Welcome to the homepage of "1856" The Musical. 
"1856" The Musical tells the story of Mormon handcart saga beautifully and powerfully. President Hinckley said in the September, 2006 Conference, "What a story it is. It is filled with suffering and hunger and cold and death. It is replete with accounts of freezing rivers that had to be waded through; of howling blizzards; of the long, slow climb up Rocky Ridge. With the passing of this anniversary year, it may become largely forgotten. But hopefully it will be told again and again to remind future generations of the suffering and the faith of those who came before. Their faith is our inheritance. Their faith is a reminder to us of the price they paid for the comforts we enjoy." We are pleased that "1856" has been enjoyed by audiences in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Feedback almost always refers to the power of the message and music. After a successful premiere production in Arizona in 2005 (4,000 people, 5 shows), we made improvements and put it on again in Arizona and Utah in 2006. In Arizona we were proud to be in the new Mesa Arts Center Ikeda Theatre. With a superb cast of 140 people, we performed eight shows for 7,000 people with the audience size growing each night. For a review of the Arizona performances, please see the blog written by Lawn Griffiths, Religion Editor of the East Valley Tribune. Then we took the entire cast and crew to the fantastic Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City for five shows. Again audience size increased each night and we performed for 4,000 people in the grand theatre. Additionally we were invited by the Church to perform a reader's theatre style concert in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square on July 22, 2006. Attendees universally spoke of the sweet spirit there that night. Next we were pleased to see a stake perform the work. The Colorado Springs North Stake put heart and soul into the production and gave three rousing performances in October in their Stake Center for a combined audience of more than 1,300 people. The participants in Colorado spoke of many life changing events as they honored the handcart pioneers with "1856". In the summer of 2007 stakes in Grace, Idaho and Parker, Colorado performed “1856”. Both stakes did a magnificent job and played to a full theater for every show. In 2008 the hub production company, with a cast of 175, performed in Utah at the Capitol Theatre and in Arizona at the Mesa Arts Center. More than 7,000 attended and the post-show celebrations in the lobby were full of emotional and joyful feedback. On behalf of the casts and crews of the growing "1856" family we thank you for sharing in this beautiful story together. We hope that the number of people who see and enjoy "1856" grows over the years and is partial fulfillment of President Hinckley's request to tell this true chapter of testimony, faith and dedication that has few rivals in Mormon, Western or American history "again and again". http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-646-30,00.htmlhttp://beyondbelief.freedomblogging.com/2006/06/29/1856-the-musical-a-powerful-account-of-the-arduous-handcart-treks-of-mormon-pioneers/shapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1

"1856" just finished it's 2008 run in Utah and Arizona. Over 7,000 people attended the performances and feedback was extremely positive. Thanks to everyone who participated in the cast and crew and also to all those who attended. It was a very sweet experience. You may want to get a copy of the updated soundtrack or a copy of the songbook.

"We so enjoyed both your superior writing of 1856 the Musical, and your superb direction of it, so that it not only gave life changing experience to your cast, but thrilled your many audiences. Highest congratulations for these achievements."

-Crawford Gates, renowned composer.