Your Heart Will Burn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D4eoTd4JU&list=PLzilNOmROiB59mRFn0Ci73Vs87ilxWHkm
This link leads to a list with all of "Your Heart Will Burn" which is the musical I wrote about the Martin Handcart Company through the eyes of Isaac and the Ashtons.  We produced it in our ward.  It was pretty amazing that we were able to pull it off.  Aunt Carol, Sheri's aunt who taught drama at Ohlone College said it was good but under rehearsed.  That is the problem with ward productions.  It is hard to get things to where they should be.  Another problem was I was the director, and I don't think I did a very good job of directing.  We dealt with tonsilitis,  prominent cast member moving, and then moving back.  It was a struggle.  We also had some scheduling issues, fitting into everyone's schedule.  However many organizations helped, Young Men's and Women's did set.  I signed many merrit badges for those who wanted to finish Theater.  However we did have a good time.

Music for "We Became Acquainted With God

My Music; We Became Acquainted With God

This is the song for our handcart musical based on the words of Frances Webster.

We Became Acquainted With God

The Spirit of God rested on our hearts
That spirit saw us through,
Helping us through times of doubt,
Because we traveled for Thee.

In God there is great power
You can feel it hour by hour.
God's miracles are real
We thank him when we kneel.

The angels of God helped us on our way,
Giving us health and strength
To push and pull our handcarts,
Because we traveled for Thee.

You'll not hear us complain,
With God we did acquaint.
The price we paid was small
To heed a Celestial call.

We know God is there we felt Him in our bones
With every step we took
And in our extremnities
We became acquainted with God.

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 2 scene 12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iloudBbiNUQ
This scene portrays a Cedar City Sunday School many years later, and the comments of Francis Webster.  The song "We Became Acquainted With God" is based on his words.  Duane McGhie portrays this roll.  He is the descendant of handcart pioneers.  I have William Ashton joining his family at the end of the song.  By this I was trying to represent that even though he left the company, he did eventually join the Saints and his family.

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 2 scene11: Martin's Cove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQfcC05RQg0
This scene shows the conditions in Martin's Cove.  Ashley Orton as the narrator sings a simple song, "Close Your Eyes" which sets the mood.  The leadership would often inspect the camp early in the morning.  Peter McBride's (played by Caleb) tent did blow over as depicted, and the family got out of the tent except for Peter.  He slept well, but his hair froze to the tent.  His sister, noticing he had not gotten out, assumed he had died in the tent.  I added this song to change the mood.  The play had been very emotional, and I wanted to leave on a more upbeat mood so added, snug as a bug.  Isaac and John Bailey did often have grave duty.  Langley did not as he was still bed ridden.  It was good news when they finally announced, no deaths in camp today.  However this was actually much later, after they left the cove and were headed to Salt Lake.  In the interest of time I could not depict the entire journey and so leave the party at Martin's Cove.  Langley Bailey road in wagon from Martin's Cove to Salt Lake City.

Your Heart Will Burn: Scene by Scene

Act 1 Scene 1 and overture: Coalville; Isaac Wardle "When Ye Shall Receive These Things" "Live Goes On"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YzTCQI1CbU
Act 1 Scene 2: Coalville; Isaac Wardle  "Your Heat Will Burn"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D4eoTd4JU
Act 1 Scene 3: Fairfield; The Ashtons "London Bridge" "Your Heart Will Burn"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACC0Kn3-d5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t7xQAaYvjw
Act 1 Scene 4:  Letters; William Severn and Mary Astle "When I get his letters"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X35ABIksPjY
Act 1 Scene 5: Coalville; Isaac Wardle "I love you Goodbye"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhLWUOlKTN0
Act 1 Scene 6: Deck of the Horizon "Friends for Life" "Farewell to thee England""Oh Zion" "When I get his letters" reprise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuVa8yqnvc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd-LI2M7Zmc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLbn0tKV3ss
Act 1 Scene 7: Deck of Horizon; "wedding march"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFxlZMeY_M0
Act 1 Scene 8: Deck of Horizon; death of Elizabeth Ashton, "The Journey is Long"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbx9iYLL4SU
Act 2 Scene 1: Iowa City; Martin Handcart Company, "Working" "Going Through the Eye of the Needle"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArtP_YIGanQ
Act 2 Scene 2: On the trail in Iowa; Langley gets sick, "TheHandcart Song" birth of baby Sarah Ann Ashton "Life goes on" Reprise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pKzTkXYmHY
Act 2 Scene 3: Florence, Nebraska; "Cheer Saints Cheer" "Campfire Dance" Langley's blessing, death of Sarah Ann Ashton, "I Love You, Goodbye" Campfire Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgpwcyDV8rE
Act 2 Scene 4: Plains in Nebraska, site of A.W. Babbit wagon gravesite, death of Sarah Ann Ashton (not shown)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Dwurjv_w8
Act 2 Scene 5: Fort Laramie, William Ashton joins the infantry, "Live Goes ON" reprise "confrontation"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHnQLGH4Ioc
Act 2 Scene 6: Salt Lake City, Brigham Young starts the rescue"Get Them Here"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py60LvJaBbo
Act 2 Scene 7: Last Crossing of the Platte and its aftermath, Betsy freezes her feet "Oh Zion When I Think of Ye"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIewLpTYe1g
Act 2 Scene 8: Red Buttes, rescuers arrive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk3CHdqbBow
Act 2 Scene 9: At the Sweetwater, Rescuers carry many over the water "Get them Here" reprise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrJZFOrqW18
Act 2 Scene 10: Martin's Cove, Isaac gathers wood, "Come Come Ye Saints" Betsy passes away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UatDF_CLXVg
Act 2 Scene 11: Martin's Cove; "See Them for Real," Peter McBride and the tent,"Snug as a Bug" leaving the cove
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQfcC05RQg0
Act 2 Scene 12: Cedar City many year later; Francis Webster, "We Became Acquainted with God"
http://billywardlegen.blogspot.com/2013/01/your-heart-will-burn-act-2-scene-12.html
Curtain Call
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIwxd7nqdWY
Many Thanks to Susan McGhie for making the movie, Joe Eliason and Elaine Morris for the music.

