HCP Press Release 1988.pdf
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Part of 1988 Hill Cumorah Pageant Press Release
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THE FACTS
MUSIC
THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE OUTDOOR PAGEANT. • P. O. BOX 403 PALMYRA, NEW YORK 14522 315/597-6808
For Immediate Release
Contact: L. dall
Phone: (315) 597-2757
54THHILL COMORAHPAGEANT
SCRIPT
STAGING
BESTEVER!
DIRECTION
The Hill Cumorah Pageant, to be presented July 12, 13, and 16-20, 1991 on the
hillside of the famous Hill Cumorah near Palmyra, New York, will be even more
spectacular than the very successful edition in 1990.
ORGANIZATION
Pageant audiences were thrilled by the innovations last year. The storm at
sea scene was highlighted not only by torrential rain produced by pumping
water up the ships mast and sprayed between the audience and performers, but
with a lightning strike at the mast which rended the sail in the wind. Such
realistic illusions have rarely been achieved in outdoor theater. The
permission of the Federal Aviation Administration was required by the
DR. ROGER J. ADAMS
appearance of a new star in the western New York sky during the scene
PAGEANT PRESIDENT
depicting the birth of Christ. A powerful light beam penetrated to nearly
15,000 feet which required the warning of all planes in the area each night of
tho nan falmata
HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
Press Office
Visitor's Center
315/597-6808
315/597-5851
Palmyra, New York
America's largest outdoor production sponsored by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE OUTDOOR PAGEANT. • P. O. BOX 403 PALMYRA, NEW YORK 14522 315/597-6808
Contact: L. Udall
For Immediate Release
Phone: (315) 597-2757
54TH HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT TO BE BEST EVER!
The Hill Cumorah Pageant, to be presented July 12, 13, and 16-20, 1991 on the
hillside of the famous Hill Cumorah near Palmyra, New York, will be even more
spectacular than the very successful edition in 1990.
Pageant audiences were thrilled by the innovations last year. The storm at
sea scene was highlighted not only by torrential rain produced by pumping
water up the ships mast and sprayed between the audience and performers, but
with a lightning strike at the mast which rended the sail in the wind.
realistic illusions have rarely been achieved in outdoor theater. The
permission of the Federal Aviation Administration was required by the
Such
appearance of a new star in the western New York sky during the scene
depicting the birth of Christ. A powerful light beam penetrated to nearly
15,000 feet which required the warning of all planes in the area each night of
the performance.
This year's audiences will not be disappointed with new special effects to be
introduced to add even more realism to the production. Even though the
destruction scene that depicts events at the death of Christ has been most
effective with viewers claiming to feel the earth shake due to the power of
low frequency sound waves, it will become more realistic. Changes and new
technology will now allow an illusion of an erupting volcano. In addition
there will be a special and moving surprise to the final Pageant scene that
will be both gratifying and spectacular.
MORE
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
54TH HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT TO BE BEST EVER!
Page
While production improvements pleased audiences, the comfort and personal
needs of the huge audience have not been overlooked. 1500 comfortable chair
seats will be added to the 5000 introduced last year. The thousands who
prefer to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets will always be welcome.
Another way the comfort and convenience of the audience is being addressed is
the addition of food and beverage availability. Through cooperation with
local Rotary and Lions clubs these services will provide substantial income to
charities in nearby communities. There will now be a local community interest
in the continued growth and success of the Pageant.
As measured by the number of applications to be in the Pageant cast, the fact
that participants have a wonderful spiritual, artistic and vacation experience
during their 16 days at the Hill Cumorah is very apparent. Several times more
applications were received for 1991 than the 600 needed for the cast. This is
remarkable, since all participants pay their own travel and living expenses.
The Hill Cumorah Pageant is truly a labor of love by all who bring it to life.
The general public and not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints continue to be in the majority of those attending at each performance.
The fame of the Pageant's artistic quality, its emotional impact and its sheer
magnitude and spectacle continue to grow. In Western New York, the Pageant
has become a cherished tradition.
No tickets or
resevations are required. The production begins at about 9:00pm. All are
Pageant performances are free of charge, including parking.
welcome.
THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE OUTDOOR PAGEANT. • P. 0. BOX 403 PALMYRA, NEW YORK 14522 315/597-6808
For Immediate Release
HILLCOMORAHPAGEANTCREATES HIGH-TECHTHEATER
Contact: L. M. Udall
Phone: (315) 597-2757
ON A HILLSIDE
State-of-the-art theatrical productions with laser lighting, digital sound
tracts, and breathtaking visual effects are no surprise in the Kennedy Center
or Radio City Music Hall, but it becomes paradoxical when such a production
literally "creates its own theater in the open air on a hillside four miles
from the nearest village. This is precisely what the Hill Cumorah Pageant,
America's largest outdoor drama accomplishes near Palmyra, New York, when it
presents the fifty-fourth annual event July 12, 13 and 16 through 20, 1991.
In order to match the production's size and power to the hillside, seven modular
stages, with an area half the size of a football field, accommodate a cast of
six hundred persons. The stage motif is Meso-American. The lighting from five
hundred lighting instruments, with one half million watts of power mounted on
ten giant steel towers, allows an audience of up to 20,000 to see clearly every
action in what a "New York Times" reviewer compared to the spectacle of a Cecil
B. DeMille epic.
MORE
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT CREATES
THEATER ON A HILLSIDE
HIGH-TECH
Page 2
Crawford Gates' powerful musical score has been recorded by the famed Mormon
Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony and the Salt Lake Youth Choir. The
state-of-the-art sound system at the Pageant delivers with full effect and
without distortion the digital, stereo recordings. So powerful and true is the
sound system, that when earthquake rumbles are heard from perimeter speakers,
many startled spectators report seeming to feel them as well as to hear them.
Spectacular special effects create the feel of reality to the many theatrical
illusions employed by the directors.
For example, the script calls for fire
consuming a prisoner, an erupting volcano, rain storms, lightning, earthquakes,
vision modifying water curtains, a new star springing into the night sky and
the resurrected Jesus Christ descending from the black sky to visit ancient
people of the American continent.
New surprises will be in store again this
year.
Colorful authentically designed costumes, real human hair wigs and beards,
dance, combat and drama are mediums through which the history of a great and
powerful people come alive on a hillside in rural New York. The Hill Cumorah
Pageant is a true American extravaganza that plays to ever larger audiences
each year•
6,500 comfortable chair seats are available. Lawn chairs, picnics
and blankets are welcome. BEST OF ALL, ADMISSION AND PARKING ARE FREE! No
reservations or tickets are needed.
NAILI
. o RA
THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
AMERICASNUMIRE&PNEO
O. BOX 403 PALMYRA, NEW YORK 14522 315/597-6
KEROARPAGEANT.•P.
TECHNICAL DIRECTORS FROM THE HILL CUMORAH
Contact: L. Udall
PAGEANT ARE PROS FROM MOVIES AND TV
Call (315) 597-2757
Special Effects Director
In recent times the Hill Cumorah Pageant has had greater reality
and excitement!
This has been accomplished by means of "special
effects" which are theatrical illusions. Everyone is aware of
these techniques in movies and TV shows. But in the open air of
the Pageant it is even more challenging to make a rainstorm, to
create a lightning bolt, make an actor appear to move through
the air or be consumed by fire.
Rick Josephsen, former special effects specialist for Disney
Studios where he did special effects for the movie "Earthquake"
and others, has been responsible for several of these changes in
the Pageant's illusions. Last year the rainstorm at sea,
lightning striking the mast, and the tearing of the ship's sail
were developed by Josephsen.
Two new illusions are expected to
add to the spectacle of this year's performance.
Rick is married and has four children.
He volunteers his talent
to the Pageant and he will also assume responsibility for stage
It is a significant
sacrifice for this busy free-lance professional to serve the
Pageant. One of his recent movies, "Don't Tell Her Its Me," has
recently played in the Rochester area.
erection and stage management in 1992.
MORE
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
TECHNICAL DIRECTORS ARE PROS FROM MOVIES AND TV
Page
Lighting Director
Illumination of the Pageant hillside is a major challenge for
the lighting designer and director, David Stoddard. The modular
stages are on seven levels with a total area of more than half a
football field. Stoddard, with the aid of 500 lighting
instruments mounted on five steel towers on each side of the
stages, is able to correlate, time and project just the
intensity, color and amount of light needed so that the large
audiences can see all the action easily from any position. It
takes great talent to prepare and execute such an involved,
detailed and artistic light program. He with Josephsen
developed the 12,000 foot pinpoint shaft of light that created
the star of Bethlehem in last years presentation.
David Stoddard gives his talent to the Pageant. His excellence
is a boon to the Pageant as it is to his films and TV programs.
He is married and has seven children.
