Theater

A group of missionaries serving in the Alpine-German Speaking mission are using their talents to share their testimonies and honor the life of a fellow sister missionary who recently passed away.

Editor's note: This article does not represent an LDS Living endorsement of the film. Parents should still use discretion based on their own family’s decisions about what is or is not appropriate for their children to see.

Elder Tade Biesinger has loved to dance and entertain others ever since he was a little kid and remembers constantly showing his parents what cool new move he had come up with.

Today when you hear the word “theater,” you probably think of a dark room, enormous screens, and overflowing buckets of popcorn. But for some people, the theater still represents sweeping curtains, hours of rehearsal, and mic checks. That’s what it means for a small group of Latter-day Saints who are about to make their debut on Off-Broadway in New York this November with a new musical called An Enchanted April. “I don't think there has been a collection of members of the Church producing a musical like this for about 15 years,” writer and Latter-day Saint Elizabeth Hansen says. “The composer, our executive producer, our assistant musical director, our projection designer, our publicist, and two of our actors are also members. It's unique and quite remarkable.”

Since Joseph Smith directed Latter-day Saints to form a dramatic company after building the first community theaters in Nauvoo, Illinois, Latter-day Saints have had a fondness for the performing arts. One of the first structures the pioneers erected after reaching Salt Lake City was a bowery on what is now Temple Square where they could perform music, dance, and plays.

Quentin Oliver Lee never expected his side job of singing in the subway would ever generate anything more than a little grocery money. Little did he know that experience would propel him into a career on Broadway and stages across the world.

Broadway stars Matthew Morrison and Laura Michelle Kelly will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for “Music for a Summer Evening,” a concert held annually in conjunction with community-wide Pioneer Day celebrations. This special Broadway-themed concert will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21, at 8:00 p.m. in the Conference Center and will be conducted by Mack Wilberg, music director of the Choir, and Ryan Murphy, associate music director.

Family history—if there is one hobby Mormons are known for, it's our love of finding our ancestors.

Despite his incredible success at just 18, Tade Biesinger is going to put his training on hold to serve a mission.

"Hamilton" actor and former contestant on "So You Think You Can Dance" Thayne Jasperson recently opened up to the Deseret News about his faith and doubts as a Latter-day Saint.

Learn a little more about a few Mormon theater stars and the remarkable ways they share their faith with the world.

For the 25th anniversary tour of Michael McLean's The Forgotten Carols, the cast, crew, and audience joined in the latest internet craze—the mannequin challenge.

The Forgotten Carols, a seasonal concert favorite, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Michael McLean, a well-known performer, composer, songwriter, author, and director staged his first one-man concert in 1991 with the hopes of it becoming a tradition families would enjoy. For those first performances, McLean played all the parts to give people a sense of how families could create their own narration at home.

Since Music and the Spoken Word broadcasted for the first time 88 years ago, the choir has never performed in a Salt Lake venue other than the Conference Center or the Tabernacle on Temple Square.

This summer, expect the unforgettable as Tuacahn Center for the Arts commences its most exciting Broadway in the Canyon season yet. Peter Pan, Disney’s Tarzan, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame will grace the famed Tuacahn outdoor Amphitheatre leaving audiences with smiles and memories to last a lifetime.

MR says: It's always wonderful seeing Latter-day Saints who can let their talents and their faith shine as they stick to their standards, even when the world contradicts them.

MR says: Watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing the song that inspired Queen's famous rock anthems "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions." To find out more about how "You'll Never Walk Alone" inspired these classic rock songs, click here.

The Book of Mormon," from Trey Parker and Matt Stone with music by Robert Lopez, may be the best "South Park" episode yet.

On April 26, 1564, William Shakespeare was baptized in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon, according to History.com, years before he penned the classics that would make him famous.

What's It Like To Be a Mormon in the Entertainment Business?

With the arrival of summer comes the performance of many faith-promoting pageants and plays presenting anything from the restoration of the gospel to the Resurrection of Christ. While some of these pageants have already occurred this year, there are still several coming up, or you can plan to take your family next year! Admission to all of the following pageants is free, but some may require reservations. Check the websites for details.

Members of the cast of the revival of "Saturday's Warrior" practices their choreography. (Photo from Deseret News, courtesy of Steve Porter)

Four major films with religious themes will be released this year.