JUNE 26th & 27th, 2009
Soldier image courtesy of Mormon Battalion Association
The Outdoor Theatre
@
Huntsville Town Park
Historic Huntsville Utah... in the heart of beautiful Ogden Valley
Pre-Show Entertainment & Pioneer Exhibits
Musical begins at 7:30pm
Admission Fees Waived for Friday & Saturday Performance
If you enjoy the production, please consider making a donation to the Mormon Battalion Museum located at THIS IS THE PLACE STATE PARK!
ABOUT THE MUSICAL
The entire experience surrounding the Mormon Battalion holds a certain mystique to past generations while growing increasingly faint in comparison to the modernity of today. Yet, we should be reminded that the trek of the Mormon Battalion remains the longest forced march in US military history...or that even today it is the only military unit ever drawn from a religious group...or that the Battalion forged the rugged trail that opened up the migration and colonization of the California Territory. But few know how the Mormon Battalion came to be a last resort for survival of the first Mormon pioneers--or more importantly, the sacrifice made possible due to the deep devotion the men and women held for each other at a time when their future was so fragile and their destination so uncertain.
Battalion--the musical takes a brief look at politics, destitution, defiance and romance... all with the very candid narration of Captain Jefferson Hunt, the senior Mormon officer in the Battalion, aided by flashbacks with musical vignettes by the colorful pioneer men and women.
"Battalion--the musical begins in the shipyards of Preston, England with three emigrant couples (Germany, England & Ireland) who express their delight at traveling to America and the city of Nauvoo where life will undoubtedly be sweet and serene. When next we visit them, they are destitute along with thousands of other 'saints' in the wilds of Iowa with no money, no food and fading hope. But Brigham Young's prayers have been answered when President James Polk is 'enticed' to enlist 500 Mormons in the Army of the West. It will be a forced march of over 2,000 miles to California and key to his plan to wrest the California Territory from Mexico. The men must first reconcile that the enlistment is 'manna from heaven' and not a clandestine US government plan to divide and destroy the fledgling religion. More importantly, they must come to terms with the emotionally retching thought of leaving their wives and children alone in the wilderness. The only consolation is their deeply held faith that they will somehow see them again...at an uncertain time...and in an uncertain place. While the vignette flashbacks illustrate deprivations of the soldier's life on the trail with half rations and days without water, the heart of Battalion--the musical is expressed in the way the wives and husbands, while miles apart, are able to increase their love and fondness for one another. For many, they stay connected through reflection of their hopes which is expressed through moving musical renditions...until at last they are indeed brought home to a land they had not yet seen."
The production includes 9 original musical numbers that are certain to leave you either laughing or misty eyed when performed by a troupe of talented actors and actresses from as close as Ogden Valley and as far as Arizona, California, Texas and Oregon. Most are able to trace their heritage back to members of the Mormon Battalion.
The script and lyrics were written by Trace Skeen of Liberty Utah while the music was arranged by Richard Wilson, former professor of music at the University of North Carolina. The script is often times taken from the very journals of those who leave a legacy that will not be forgotten.
Come early to enjoy the pioneer displays and hear some good ol' country music and then settle into our campsite style seating for a visit back in time with some of those ancestors that settled the West.
Arizona monument dedicated to the Mormon Battalion...one of several that can be found along more than 2,000 miles between Council Bluff and San Diego.
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