Musical tells handcart pioneers' story

Some young men and women who live in or near Utah will push and pull

handcarts this summer in treks designed to give them a taste of their

Mormon heritage. Another taste of that heritage is available through

the musical "1856."The musical tells the story of fictional characters based on the true

accounts of the handcart pioneers who suffered disease and death while

crossing the plains of the Midwest in the thick of winter.While most of these companies made their way safely to the Salt Lake

valley, the Willie and Martin companies encountered tremendous

hardship.  Brigham Young sent a speedy rescue team to their aid when he

learned of their plight."1856" will be showing at the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City and the Mesa Arts Center in Arizona in the upcoming weeks."The beautiful lessons of the handcart story of faith and dedication,

and the immediacy of the rescue, has permeated the church," said Cory

Ellsworth, executive producer, director and creator of the production. "I can't think of a more important chapter in church history."Ellsworth conceived the idea in 1998 while teaching a seminary class on

church history in London. He worked on the project at night and on

weekends. With the assistance of Randy Kartchner, who helped arrange

the music and lyrics, and Mildred Packard, who assisted with the

script, "1856" premiered in 2005 in Arizona. This year will mark its

third season.The production contrasts the experience of the early and later handcart

companies. Their hardships teach a valuable lesson more than a century

later."We need to live and die with our faces toward Zion," Ellsworth said,

referring to the true story of a woman who died on the journey with her "face toward Zion."President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of these handcart companies in a 2006 conference address.

He said he hopes their story will "be told again and again to remind