2007 was a special year. It was our 2nd year as a pageant presidency. We had successfully completed one year and felt we now knew what we needed to do. Our Public Affairs committee consisted of Jeff Sykes (Rochester Stake), Toi Clawson (Palmyra Stake) and Phil Huller (Syracuse Stake). With all we needed done they were stretched.
Then because Mitt Romney was running for president, the ABC News Nightline producer called and asked if they could do a story on the pageant. Jeff spent most of the day trying to get everything worked out. His biggest challenge was finding the right person in the missionary department at church headquarters who would sign off for the church giving permission for the news crew to do the story. Brother Hawkins of the missionary department sent us a contract for ABC to sign binding them to follow church standards, etc. while on church property. Finally we were able to get to the right level of management in church headquarters to also sign the contract.
That night when the camera crew and reporter came to the pageant we had a very small crowd (less than 2000 people) in attendance because we had had a light rain during the afternoon and all evening. But this actually worked in our favor because the people from Nightline were amazed that the audience came and remained through the whole show.
John Starrs who played King Noah, Debb Steele who was costume mistress, and Sarah Stankiewicz (YSA from Pennsylvania) were interviewed extensively. As part of the agreement, we allowed the Nightline crew to film the entire show. We had never done that before. So there were a number of things that we were a bit nervous about, but we felt the opportunity this provided far out weighed our concerns.
The camera crew came to film the closing post show devotional. We had normally given cast members the opportunity in this devotional to tell of their proselyting experiences. Because the camera crew was present we decided not to do that, but instead invited Sister Kathleen Cook, wife of the area Seventy responsible for the pageant to come and bear her testimony. Before the devotional was over the reporter and camera crew packed up and left the study shelter. They were maybe 30 feet down the walkway when we asked the cast and staff to stand and sing The Song of Cumorah. The noise of all the chairs being moved as everyone stood up caused the camera crew to return to the study shelter. What they filmed actually became the end of the Nightline story.
Then the waiting began. I became worried because NBC news did another story by the same reporter on the Manti pageant. His emphasis there was on the protestors of that pageant. I worried what our story would be because in essence we had given him the keys to the house and gave him free access to everything. The story could have been devastating. In the end both the pageant and the church were shown in a very positive light.
Then because Mitt Romney was running for president, the ABC News Nightline producer called and asked if they could do a story on the pageant. Jeff spent most of the day trying to get everything worked out. His biggest challenge was finding the right person in the missionary department at church headquarters who would sign off for the church giving permission for the news crew to do the story. Brother Hawkins of the missionary department sent us a contract for ABC to sign binding them to follow church standards, etc. while on church property. Finally we were able to get to the right level of management in church headquarters to also sign the contract.
That night when the camera crew and reporter came to the pageant we had a very small crowd (less than 2000 people) in attendance because we had had a light rain during the afternoon and all evening. But this actually worked in our favor because the people from Nightline were amazed that the audience came and remained through the whole show.
John Starrs who played King Noah, Debb Steele who was costume mistress, and Sarah Stankiewicz (YSA from Pennsylvania) were interviewed extensively. As part of the agreement, we allowed the Nightline crew to film the entire show. We had never done that before. So there were a number of things that we were a bit nervous about, but we felt the opportunity this provided far out weighed our concerns.
The camera crew came to film the closing post show devotional. We had normally given cast members the opportunity in this devotional to tell of their proselyting experiences. Because the camera crew was present we decided not to do that, but instead invited Sister Kathleen Cook, wife of the area Seventy responsible for the pageant to come and bear her testimony. Before the devotional was over the reporter and camera crew packed up and left the study shelter. They were maybe 30 feet down the walkway when we asked the cast and staff to stand and sing The Song of Cumorah. The noise of all the chairs being moved as everyone stood up caused the camera crew to return to the study shelter. What they filmed actually became the end of the Nightline story.
Then the waiting began. I became worried because NBC news did another story by the same reporter on the Manti pageant. His emphasis there was on the protestors of that pageant. I worried what our story would be because in essence we had given him the keys to the house and gave him free access to everything. The story could have been devastating. In the end both the pageant and the church were shown in a very positive light.
The story is about 10 minutes long if you would like to watch:
(If you can't see the video box, please click on the name of this article, "Nightline" News Visits the Pageant" above, and scroll down)
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