"One Life"- Act 2

Act 2 Scene 1
The scene begins with John Taylor surprised to see them- "Joseph, Willard, Hyrum-- why are you here?  I thought you safe in Montrose."
And ends with Joseph explaining that he is willing to give his life to protect his people and for this gospel which he knows to be true- "It is better for me to lay down my life for them, and I am willing to do so."

 Act 2 Scene 2

Flashback to Zion's Camp

"Those With Us"

Brigham's lines-

*(Picking the snake up with a stick) "Rather musical, ain't he?"

*(looking at the snake with mock interest) "I don't know; I wonder if this fellow would make better eatin' than the rotten ham I had this morning."

*"Why, Brother Sylvester!  You don't learn any better than a pig in a mud puddle, do ya?  Here you are chastening a Prophet of God, when you yourself ought to bow down in humility and repent of that rebellious spirit before it's too late.  Remember how the Lord said a scourge would come upon the camp, and we would die like sheep if we didn't humble ourselves and repent?  Are you willing to take on the Lord's scourge in your current state, Brother Sylvester?"

 

The mobs come threatening the men.  But Joseph reassures them there is no need to worry.

Joseph- "No, brethren, we will not fight this battle tonight.  We will have no need.  Stand still and see the salvation of God... (the storm arrives and builds)  ...Boys, there is some meaning to this.  God is in this storm."

 

"Those with us are more than be with them, the Lord of Hosts commands the seraphim, for though a thousand enemies surrounded us, yea, more, the Lord will take the battlefield for this, for this is heaven's war."

 Act 2 Scene 3

 "Society of Women"

"A society of women is exactly what we need!"

Starts with Hyrum's wife complaining about all the laundry she has and then later volunteering to do someone elses who needs help, with funny looks from all her friends, she explains, "What?  I'm a lot more motivated if I'm doing it for someone else."

Brooke played Sister Taylor and all her lines were perfect for her sweet, service nature.  "What you need is a friend.  Here, let me help you" and "I'll take care of the other children.  I'm sure they could use a good bath tonight."  Brooke did a great job! 

Sister Young's lines-

"Nothing like hot barley soup to go with fresh bread.  I'll bring a pot over for supper."

(Singing/Harmonizing with Sis. Kimball/Katie- my BFF in the play) "Clothe the naked toe to head."

"The men are always in meetings.  Wouldn't it be a relief to have the excuse of a meeting or two of our own?"

Sister Kimball explains about women and multi-tasking... "Too true.  If men could work like women do, Rome could have been built in a day!"

"I'd be willing to donate the ticking off of all my old mattresses.  We could use it to make their shirts.  It isn't as soft as linen, but it certainly wears well.  I made Brigham a shirt out of it last year, and I'm still waiting for it to wear out!  He sleeps in the blessed thing..."

 

All sing (I loved the beautiful harmonies in this song)- "Ambitious and divine, an elect society, Relief to all humanity, This is our legacy."

Sister Young (the line I had a hard time getting through because I was emotional, on the last day... because I really meant it... I was blessed to get to know these amazing women.  I loved getting to know each and every one of them.)- "I feel blessed to belong to such a glorious sisterhood."

Lucy and Emma singing in harmony- "Fly to relief of strangers, relieve them from their cares..."

Sister Young and then others one by one join in... "dry up the tears of orphans and lift them, lift them from despair... O, society of women, blessed women raise your voice!"  One night, Katie put her arms around Lynette and I and it just stuck.  I thought it was a very sweet addition!  :)

Act 2 Scene 4

"House of God,"

my favorite line from the play, and the miracle shirt

 

Brother Weeks (Joe G) joined Joseph and the children.  Joseph comments on his nice shirt and Brother Weeks responded with the funniest line in the play, which I found out after closing night that he had made it up, referring to his shirt made out of ticking from old mattresses... "One day I was sleeping on it and the next day, I was wearing it!"  Everyone always laughed at this line. 

 

The amazing shirt was often referred to as the "miracle shirt" by the cast and crew.  Elizabeth read us a letter from the seamstress during a rehearsal.  In the letter, she told about how she was given a certain amount of material and specific instructions (like which way the stripes needed to go) on how to make the shirt.  She tried every way she could think of to try to place the patterns pieces but nothing would work.  She was a very experienced seamstress, but just could not make it work.  She prayed for help and in the middle of the night, she woke up for no reason.  Into her mind came a picture of the pattern pieces layed out on the material.  She arose from her bed and layed the pieces on the materials and it worked!!!  It was a miracle!  She said she knew it was just a shirt but that the Lord must have His hand in this play because He even cared about something as small as a shirt!  What a neat story!  (We heard many more stories through emails of peoples little tender mercies along the way- such as little Henry who had autism and yet played Joseph's son beautifully, or of Bronwyn feeling close to her sister, Katrina, who had passed on through being in this play, something they had always done together.)