Sound Systems
The sound system for the Hill Cumorah Pageant was designed by
Dr. Harvey Fletcher, the famed scientist who invented
stereophonic sound. This system has been kept up-to-date with
the progress in sound technology ever improving its power and
fidelity. Power is exemplified by the earthquake sounds that
causes members of the audience to seem to feel the earth move.
Fidelity is proven as the full range of tones, from highs to
lows, of the digital recordings of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
and the Utah symphony Orchestra ar carried over the large
MORE
TECHNICAL DIRECTORS ARE PROS FROM MOVIES AND TV
outdoor audiences.
Page
The Pageant's outdoor sound system is as
fine as any in the world.
Charles price, the Pageant's sound director, is responsible for
the sound system. Price is married and has five children and
sixteen grand children. He supports four other Pageants and
many special events for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
ORGANIZATION
DR. ROGER J. ADAMS
PAGEANT PRESIDENT
Dr. Adams was appointed President of
the Hill Cumorah Pageant in 1987 by
Church leaders in Salt Lake City,
Utah.
Photo by Paul Turley
Adams is a resident of Pittsford, New
York, and Professor of Art History at
Nazareth College of Rochester. He
came to Nazareth after 17 years at
SUNY Brockport, five years with Disney
Studios as a cartoonist, and two years
as a producer of television
commercials in New York City.
He holds both B.A. and Master's degrees from Brigham Young University.
He received his Ph.D. from Penn State University. He is married and
the father of eight children.
DIRECTION
DR. JERRY ARGETSINGER
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
A local resident, Dr. Argetsinger
is the Hill Cumorah Pageant's first
east coast Production Director
in the Pageant's 54 year history.
Argetsinger is an Associate Professor
of Dramatic Literature at the National
Technical Institute for the Deaf at
the Rochester Institute of Technology.
He is a well-known area collegiate and
community theatre director, an
accomplished magician and author.
Photo by Paul Turley
He received his B.A. in Theater from Brigham Young University and
a Ph.D. and
in Dramaturgey
from Bowling Green State University. He is
married
has two children.
SCRIPT
STAGING
ORSON SCOTT CARD
SCRIPT WRITER
A resident of Greensboro, North
Carolina, Card is the recipient of
three Hugos and two Nebula awards
back-to-back for his fiction
writing. He earned a B.A. from
Brigham Young University and his
Master's degree in Literature from
the University of Utah. He is best
known for his historical novels
that include "Tales of Alvin Maker,'
"Seventh Son," "Red Prophet" and
"Prentice Alvin".
demY puna, L
3 Of PE
Photo by Paul Turley
ERIC FIELDING
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
The Production Designer for the
Hill Cumorah Pageant, Fielding is
a freelance set designer. He is
best known for his work at the
Goodman School of Drama in Chicago,
where he received his Master's
degree. Fielding has worked with
the Denver Center Theatre company
as well as the Utah and Colorado
Shakespearean Festivals. He is a
resident of Orem, Utah, and is the
father of two children.
Photo by Paul Turley
MUSIC
CRAWFORD GATES
ASCAP Award-winning composer/director,
Crawford Gates, has over 100 of his works
in publication, and has made five
commercial recordings.
He received his Ph.D. from the Eastman
School of Music in Rochester, New York,
and holds a B.A. from San Jose State
College and his Master's from Brigham
Young University, Provo, Utah.
Gates is currently the Music Director of
the Beloit-Jamesville Symphony Orchestra
in Wisconsin. Until recently, he had
served in. the same capacity with the
Rockville Symphony Orchestra in Illinois,
concurrently.
Gates has also served on
the faculties of two universities as
Music Department Chairman. He is married
and the father of four children.
Photo by Paul Turley
THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR
This renowned organization traces its origins back to early Utah pioneer
days. The Choir is known and loved by millions worldwide for its radio
and television broadcasts, recording, film and concert tours; but
particularly for "Music and the Spoken Work," the longest continuous
nationwide radio broadcast in history.
One of the world's most respected choirs, it has performed before
monarchs
and presidents; at world's fairs and expositions; in 18
countries outside the U.S.
THE UTAH SYMPHONY
Now in its 51st year, the Utah Symphony is numbered among America's
major orchestras. A respected music critic in "Fortune" magazine wrote
that the Utah Symphony is one of the nation's top twelve orchestras.
The symphony has made more than 130 commercial recordings and has
concertized in 23 foreign countries during six major international tours.
THE SALT LAKE CHILDREN'S CHOIR
The Salt Lake Children's Choir consists of two performing ensembles,
totaling 90 selected boys and girls, ages eight to fifteen.
