Subject: [aml-list] The Fading Flower
From: Nan McCulloch <nanmcculloch@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 07:45:12 -0600
Message-Id: <c70a9a020905300645m5a71f5es542c8ccc6f2f89b4@mail.gmail.com>
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*THE NEW PLAY PROJECT *
*The Fading Flower*
Written & Directed by Mahonri Stewart
Provo Theatre Company
105 E. 100 N.
May 29 - June 8
7:30pm Fridays, Saturdays & Mondays
2:00pm Saturday Matinees
Reviewed by Nan Parkinson McCulloch
When Winston Churchill referenced the Soviet Union as "a riddle wrapped in a
mystery inside an enigma," he could have been describing Emma Hale Smith.
And when Joseph Smith Jr. stated that "no man knows my history," this could
also apply to Emma for she left no personal journals. Because my
great-grandfather, an early apostle, lived in Nauvoo I have had a burning
interest in all things Nauvoo, especially the inscrutable Emma Smith. I
have searched for insights into the reasons she chose to stay in Nauvoo and
align herself with the RLDS Church, now known as the Community of Christ.
Because of my passion for church history none of the history in Mahonri's
play is new to me, but I find his insights profound. This marvelous play
chronicles Emma Hale Smith on her journey from elect lady to fading flower.
The play begins in the 1860s and tells the story of Emma and her adult
children. This was long after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his
brother Hyrum. It spans two decades in the American Mid-West, chiefly
Nauvoo, Illinois and the West, Salt Lake City, Utah. Much of the background
information is given from a pulpit in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young and
Joseph F. Smith and from the pulpit of Joseph Smith III and David Hyrum
Smith in Nauvoo. This works extremely well and feels very personal and
authentic. The preaching scene face-off between David Hyrum Smith and Joseph
F Smith is powerful and very moving. The beginning action concerns the
children of Emma Smith: Julia Smith Middleton, David Hyrum Smith, Frederick
Smith, Alexander Smith and Joseph Smith III. After the death of Joseph
Smith Jr. Emma married Major Lewis Bidamon and they reside in the Mansion
House. This is a challenging time for Emma and her children, because the
reorganization of the church is taking place. To add to the confusion they
receive a visit from their cousins Joseph F. Smith and Samuel Smith from
Salt Lake City, Utah. Each faction of the family has hopes of converting
the other to the true church; but some are not yet sure which church is
God's true church. The sticking point is the principal of polygamy. The
RLDS Church rejects polygamy, denies that it ever happened in Nauvoo and
believe it was never practiced by Joseph Smith. The Brighamites, as the
western church is called by the RLDS, believe in the practice of polygamy
and claim that it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph in Nauvoo and that he
lived the principal before his death. This conflict threatens testimonies
and family unity as it is played out.
When Joseph Smith III takes over the leadership of the RLDS church he sends
David Hyrum Smith and Alexander Smith to Salt Lake City as missionaries.
David is Emma's youngest child, born after the death of his father. He is a
fine young man: gifted, artistic, sensitive, and a seeker of truth. Some of
the information he learns from his seeking will leave him forever changed.
Julia Middleton Smith is one of the truth tellers in the play and her
character is as compelling as David's and Emma's. All three are fading
flowers and are symbolic of this major theme.
As church leaders Brigham Young and Joseph Smith III are strong in their
resolve to do good. Each approaches his truth in his own way and each feels
the burden of his leadership and his heritage, with devotion toward his God
and loyalty to his church and family.
Stewart is ever the writer of brilliant dialogue. This piece is so powerful
and beautifully written it demands competent actors to match the material.
These talented and sensitive actors are up for the task and are superb as
they bring to life some of the most important players in our early church
history. I can't begin to name names, because there were too many marvelous
actors. The play is well directed, but too long. Because there are so many
scenes, the play is choppy at times.
After seeing some of the recent Emma Smith movies and through the years
sensing her absence from the Church lesson manuals I am appreciative of
Stewart's courage in writing this bold, candid, historically authentic work
honoring Emma Hale Smith. The play is an important historical achievement.
*SPOILER ALERT:* Please stop reading if you would rather not know the plot
line.
Did Emma stay behind because she felt that her children had suffered enough
and she was not sure how they would be treated out West? Did God command
polygamy to raise up seed unto Him? Was Mormon polygamy an exception to the
one husband, one wife commandment from the scriptures? How many were
imprisoned and died for the principal of polygamy? After bringing forth
the Book of Mormon, organizing the church, protecting his family and his
people, why would the Lord allow Joseph Smith's name to be sullied by the
divisive principal of plural marriage? Who could expect Emma to go against
her oldest living son to defend a principle that brought her so much
heartache? These are some of the questions that are considered within the
context of this relevant work.
The play is about truth and it is never more obvious than when Julia speaks
these insightful words, "David did not lose his sanity because he was told
the truth in the end. David lost his sanity because he was not told the
truth from the beginning. If he hadn't a false world constructed around
him, he would have been able to endure the real one."
Emma Smith will always be an elect lady, but elect ladies grow old, as do
prophets. All flowers fade; it is part of God's plan.
