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SALT LAKE CITY - For the past six years, Latter-day Saints who live 5,000 miles apart have been working on a musical production that is finally underway in downtown Salt Lake City.
It began with friendship between two men, one in Utah and the other in England, brought together across the continents by church leadership positions.
Layne Bushell of the Glenmoor Stake in South Jordan found out about the production in a church meeting.
"It was presented to us during stake conference when we were told how ‘Faith, the Musical' was performed in England and the relationship between our former stake president and a stake president over there," she said. "That's how our stake got connected with the stake from England."
The result: After years of planning and months of rehearsals, "Faith, the Musical" has finally debuted.
Based on the journals of Thomas Oakey and his family, the production follows their conversion and experiences in the Willie handcart company.
Lorraine Merchant plays Sarah Haynes, who came with her fiancé, deciding not to marry until they reach Zion. He died along the way and she never married, carrying her love for him through her life.
"I am full of admiration for them. They must have had such faith to embark on such a journey and sometimes against all odds," Merchant said. "They still went for it and they kept on going. For me, it's amazing."
Merchant described the experience of being involved in this worldwide project.
"Faith, the Musical" plays Tuesday, Aug. 9, through Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011. All show times are at 7:30 p.m. at the Conference Center Theater in Salt Lake City. CLICK HERE for tickets.
"I live in Glouchester, so I live a few miles away from where all of this started," she said. "To be able to make this journey and to come to a place within a few miles of where they ended is incredible."
The production has a personal connection with Merchant as well.
"Ancestors of people we know today did that trek," she said. "Without them, it would be a much different day. It takes a strong person to do that."
Mike Smith plays David Blair, who dies during the handcart trek but is brought back to life with a blessing and lives long enough -- two weeks -- to get his family through dire straits.
"Realizing that it's all true, that what we are singing about actually happened... At first you are given a character, now I feel like I know Brother Blair," Smith said.
The Utahns involved have forged friendships with the Brits by hosting this production, leaving lasting impressions.
"It's just an amazing experience," Merchant said. "I'd definitely come back. This is my first visit [to Utah] and so far, I'm really enjoying it."
"No matter where you go in the world, the church is exactly the same," Smith said. "Cultures are different, languages are different, but the sing the same hymns, they have the same testimonies."
Mike Smith of South Jordan, part of the Glenmoor Stake involved in the musical, said, "I went on my mission to England, so for me, that's also been very rewarding … talking to them and having this experience. It's been a total experience, you know, life changing."
Remembering the past has brought a greater appreciation for the sacrifices of these early Latter-day Saints.
"I've tried to apply that, how can I go on and move forward and keep their spirit, their memory, their dedication alive?" said Layne Bushell of South Jordan, also a production member. "How can I project that to others and become stronger myself?"
"The music is touching," Bushell said. "It will touch your heart and your soul. It changes you. I can sense that from the audience members when they leave, that they were touched and that they felt the spirit and have a greater understanding of those pioneers who came across."
Performances of "Faith, the Musical" will continue through Saturday, Aug. 13, at the LDS Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
Email: cmikita@ksl.com