 

 Ian was so sweet with his kids in this song.  I also loved watching their reactions to him, especially when he sang, "Now there are little holes for foxes and nests for birds of air, but no home for our Savior, the Lord, he had nowhere...) I loved Autumn's look of sadness and surprise that turned to happiness, as Ian spoke of how the Lord called the saints to build the Lord a house where he could dwell.  We all joined in to sing...

"House of God, Holy Home, where a child of God can come to feel His presence or see His face, In all the world this is that place." 

Act 2 Scene 5
The Gathering Stomp
This was probably my favorite part in the whole play.  First, the immigrants with their awesome accents, then Katie and I had a fun little part, then the little girl part, then the stick pull, and then the dance!  :)

Joseph: "How are you, sisters?"
Sister Kimball and Sister Young: "Very well, thank you, Brother Smith." and "Good, thank you!"
Joseph asks how Sister Kimball's children are recovering.
...Sister Young (to Sister Kimball): "What a thoughtful man Brother Joseph is!  He helped Brigham give our youngest a blessing when she had the croup, and she slept well that very night!"
Sister Kimball: "We are so blessed to have such a Prophet in our midst.  I wish I knew how to thank him properly for all he has done.  (suddenly struck with an idea)  I think I'll make him a shirt!" 
(That was a pretty funny part too!)  :)

 

I think we all enjoyed doing the dance.  Even the children loved being a part of it!  I loved the pictures that showed the children dancing.  Karina looked especially cute doing the dance!  :)

Brigham- "Come, Mary Ann, I'll show these whippersnappers how to dance with a daughter of Zion!"

This picture, below on the right, cracks me up!!  Brother Knight was falling suddenly, while he was dancing, and Joseph caught him.  We were all "shocked."  LOL!

I loved dancing with Grant!!  It was so fun!!  He "surprised" me with a dip each night!  ;)

These are some of my favorite pictures that Jen took!  They are great action shots of us doing the irish heel click!

Bottom left: A picture from backstage of the children dancing in the back.  And our ending pose, ending with "Hey!!"  The dance was SO much fun!  The only problem was that it left us all burning hot!  I always had to run and get a drink before returning to backstage, ready to go on.

Act 2 Scene 6

"A Lamb to the Slaughter"
Saying goodbye to his family (this part really got to me because I know that Joseph wouldn't have given up everything in his life and willing gone to be killed, if he wasn't doing the will of God.  He was willing to die for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am so incredibly thankful for his willingness to restore the fulness of the gospel to the earth again in these latter days.  I have a love for Joseph Smith that is so much deeper after being in this play.  I really feel like it was perfect timing for our family after going back to Nauvoo and seeing all the church history sites, like Carthage Jail.  It was neat to be at these places and then to see the events acted out in this play and almost felt like we had met Joseph Smith.

"I go as a lamb, a lamb to the slaughter... If I die, it will be as an innocent man... But as for myself, I do not fear death, I will defend truth with my very last breath..."

Grant decided on his own to kneel down in prayer at the end of this song.  I am sure that Brigham was on his knees a lot when Joseph left.  It added something special to the song.

 

Act 2 Scene 7
"Carthage Jail/A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief"
I always stood backstage during this scene, as I was going back on right after it was over.  It gave me the opportunity to be filled with the Spirit and I never made it through this scene without ending up in tears.  Willard Richards/Kerry N had a difficult time getting through his line, "Brother Joseph, you did not ask me to come here to Carthage Jail with you-- and do you think I would forsake you now?  I will tell you what I will do; if you are condemned to be hung for treason, I will be hung in your stead, and you shall go free."  He delivered it with such passion, and many times ended up in tears, which would make me cry.  If that didn't get me, John Taylor/Logan singing with such a sweet spirit and a beautiful voice would get me.  Or when he passionately said, "Joseph!  Joseph, they're coming!"  Or when Hyrum was hit and said, "I am a dead man!" and Joseph said, "Oh, my poor, dear brother Hyrum!"  Or finally, when Joseph was shot and killed as he jumped from the window and the rest of "A Poor, Wayfaring Man of Grief" continued to play.  These men did an absolutely incredible job delivering this scene and the Spirit always attended them.

The other special part of this scene was that Bronwyn stood beside me each night, waiting for her big part, and when the gun shots would go off, she would squeeze me so tight.  I would hug and comfort her, as well.  She is such a sweet spirit that I have had the pleasure of being friends with most of our lives.  We are only 2 weeks apart and have known each other since we were about 7-8.  I also thought of her sister, Katrina, who I love dearly, who passed away years ago, and wondered if she was there with us.   What a special experience to share those moments with Bronwyn each night!!  (It was so sweet to have her Mom, Dottie, in the play, as well.  I love her and Dave so much!  They are truly remarkable examples of staying close to the Lord during their trials.  I can not even begin to imagine how hard it would be to go through what they have gone through!!  It was neat to me that they were able to get to know my family through this play.)

