Nauvoo's young performers testify through song, dance

NAUVOO, Ill. — The young performers who entertain visitors to Nauvoo during the summer months sing, dance and entertain. But mostly they testify.

That's because the entertainers are called as church service missionaries, serving in the Illinois Nauvoo Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

From May through August, the Young Performing Stage Missionaries perform in four daily and evening musical shows both indoors and on the Nauvoo Outdoor Stage.

"The goal is to bear testimony and share light each and every time you step on stage," said Chante Sinclair, who first went to Nauvoo to perform in 2008 and became the choreographer for Nauvoo Productions last season.

"It's not just teaching missionaries to dance," she said. "Our purpose is greater than that." While the opportunity to perform in Nauvoo is great resume material for aspiring performers, "the most important thing to remember about this extraordinary experience is that this is an opportunity to serve," Sinclair said.

The process for participating is also somewhat unique in the Mormon arena of mission experiences. Interested candidates apply and then audition for 20 positions as stage missionaries and 16 to 18 positions in the Nauvoo Brass Band.

Nauvoo Productions Executive Director Heidi Camp said she hopes to broaden the program's reach to attract a larger and more diverse pool of performing missionary applicants. Applications for next summer are being taken through November.

Each summer, Sinclair said, she has seen the young performers' shows get stronger. The impact the experience has on the missionaries is also evident. "Each year I've been involved I've seen it step up a notch. From 2008 to 2009 it continually grows. I'd like to see that continue and the talent pushed up a little."

"I now see more than ever the importance of each individual person who goes to Nauvoo. Everyone has something unique and different that they have to offer. We need that diversity of experience because when it all comes together for one cause there is a power like no other."

One advantage for young Mormons eager for a missionary experience is that males who would have to be 19 to serve full-time proselyting missions can qualify for a performing mission as long as they have graduated from high school, and young women, who have to be at least 21 to serve full-time proselyting missions, can qualify if they are 19 and have graduated from high school.

Audition information is available at www.historicnauvoo.net. See also a story on LDSChurchNews.com.