MESA, Ariz. — Loran and Marilyn Webb saw the original Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant more than 40 years ago, back when they were dating and when the pageant was a one-time sunrise service presented atop a flatbed cotton wagon.
Since then, the Mesa Easter Pageant has grown until it is now the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world, featuring a cast of 450 members and with 400 additional crew members who work backstage, helping with costuming or assisting various other aspects of the production.
Today, the pageant is an hour-long presentation of the life and miracles of Jesus Christ, presented with spectacular costuming and inspiring dance and music. It is performed a number of times each year during the two weeks before Easter, with performances in both Spanish and English.
The Webbs have seen the pageant many times as it has evolved over the years, but it's also their work and their family tradition that has made it possible for literally hundreds of thousands of others to see the pageant.
It's the Webbs, their six children and now their 16 grandchildren who all come together several days before Easter to create what has been called the "miracle of the chairs." Each year for the past 25, Loran, a member of the Mesa Arizona 25th Ward in the Maricopa Arizona North Stake, has overseen the massive delivery and pickup effort of some 10,000 folding chairs. First, he sends out letters inviting "about 40 stakes to each bring 300 chairs," he says, then follows up with an intense phone campaign to ensure all the chairs will be delivered as planned at the designated time and date.
A couple of days prior to the chairs' arrival, Loran and his good friend, Neldon Nichols, take their bucket of pre-measured ropes to measure and mark the grass where the chairs will be placed.
Once the chairs arrive, the Webb family goes into action, spending about six hours to set them up as they've done for two and half decades.
Marilyn says they treasure the experience.
"There's no greater service that we can do every year than to make it possible for the nearly 100,000 visitors to see the pageant," she says.
Pageant director Nanci Wudel says it is volunteers like the Webbs who have made the pageant so successful each year.
Wudel is no newcomer to the pageant, as this is her 15th year participating. Wudel was in the cast in the role of narrator for two years, then served as an assistant director for four years prior to being called as pageant director in 2002. Jef Rawls and Jenee Wright Prince now serve as assistant directors.
"It is a tremendous and humbling honor for all of us who participate in the Pageant, in even the smallest way, to present a portion of the life and mission of the Savior," Wudel said. "The power of His life and the beauty of His teachings uplift and edify everyone — staff, cast and audience."
Don Evans, recently released as Mesa Arizona Mountain View Stake president, is now serving as the Easter Pageant president.
"Our hope is that everyone who attends will feel the spirit of it," says Evans. "The pageant enables people to have a witness of Christ, and for those who are not members to walk away with a favorable impression of the church." The Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant is presented on the north lawn in front of the Mesa Temple Visitors Center at 525 W. Main in Mesa. This year's performances begin with a public-invited dress rehearsal on Tuesday, March 16, with the presentation in English at 7 and Spanish at 8 p.m. All subsequent performances begin at 8 p.m., with Spanish presentations March 26 and 27, and English presentations March 24 and 25, and March 30 through April 3. American Sign Language translation will be offered March 24 through 27.
For more information about the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant, visit www.easterpageant.org
If you go …
What: Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant
Where: North lawn in front of the Mesa Temple Visitors Center, 525 W. Main Street, Mesa
When: March 16 (dress rehearsal), 7 p.m. (English) and 8 p.m. (Spanish); March 24-25, March 30-April 3, 8 p.m. (English); March 26-27, 8 p.m. (Spanish); March 24-27 (American Sign Language available)
Web site: www.easterpageant.orgIf you go …
What: Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant
Where: North lawn in front of the Mesa Temple Visitors Center, 525 W. Main St., Mesa
When: March 16 (dress rehearsal), 7 p.m. (English) and 8 p.m. (Spanish); March 24-25, March 30-April 3, 8 p.m. (English); March 26-27, 8 p.m. (Spanish); March 24-27 (American Sign Language available)
Web site: www.easterpageant.org