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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- A past planner of the Stadium of Fire says the annual Fourth of July fireworks and entertainment event needs renewed focus on patriotism.
Ron Clark said in a letter to newspapers last week that he felt let down after leaving this year's performance at Brigham Young University's stadium.
"I have been around this show long enough to know it has far greater ability and capacity to produce that patriotic magic we need, deserve and expect year after year," the letter said. "Sorry, friends, but this one missed the mark."
Clark said, "It used to be a pageant. It was a spectacular. It was America's birthday party. We were talking about America.... It was all about the country. The stadium was used as a stage instead of a playground for young women to do cartwheels. As one person, I just missed the way it was."
Alan Osmond, who founded Stadium of Fire in 1988 and is a trustee of America's Freedom Foundation, which oversees the concert-and-fireworks production, said, "I echo a big 'yes' to Ron on that."
Osmond said that while he enjoyed the fireworks, parts of the show didn't have the speed, excitement or emotion it did in years past.
"We try hard, but sometimes we miss the mark," he said. "Things have changed a little bit that need to be fixed up. We need to keep it visual, keep it fast-paced. We had some misses, but overall we had a decent show."
In the past, the event has featured human cannonballs and high dives into water tanks. Singer Donny Osmond once leaned out of a helicopter to sing to the crowd below.
In addition to performances by "American Idol" Taylor Hicks and country singer Lee Ann Womack, this year's Stadium of Fire featured a tightly scripted family challenge game and a parachute jump team that performed no aerial students and simply landed on the field.
Dancers ran back and forth across the field after they finished performing, doing cartwheels and chatting with friends.
"Everybody's out there trying really hard, but we've had some good wake-up calls," Osmond said. "You've got to keep it exciting. You have to have people moving. You have to bring in the unexpected."
Stadium of Fire senior executive producer Brad Pelo said that while some adults might not have enjoyed the family challenge, he's spoken to several children who said it was their favorite part of the show.
Taylor Macdonald, executive director of America's Freedom Foundation, said he thought the show was a success. And, he said, the foundation has received hundreds of e-mail messages saying the same.
"The whole purpose of the show is to build appreciation for the Founding Fathers and the military and celebrate our history," he said. "If you consider the giant flag, the crowd waving their flags.... If that's not patriotism, I don't know what is."
Clark asked the trustees of America's Freedom Foundation and John and Sheri Whittaker, who produced Stadium of Fire until 2004, to resolve their differences and work together again on the show.
The Whittakers produced the first 24 years of the show but left to start the Freedom Blast in Salt Lake City two years ago, saying the Stadium of Fire was becoming a platform for conservative politics. Sean Hannity, a conservative talk-show host, had become master of ceremonies.
However, this year's Freedom Blast was canceled because it did not attract a substantial crowd.
"The executive producer of the (Stadium of Fire) now, Brad Pelo, is a good man and a wonderful producer, and the Whittakers are wonderful producers," Clark said. "What they need to do is get the show back on track to get it where it was. There's a lot of talent to be had."
Linda Walton, a spokeswoman for the Whittakers, said they have seen Clark's letter and are willing to consider the possibility of rejoining Stadium of Fire.
Pelo said while he holds no malice toward the Whittakers and would gladly invite them to volunteer at next year's Stadium of Fire, he has no plans to rehire the pair.
"They chose to leave, and I hired a replacement," Pelo said. "That replacement is doing a fantastic job. That's not to say that the Whittakers didn't do a great job; I just think there's no reason to turn around and fire them (the current producers) just so that the prior person can come back into our employ."
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Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
