2026 season begins
The Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Site has opened the gates for our 49th year of the production. Cleaning, repairing and building is already underway. The restrooms have had quite a bit of work done inside. The sets have been opened and assessed to see what repairs are needed.
Bill Richards has been repairing the Oleson’s Store set. We have had many volunteers show up to begin cleaning and rearranging the supplies and put where they belong for the summer, and painting. Thank you to everyone who has been showing up to help. There is much more work to accomplish. If anyone wants to help just show up on Saturdays at 9 a.m. and we will find a job to suit your abilities.
The Wilder Pageant Committee has been meeting once a month to ensure the pageant will be running smoothly come performance days. The horses have been found, the concessions will have a new manager and the cast and crew are ready to start working. There is also planning underway for next year’s 50th Anniversary of the Walnut Grove Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant.
We had our first week of practice this past week. The cast has had their scripts for about a month now and have been learning their lines at home.
The actors got their costumes. The girls and women have a variety of dresses to choose from. The girls and women were instructed to come with their hair in two braids for the girls and for the women up in a bun. The men have white or slightly off white shirts, black pants or knickers for the boys. Everyone is instructed to wear black or brown shoes.
After the costumes were donned, there was family photos. Each family got in their family group and waited their turn for photos. While the photos were being taken the family groups were able to start their chalk art competition.
After photos were taken the cast who are in the dance scene began learning the steps to the dance they will perform in the live shows.
Erin then handed out folders with family information to better help the cast learn who their characters were in 18751876 Walnut Grove.
There have been practices the rest of the week with selected scenes each night. Next week, practices of select scenes will continue.