Founded in 1979, the Choir has been noted for its cultivation of the
natural beauty of young voices and for the high standards of its
repertoire.
THE FACTS
THE PRODUCTION
The Hill Cumorah Pageant is the oldest and largest outdoor production in
America.
The Pageant opens its 54th season July 12th, with additional
performances at dusk, around 9:15 pm on July 13 and 16-20.
It chronicles the rise and fall of ancient civilizations on the American
continent, their spiritual struggles, and the visitation of Jesus Christ
among them.
The script is adapted from the Book of Mormon, which was translated from
records found buried in the Hill Cumorah on metal plates.
The script is written by award-winning author, Orson Scott Card.
The score is by distinguished composer and conductor, Crawford Gates.
Music is performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Salt Lake city
Children's Choir and the Utah Symphony Orchestra.
Interpreters for the hearing-impaired are provided, as well as special
seating for the handicapped.
There is no charge for admission or parking, and no tickets are
required. Seating for ten thousand is available in the natural
amphitheatre, with additional space for ten thousand more on lawn chairs
or blankets.
THE CAST
Over 600 cast members, 30 work crew members, and some 40 administrative
staff members from all parts of the U.S. and Canada volunteer their
time, and pay their own expenses to make this production a success.
Over 65 children under the age of 13 take part with their families.
All 600 are cast the first day. Rehearsals begin the next day, giving
the cast only one week to learn their parts.
(continued)
COSTUMES
All costumes are handmade of natural fiber materials, linen, wool, silk,
leather, real fur, real brass and real deer antlers.
Beards and wigs are also handmade, strand by strand.
Costumes, beards and wigs are stored in a specially designed building to
preserve them between seasons.
STAGES
Seven modular stages cover half the area of a football field.
Their stone-like face in the Meso-American motif is made from
vacuum-formed ABS plastic (the kind used in luggage).
Decking is 4° X 4° fiberglass grating, normally used in chemical or
industrial plants.
The super structure rests on galvanized steel legs that are seated into
106 concrete footings in the hill itself, all tied together by a
gridwork of aluminum beams. The modular stages are disassembled and
stored year after year, restoring the natural beauty of the hill at the
close of each season. The front stage is rigged with a hydraulically-
operated mast and sail that are raised to transform the stage into a
boat.
LIGHTS
Ten light towers, from 30 to 50 feet in height, are positioned on the
hill,
holding 500 lighting instruments that include high intensity spots
and lasers.
For each performance, the lights draw 500,000 watts of electricity
through an on-site power sub-station that had to be built just to supply
the stage lighting system.
SOUND
State-of-the-art cluster speakers are in 12 groups, plus huge speaker
horns that were developed in the 1950's by the father of stereophonic
sound, Harvey Fletcher.
The earthquake sounds are so realistic that spectators imagine that they
feel the quakes!
Sound is recorded in state-of-the-art digital recording.
HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT
INFORMATION
Last year, over 100,000 people from as far away as Australia
attended the renowned Hill Cumorah religious Pageant outside
Palmyra, New York.
Every year, over 800 volunteers from the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) donate their
vacation time and gather at the Hill Cumorah to rehearse and
perform what is acclaimed as America's number one outdoor
Pageant.
Six hundred brilliantly costumed performers move and lip-sync
to a pre-recorded sound track that includes 25 speaking parts
and the singing voices of the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Performed every year since 1937, the Pageant has grown from
simple little show to an outdoor theatrical production
unmatched for its size and special effects.
Fourshow.
years ago a master plan was created to launch a totally
new
Since then the Pageant has been entirely
rescripted, restaged and recostumed. And this year, more new
special effects have been added to the production.
The new Pageant uses high-tech special effects and recordings,
over 500 lights on ten 50-foot towers and an incredible
outdoor
sound
system with dozens of speakers, some nearly
seven feet
across.
Altogether, the lighting and sound system
require up to 500,000 watts of electricity per performance.
The pre-show costume parade plus the performance last one hour
and ten minutes and will be performed seven times this year at
dusk, around 9:15 pm.
Pageant performances are seven times. Friday, July 12th,
Saturday, July 13th, and Tuesday, July 16th, through Saturday,
July 20th. (There will be no performances on Sunday, July
14th, or Monday, July 15th.)
The Hill Cumorah Pageant is free to the public. There are no
charges for the show, seating or parking. And, the hillside
can accommodate an audience of about 20,000 people for each
performance.
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