 Act 2 Scene 8
"Funeral Scene"
It was so sad to watch Joseph and Hyrum's family say goodbye to them each night.  They all did an amazing job at this part!  Bronwyn did a wonderful job at her special part too, each night as she comforted Emma and rubbed her shoulder.  That part meant the world to Bronwyn and it was so special to be there with her.  It was difficult to walk by the "bodies" and to imagine that the Prophet and his brother had just been killed.  How horrible that must've been for the early saints!  My girls had a hard time with it too.  Sariah told me that it was just so sad that Joseph was killed and that she almost cried every night.  She also said that she really felt the Spirit during that part.  It was touching to see that the other members of the cast were feeling the exact same feelings that we were feeling and that many were brought to tears during this tender moment!

"Praise to the Man/Save Jesus Only"

  We all sang "Praise to the Man" while Logan sang "Save Jesus Only."  He sang beautifully and delivered his parts with such maturity, well beyond his years of only 14-15.  (I was especially impressed with how still Hailey was able to be during the part that we had to freeze while Logan sang.)

 

"Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Lord in this world has done so much more for the salvation of all than any man since the fall, save Jesus only!"

With the key change, the song took a turn from one of sadness, to one of celebration...

"He left a fame, he left a name, that never can be slain... millions shall know Brother Joseph again!  ...traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain... death cannot conquer the hero again!"   We all tried to bear our testimony, while singing these beautiful harmonies!  Hopefully, the audience was able to feel what we were able to feel up there on the stage.   

 Act 2 Scene 9
"One Life, A Gift from Heaven"
Grant and I and our girls literally walked off the stage grabbed our coats and walked right back on.  The closing scene began with a monologue by Grant,
"Have one last look if you must, only do not look with sorrow, but with gratitude!  There stands the City of Joseph, where rest the mortal remains of our dear Prophet.  And there stands the temple of our God, a symbol of the mighty gifts that Brother Joseph has given to us... I feel like shouting hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet!  And now we go to carry on his work, and to build it up in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains.  Take courage from Brother Joseph.  What greater cause could he have given?  What greater example could he have set?... (singing now) And shall we not go on, go on in such a cause?  Go forward, never pause, we'll leave the shining temple that we see.  Forsake our homes and seek our destiny.  So now fresh courage take for Brother Joseph's sake, press on the narrow path to victory!  (Speaking again) Never forget!!  Never let us forget what Brother Joseph told us:
'No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing...
Willard Richards/Kerry- ...persecutions may rage...
John Taylor/Logan- ...mobs may combine...
Brother Benbow/Ben (in British accent)- ...armies may assemble...
Sister Taylor/Brooke- ...calumny may defame...
Sister Richards/Christy- ...but the truth of God will go forth boldly,...
Brother Knight/Bryant- ...nobly,...
Brother Cahoun/Greg- ...and independent,...
Kids/Kina and Alec- ...till it has penetrated every continent,...
Sister Kimball/Katie- ...visited every clime,...
Charlie/Gage- ...swept every country,...
Brother Hay/Kevyn (in a Scottish accent)- ...and sounded in every ear,...
Sister Young/Angela/me (another line I had trouble not getting emotional on)- ...till the purposes of God shall be accomplished,...
Little Girls/Tierra, Karina, Aurora, Hailey, Abbey, Eliza, Livy, Sarah, Caydence, Danica (they were so adorable!!)- ...and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

"One life is all we're given, one life, a gift from heaven.  The value of the life we live is shown in service that we give, so we will live and we will give... One Life!!"
I loved singing this song!  It was the perfect closing number!

THE END
...Curtain Call

We all loved being in this play. It was sad when it came to an end!  Most of these curtain call pictures were taken on closing night and you can tell because a lot of us were crying.  I know Hannah and Macey were crying!  I love those sweet girls!  It was so neat getting closer to all the teenagers- Aimee, Autumn, Melanie, Naomi, Brooke, Hannah, Macey, Charlotte, etc.  I also loved how they all helped with my little girls.  I love how Riana took care of Aurora during the curtain call, without even being asked.

About 2-3 weeks after the play ended, "Praise to the Man" came on in the car (while we were in the parking lot waiting for the older girls to get done.) About halfway through the song, I heard a sad little voice. "Mommy..." I turned around to see our little 5 year old, Aurora (the youngest member of the cast) in tears. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "Mommy, I just cry every time I hear this song because of Joseph... the real Joseph... he died, Mommy. And that makes me sad." Oh my goodness! It broke my heart!

Later that day, I was talking to Brooke A (her stage Mom) and telling her about the story. I said, "You know, I think that maybe she was feeling the Spirit." Aurora happened to be walking by. She looked at me, put her hand on her hip, and said, quite matter of factly, "Of course I was feeling the Spirit, Mommy!" and then walked off.  Out of the mouth of babes...

Every member of our family was strengthened by being a part of "One Life." Nothing in our lives will ever be the same.    :)