Volunteer staff fill many important roles backstage and behind the scenes in the Nauvoo Pageant. To serve in Nauvoo during the pageant season, volunteers must be 21 years or older, and may apply as individuals or couples. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation, housing, and meals. Participants may choose to participate in the pageant food program. Housing options are available to accepted participants, or volunteers may make their own arrangements.
Time commitments for volunteers are flexible depending on the area in which they serve and may be adjusted on a case-by-case basis if volunteers have family members participating in the pageant cast or on other volunteer support teams. For more information about service opportunities during the pageant, please follow the links to the right.
Costume assistants should have experience with clothing construction and be able to follow typical pattern instructions. All costumers will assist in fitting and altering costumes for incoming casts. On subsequent days, costume assistants will do laundry, repair costumes, maintain dressing rooms for the cast, assist with hair and make-up for core cast performers, and construct costumes as needed. Costumers will need to bring their own sewing machines and, if possible, sergers.
Family support team members will assist the directing staff in providing enriching and meaningful activities that help children and youth connect gospel principles with their participation in the Nauvoo Pageant. During the first week of cast rehearsals, activities team members will assist with several planned activities and also be on call at all rehearsals to help with the children if needed. The second week of volunteer service will be spent with the children as needed according to the direction of the family support team coordinator.
Single adults and/or couples are needed to assist with the pageant meal program and will work under the direction of the Food Service coordinators. Food service team members will scan barcodes as pageant participants enter the food services serving line (familiarity with spreadsheets is helpful but not required). Food services personnel may be asked to operate a pageant snack store after all evening rehearsals and performances.
Mature adults are needed on the pageant security team to monitor crowds, secure backstage areas, assist with pageant parking, and respond to emergencies. These individuals should be slow to anger and should not be easily provoked or drawn into confrontations. They will also need a positive, caring approach in assisting audience members. Security team members need to be in good physical condition to handle large amounts of time walking or standing outdoors in the Nauvoo heat and humidity. Security shifts will include late night and all night surveillance of pageant areas. It is expected that all security team members will serve for the entire time of their requested schedule. If you have experience in carpentry, mechanics, welding, or similar skills, you might be asked to assist in the area of your skill.
Medical support team members should be certified or licensed as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with training beyond basic EMT or paramedic, registered nurse, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. One medical support person is needed for each cast. They should have strong assessment skills and feel confident providing first aid and follow up for medical conditions/problems. This member will be present with their assigned cast throughout the duration of the time they are participating in the pageant. They will be responsible with administering first aid, watching cast and crew members for problems they may experience while working for long hours and in extreme weather. They will direct ill/injured cast members to appropriate health care facilities. They will be responsible for keeping records of all encounters and will report to Rob Glass (or whoever is helping out as medical director at the time) They will also need to be available to help staff the first aid station most evenings of pageant performances. There will be first aid supplies available and they will be responsible for keeping a well stocked jump kit with them at all times.
If there are cast members with medical/nursing background who are interested in helping with the medical care, they can coordinate or assist with the primary team member.
All participants are responsible for their own transportation. Headquarters for the pageant are located at the Nauvoo /Colusa Jr. High School which is located on Hwy 96 five miles east of the pageant stage. Many of the pageant activities take place there. Each individual or family will be required to have their own personal transportation in Nauvoo during their pageant participation. If flying to an airport near Nauvoo, you will need to make arrangements for your own transportation, as the pageant isn't able to operate any shuttle service.
Pageant participants are responsible for their own housing. The majority of participants are able to find convenient housing options in Nauvoo when arrangements are made just after they receive notice of acceptance. For housing options in Nauvoo, please refer to the following websites:
Pageant participants have the option of participating in the pageant meal program. Lunches and dinners are served cafeteria-style by a contracted caterer. Participants may select any combinations of meals (lunch only, dinner only or both lunch and dinner) per week for the duration of their stay. Meal selections cannot be changed during pageant participation. To participate in the pageant meal program, a deposit totaling 50% of the cost will be due by March 1, 2011. The remaining balance will be due by May 1, 2011.