--0016e645ba84fe410b046b2166bf
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THE NEW PLAY PROJECT
The Fading Flower
Written & D=
irected by Mahonri Stewart
Provo Theatre Company
105 E. 100 N.
Ma=
y 29 - June 8
7:30pm Fridays, Saturdays & Mondays
2:00pm Saturday Matinees
Reviewed by Nan Parkinson McCulloch
=
When Winston Churchill referenced the Soviet Union as "a riddle wrappe=
d in a mystery inside an enigma," he could have been describing Emma H=
ale Smith.=A0 And when Joseph Smith Jr. stated that "no man knows my h=
istory," this could also apply to Emma for she left no personal journa=
ls.=A0 Because my great-grandfather, an early apostle, lived in Nauvoo I ha=
ve had a burning interest in all things Nauvoo, especially the inscrutable =
Emma Smith.=A0 I have searched for insights into the reasons she chose to s=
tay in Nauvoo and align herself with the RLDS Church, now known as the Comm=
unity of Christ.=A0 Because of my passion for church history none of the hi=
story in Mahonri's play is new to me, but I find his insights profound.=
=A0 This marvelous play chronicles Emma Hale Smith on her journey from elec=
t lady to fading flower.
The play begins in the 1860s and tells the story of Emma and her adult =
children.=A0 This was long after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and =
his brother Hyrum.=A0 It spans two decades in the American Mid-West, chiefl=
y Nauvoo, Illinois and the West, Salt Lake City, Utah.=A0 Much of the backg=
round information is given from a pulpit in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young=
and Joseph F. Smith and from the pulpit of Joseph Smith III and David Hyru=
m Smith in Nauvoo.=A0 This works extremely well and feels very personal and=
authentic. The preaching scene face-off between David Hyrum Smith and Jose=
ph F Smith is powerful and very moving.=A0 The beginning action concerns th=
e children of Emma Smith: Julia Smith Middleton, David Hyrum Smith, Frederi=
ck Smith, Alexander Smith and Joseph Smith III.=A0 After the death of Josep=
h Smith Jr. Emma married Major Lewis Bidamon and they reside in the Mansion=
House.=A0 This is a challenging time for Emma and her children, because th=
e reorganization of the church is taking place.=A0 To add to the confusion =
they receive a visit from their cousins Joseph F. Smith and Samuel Smith fr=
om Salt Lake City, Utah.=A0 Each faction of the family has hopes of convert=
ing the other to the true church; but some are not yet sure which church is=
God's true church.=A0 The sticking point is the principal of polygamy.=
=A0 The RLDS Church rejects polygamy, denies that it ever happened in Nauvo=
o and believe it was never practiced by Joseph Smith.=A0 The Brighamites, a=
s the western church is called by the RLDS, believe in the practice of poly=
gamy and claim that it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph in Nauvoo and tha=
t he lived the principal before his death.=A0 This conflict threatens testi=
monies and family unity as it is played out. =A0
When Joseph Smith III takes over the leadership of the RLDS church he s=
ends David Hyrum Smith and Alexander Smith to Salt Lake City as missionarie=
s.=A0 David is Emma's youngest child, born after the death of his fathe=
r.=A0 He is a fine young man: gifted, artistic, sensitive, and a seeker of =
truth.=A0 Some of the information he learns from his seeking will leave him=
forever changed.=A0
Julia Middleton Smith is one of the truth tellers in the play and her c=
haracter is as compelling as David's and Emma's.=A0 All three are f=
ading flowers and are symbolic of this major theme.
As church leader=
s Brigham Young and Joseph Smith III are strong in their resolve to do good=
.=A0 Each approaches his truth in his own way and each feels the burden of =
his leadership and his heritage, with devotion toward his God and loyalty t=
o his church and family.
Stewart is ever the writer of brilliant dialogue.=A0 This piece is so p=
owerful and beautifully written it demands competent actors to match the ma=
terial.=A0 These talented and sensitive actors are up for the task and are =
superb as they bring to life some of the most important players in our earl=
y church history.=A0 I can't begin to name names, because there were to=
o many marvelous actors.=A0 The play is well directed, but too long.=A0 Bec=
ause there are so many scenes, the play is choppy at times.=A0=A0=A0
After seeing some of the recent Emma Smith movies and through the years sen=
sing her absence from the Church lesson manuals I am appreciative of Stewar=
t's courage in writing this bold, candid, historically authentic work h=
onoring Emma Hale Smith.=A0 The play is an important historical achievement=
.
SPOILER ALERT:=A0 Please stop reading if you would rather not kn=
ow the plot line.
Did Emma stay behind because she felt that her chi=
ldren had suffered enough and she was not sure how they would be treated ou=
t West?=A0 Did God command polygamy to raise up seed unto Him?=A0 Was Mormo=
n polygamy an exception to the one husband, one wife commandment from the s=
criptures?=A0 How many were imprisoned and died for the principal of polyga=
my? =A0 After bringing forth the Book of Mormon, organizing the church, pro=
tecting his family and his people, why would the Lord allow Joseph Smith=
9;s name to be sullied by the divisive principal of plural marriage?=A0 Who=
could expect Emma to go against her oldest living son to defend a principl=
e that brought her so much heartache?=A0 These are some of the questions th=
at are considered within the context of this relevant work.=A0
The play is about truth and it is never more obvious than when Julia sp=
eaks these insightful words, "David did not lose his sanity because he=
was told the truth in the end.=A0 David lost his sanity because he was not=
told the truth from the beginning.=A0 If he hadn't a false world const=
ructed around him, he would have been able to endure the real one."
Emma Smith will always be an elect lady, but elect ladies grow old, as =
do prophets.=A0 All flowers fade; it is part of God's plan.=A0
--0016e645ba84fe410b046b2166bf--