A cast and crew of more than 300 volunteers are bringing early Mormon history in England to life in a first-of-its-kind musical production. The British Pageant, "Truth Will Prevail," tells the story of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles. Nightly performances of the live production, which opened 31 July, take place on the grounds near the Church’s Preston England Temple in Lancashire (northwestern England). Performances will continue through 10 August 2013.
"The rich history of the Church in [Britain] is something most people are not familiar with, even for many of our own members,” said Elder Clifford Herbertson, a UK-based ecclesiastical leader for the Church. “The British Pageant brings the early history of Mormonism in the British Isles to life."
The pageant includes both traditional and original music sung by a 200-person choir. A cast of 100 amateur performers from all over Britain will portray significant figures in British religious history, such as William Tyndale and Thomas More, and British Church history, such as Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. The script includes portions of journals, sermons and historic records of the period.
"It is the story of those who seek for truth and, having found it, are loyal and true to it,” said Stephen Kerr, president of the pageant. “It is our story, and in telling it in the words of our [ancestors] we believe we are also sharing our own personal testimonies ... of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Read more about the British Pageant on the UK Mormon Newsroom or the pageant website. For photographs and information about the history of the Church in Britain, see “Mormonism in Pictures: The Church in the British Isles.”