Nauvoo Pageant | Volunteer Support
Applications are accepted from September 1 to October 31 for the following summer season. 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.
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.
Costuming Team
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 if possible.
Family Support Team
The Family Support Team supports parents with their children in relation to the needs of the pageants. It is not to be confused as a babysitting service or full time support during rehearsals and performances as parents are responsible for their children at all times, but rather assists the Nauvoo Pageant leadership in providing spiritual and meaningful activities to help Primary-age children connect gospel principles with their participation in the Nauvoo Pageants. During the first week the Family Support Team will conduct daily children's activities and teaching moments, attend rehearsals and performances to assist with children of all ages (infants through age 11), host Country Fair activities and connect with guests before and after the pageants. During the second week of volunteer service there will be some time spent with the children in rehearsals and performances, but there will be additional time to visit historic sites, participate in temple service, and enjoy other cast activities such as a show picnic and a testimony meetings. Family Support Team volunteers should be free from personal family responsibilities and have their own transportation. (Refer to "Family Cast"--Information, "Physical Requirements" and "Rehearsal Schedule" for more details.) Applicants should be 18 years and older to apply unless accompanied by a participating family member over 21. .
Food Services Team
Single adults and/or couples are needed to assist with the pageant meal program and will work under the direction of the Food Service Team Leaders. Food service team members help create and distribute participants’ identification badges, clean the pageant headquarters building, and 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.
Security/Maintenance Team
Mature adults are needed on the pageant security team to monitor crowds, secure backstage areas, assist with pageant parking, respond to emergencies, and clean bathrooms at the pageant site. 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.
Transportation, Housing, Meals Information
Transportation:
All participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from Nauvoo and during their pageant participation. The pageant does not operate a shuttle service. The Nauvoo & British Pageants Headquarters Building (PHQ) is located approximately 3 miles East of Nauvoo at 885 East Hwy 96, Nauvoo IL. Many of the pageant activities take place there.
Housing:
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 soon after they receive notice of acceptance. For housing options in Nauvoo, please refer to the following website:
- The Nauvoo Tourism site: www.beautifulnauvoo.com; click on "Stay".
- IMPORTANT NOTE - We recommend that you verify the legitimacy of the housing reservation you choose as you would in other travel circumstances.
Meals:
Cafeteria style meals paid in advance are available at the pageant headquarters during your pageant participation. You can choose any combination of lunch, dinner, or both on any day(s). Changes to the above can be made the Friday before the week that services are rendered. Also, one time through the salad bar, drink and dessert can be purchased without prior reservations. To participate in the pageant meal program, a deposit totaling 50% of the cost will be due by March 15th of the current year. The remaining balance will be due by May 1 of the current year.
Self-prepared meals may be eaten in the dining room as approved with Food Services. Any other use of the dining room must be approved with Food Services.
Pets
Your service is deeply appreciated and very valuable to the Nauvoo Pageants however, we are unable to accommodate your pets. We sincerely hope you will be able to find accommodations for your pet during your service time in Nauvoo. Thank you for your cooperation.