The Singapore Stake staged a magnificent multi-media assisted musical production on November 17 and 18, 2005 to celebrate the 200th Birth Anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Not since the 1970s, when road shows were held annually, have members in the Stake witnessed a stage performance of such a scale and performed with such panache by the 100-plus strong cast of soloists, choir members, narrators, actors and instrumentalists. Never has any stake event in the past moved the audience to acclaim with spontaneous applause during the performances.

More important than what was seen and heard during the two evenings in the Lee Foundation Auditorium of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, was what was felt in the hearts of the more than 1,000 members and non-members in the audience and the performers, sound and lighting specialists and stage crew.

Perhaps it was the inspirational hymns sung by the choir. Perhaps it was the moving solo numbers. Perhaps it was the dramatic re-enactment of special moments in Joseph Smith’s life. Or perhaps it was all of the above. Whatever it was that moved the windows of heaven to open, the Spirit did indeed pour forth and descended on everybody in that auditorium. Many felt the Spirit strongly and were quickened. They experienced a deeper understanding of Joseph Smith and a better appreciation of his life and mission. Their testimonies of Joseph Smith as a Prophet of God and the reality of the First Vision were strengthened. They felt the pain of the persecutions he endured and the grief of his martyrdom. There was hardly a dry eye when the curtain came down after the performance each night.

The idea for the musical performance began in the middle of the year when the Stake Presidency asked Brother Brian Rain, the Stake High Council man, responsible for music to look into a music related activity to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith. Brother Rain responded with a script for a multi media cum musical drama presentation depicting the work and the life of Joseph Smith. A small working committee was quickly organized and performers for the various roles were identified and called. Rehearsals for the actors and solo numbers began in August. The Choir was organized and practices began in September.

From the beginning, members in the stake responded with great enthusiasm to the musical. Many church members who loved to sing, including several members from Kuala Lumpur, participated in the choir which eventually became about 100 strong. Others offered their services as stage director, sound specialists, light technicians, stage hands, ushers and many other tasks that were required to make the show possible.

The Stake originally planned for a one-night performance on November 18. However, soon it became obvious that interest in the show would be so overwhelming that the 380-seat auditorium would be inadequate to meet the demand. The performance was then extended by another night on November 17. Even then there was not sufficient capacity to provide opportunity for every member, friends, guests and inter-faith leaders to view the performance. Finally, the Stake decided to add another performance by staging two shows on 18 November, one at 7 pm and the other at 9 pm.

The musical has not only strengthened the testimonies of the performers and the those who have seen the performance, of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, it has also strengthened the bonding among all those who were involved in its success, one way or another : the producer, the director, the actors, the choir members, the stage crew, the ushers, the graphic designers, the sound and light specialists. It has also increased greater awareness of Joseph Smith, his teachings and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints among the many friends, families and members of the inter-faith groups who were invited to the performances.

“The portrayal of Joseph Smith was very well done,” said Mr Harban Singh, President of the Inter-Religious Organisation. “It gives me good insight into the life and mission of the prophet of your church.”

Mr V R Nathan, Advisor to the Hindu Endowment Board, who was recently by BYU and the Brethren in Salt Lake remarked that had it not been for the musical he would not have realized that Joseph Smith was martyred.

Ultimately, the musical, in its own way, served to fulfill the words of Angel Moroni when he tutored and prepared Joseph Smith for his mission “Your name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.” (Joseph Smith History 1 : 3)