKE
THE COOL I NG SHADES AND REFRESH I Nf1 WATERS OF A
GREAT ROCK IN A THIRSTY AND WEARY LAND. IT IS
LI KE A f1REAT TREE UNDER WHOSE BRANCHES HEN FROM
EVERY CLIME CAN BE SHIELDED FROM THE BURNING
RAYS OF THE SUN.
[Lits Dim out with
Music.
Narrator:
Li ts up on
Narrator:
SO SPOKE JOSEPH SMITH, ON MARCH 25, 1839.
TODAY THE LIVING PROPHET, AND PRESIDENT OF THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS,
PRESIDENT EZRA TAFT BENSON, HAS SAID:
lits dim out on
narrator:
President Benson
Use Pres. Benson's own
Voice on The Tape if
possible.]
During this speech,
instead of actor's
portraying them we shall
unroll a large 10 X 20
foot replica of page one
of the constitution on
the Grand Staircase left
of Stage #2.
After Pres. Benson's
sp e e ch , t he 1 i g h ts d i m
on constitution and warm
ip on the assembly on
stage fl:2.
lights up full on
Narrator.
( We also, with permission, might be able to
use a portion of a recent BYU talk given by Pres.
Benson on the constitution rather than have him
retape a new statement.)
"I REVERENCE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES AS A SACRED DOCUMENT. TO ME ITS WORDS
ARE AKIN TO THE REVELATIONS OF GOD, FOR GOD HAS
PLACED HIS STAMP OF APPROVAL ON THE
ONSTITUTION OF THIS LAND."
Narrator
OUR FOREFATHERS, IN PRAYER AND FERVENT HOPE,
FORGED THEIR VISION OF A FREE LAND INTO A
BANNER OF FREEDOM FOR US ALL -- OUR CONSTITUTION
--- A GOD INSPIRED DOCUMENT. THE DEPTH OF
CONVICTION OF THESE GREAT LEADERS IS REFLECTED
IN THESE WORDS OF ,JOHN ADAMS •.•
-4-
John Adams speaks:
Lights up on John
Adams on Stage #3
He is standing at the
edge looking over
the large Constitution
which is still visible
and also the tableux
of the Men on stage
#2. He gives his
speech directly to
the audience
"SINK OR SWIM, LIVE OR DIE, SURVIVE OR PERISH,
I GIVE MY HAND AND MY HEART TO THIS .. ~. IT IS
TRUE INDEED .... THERE'S A DIVINITY THAT
SHAPES OUR ENDS .•. YOU AND I ... MAY NOT LIVE
TO SEE THE TIME WHEN IT SHALL BE MADE GOOD. WE
MAY DIE; ..• DIE SLAVES, ----DIE IT MAY BE,
IGNOMINIOUSLY AND ON THE SCAFFOLD.
BE IT SO.
BE IT SO.
THROUGH THE THICK GLOOM OF THE PRESENT, I SEE
THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FUTURE AS THE SUN IN
HEAVEN. WE SHALL MAKE THIS A GLORIOUS, AN
IMMORTAL DAY. WHEN WE ARE IN OUR GRAVES, OUR
CHILDREN WILL HONOR IT.
THEY WILL CELEBRATE IT WITH THANKSGIVING, WITH
FESTIVITY, WITH BONFIRES, AND ILLUMINATIONS •••
BEFORE GOD,
LITS OUT~
a few fireworks will
appear while a drum roll is
hear and we unroll a giant
95 foot flag at the top of
the Hill and move from the
Prologue into the Pageant.
with the Singing of the
National Anthem.
I BELIEVE THE HOUR IS COME.