MESA, ARIZ.
For 70 years community members have gathered on the grounds of the Mesa Arizona Temple to celebrate that glorious Easter morn when the miracle of the empty tomb signified the greatest victory of all time, the victory over death.
What started as a simple sunrise service in 1938 has grown into a beloved Easter tradition that brings to life the scriptural accounts of Christ's birth, ministry, mission, atonement and resurrection through appropriate dance, music and drama.
The current production is spirit-filled and spectacular. Highlights include:
• Nearly 450 men, women and children dress in period costumes to re-enact scenes from Christ's life in the 65-minute production.
• Nearly 300 volunteers work behind the scenes, including those who assemble the massive, 9,600-square-foot stage.
• A committee of 25 seamstresses work nine months out of the year to create and improve stunningly detailed costumes.
• Volunteers from local stakes set up 10,000 chairs on the lawn for nightly viewing.
• The pageant, which opened March 11, is presented 11 times; three in Spanish, eight in English, and three presentations have American Sign Language translators. The pageant concludes on Easter Eve, March 22.
• Since 1996 more than 100,000 people have attended the performances each year, coming from all parts of Arizona and the U.S. as well as many other countries.
All this contributes to the Mesa Easter Pageant recognized as the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world.
"I had no idea what it took to put this on before I was involved in it," said pageant president Wayne Leavitt. "There are so many people and countless hours put into the pageant.
"They all do it because of their love of the Savior and to be able to share their testimonies with others," he said.
And that has been the case each year since youth of the Mutual Improvement Association from the Mesa Arizona Maricopa Stake sponsored a sunrise service in 1938 as part of the annual M-Men and Gleaner Girls state convention.
The event became a community tradition and for nearly 30 years the annual sunrise service featured choral music linked by story narration, sometimes broadcast live by local television stations.
In 1966 the production took a different direction when director Irwin Phelps saw the potential for more dramatic elements. He used an office in the temple and prayerfully wrote the original script.
The sunrise service, which had been at the base of the temple, moved to the north side of the Visitors Center and motionless actors and actresses created tableaus from Christ's life on a makeshift stage atop two cotton trailers. The scenes alternated with choir selections.
In 1977 Brother Phelps replaced the still tableaus with a pageant, and to accommodate the ever-increasing crowds, exchanged the Sunday sunrise service for two evening productions.
The pageant has since gained live animals, including goats, sheep, donkeys, doves and ponies; a computerized soundtrack in both English and Spanish, which includes original songs from local composers and music by the London Symphony Orchestra; state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems and a new stage patterned after the one used for the world-renowned Passion Play presented every 10 years in Oberammergau, Germany.
"We're grateful to all of the thousands and thousands of volunteers throughout the years who have helped make the Easter pageant into the community tradition that it is today," said pageant director Nanci Wudel.
This year a special display of fine art photography titled "Reflections of Christ" is displayed in the Visitors Center, adding to the pageant experience. The stunning images are of cast members in pageant costumes shot at local places similar to the Holy Land. The photos and music help tell the story of Christ and create an environment where the Spirit can bear witness of the Savior's divinity.
The cast also brings an added measure of the Spirit this year as they were set apart by their local priesthood leaders as missionaries for one month, said Brother Leavitt. Cast members are asked to study the scriptures more in depth, learn more about biblical culture, focus on the character each portrays and live their lives with greater devotion to the teachings of Jesus Christ. They greet and mingle with the audience before and after the presentation.
Thirty additional volunteers from a local stake are in costume to talk to attendees as they leave the pageant. They carry pass-along and referral cards, and directions to the missionary-run booths for copies of pictures representing Christ and Church-produced DVDs.
"The purpose of the pageant is to bring people to Jesus Christ, and to teach of His life, mission and resurrection," said Sister Wudel. "In my six years as director, I have yet to see one person leave this experience without feeling that their load was a little lighter, their soul was uplifted and inspired, and their heart was at greater peace."