Your Heart Will Burn: Act Two: Scene Five

This scene focuses on the struggle of William Ashton in deciding to leave the Martin Handcart Company.  Expecting provisions were not waiting for them, and several of the men left the company at Fort Laramie, joining the army.  William Ashton was among them.  His wife had passed away.  He left his three daughters in the care of others.  We don't know who the family was that provided for the girls.  In this presentation they are taken in by the Baileys. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHnQLGH4Ioc&feature=plcp

Your Heart Will Burn: Act Two Scene Four, Near Chimney Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Dwurjv_w8&feature=player_detailpage

In this scene, we start with the pioneers talking about the Indian attack on the A.W. Babbitt wagon train in which a baby was killed as well as a couple teamsters.  The baby's mother, who had been part of the handcart company, but left with the wagons and a faster ride at Florence, was kidnapped by the Indians.  We see Peter teasing Mary Ashton.  This teasing of course is fictional.  Also is the relationship between the Baileys and the Ashtons.  There is no way of knowing what the relationships were.  However we do know Isaac was affiliated with the Baileys.

In this scene I make my most serious error historically in that I have Langley walking and helping with the handcart.  Langley was blessed that we would survive to Salt Lake.  Langley either road in Isaac's handcart, or after meeting the rescuers, road in a wagon, all the way to Salt Lake.  He weighed less than 90 pounds upon arriving, but he did survive, and slowly regained his strength.

Another thing that happened this date was the death of Sarah Ashton, the two-week old baby.  Her death is recorded in John Jaques journal and it indicates that she was buried near the baby from the Babbitt Company.

Your Heart Will Burn act 2 Scene 3, Florence, Nebraska

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgpwcyDV8rE&feature=plcp

This scene starts with a meeting the Franklin Richards held with the Saints in Florence.  This is an actual meeting (at least two meetings were held) in which the Saints decided to continue onward as Florence represented the last opportunity to winter in the East.  The song "Cheer Saints Cheer" is an original song from this era and is in the book "Handcarts to Zion." 
This scene also presents the blessing which Langley received at the hands of Franklin Richards.  In one of Langley's histories he mentions that he was unconscious during this blessing.  His mother had originally petitioned Brother Toone, leader of a group of 100 for the blessing.  He had responded that he couldn't cure a dead man.  Elder Richard's blessing promised him that he would reach Salt Lake City alive.  
This scene also presents the death of Sister Sara Ashton.  She passed away in child birth at Cutler's park a day after leaving Florence.  Although not actually Florence, it is a community which had been inhabited during the winter of 1846 by the Saints that had fled Nauvoo.
One of my favorite parts in the musical is presented: The Campfire Dance.  This was choreographed by Tamara McGhie.  Music is played by Joe Eliason and Elaine Morris.  Mark (my son) and I wrote this music.  I wrote the violin line (melody) and Mark everything else.

Your Heart Will Burn: Act Two Scene Two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pKzTkXYmHY&feature=plcp

This scene shows the handcart company moving across Iowa.  The children sing "The Handcart Song."  The pioneers actually sang this song along the journey.  Many documented that the sang it the first day as the left Iowa City.  This shows Langley getting sick and being compelled to ride in the handcart.  Langley actually became sick before they arrived at Florence, Nebraska.  It also shows the child birth of Sarah Ann Ashton, the second daughter born to William and Sarah Ashton with this name.  Sarah Anne was actually born later, a day after they were leaving Florence.  This is documented by Patience Loader, whose sister had a baby the same day.  This would have been at Cutler's Park.

Your Heat Will Burn: Act II scene 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArtP_YIGanQ&feature=plcp

There is a lot going on in this video.  It starts with the entreacte presented by Joe Eliason and Elaine Morris.  It then quickly goes to a scene showing the activity in Iowa City, and concludes with the difficulty of the Saints reducing their load to 17 pounds each.  It was difficult to sell, when potential buyers knew it would just be left behind anyway. 

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 1 Scene 8

This scene is where Elizabeth Ashton passes away.  I have discovered since we did the musical that her death was different, actually on board ship but after they had docked at Constitution Wharf, Boston. For more detail please see this previous post:
http://billywardlegen.blogspot.com/2010/10/deaths-of-elizabeth-betsey-baby-sarah.html
I like the funeral scene, the spirit dancing.  I believe spirits go on after death and try to portray this in this scene and other death scenes in the musical.  There is another historical error in this scene with the playing of Taps.  Taps was not written for another five years or more as it was written by General Dan Butterfield during the Civil War.  This is the scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbx9iYLL4SU&feature=plcp

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 1 scen 7

This is the wedding scene.  It was choreographed by Tamara McGhie.  There were four weddings on board the Horizon.  One of these was Will Severn and Mary Astle.  They were usually conducted by church leadership.  However there is recorder a wedding of the ship's Captain performing the ceremony.  However this likely was a double ceremony as John Jaques did not record this in the company journal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFxlZMeY_M0&feature=youtu.be

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 2 scene 6 Brigham Young

This scene dramatizes general conference October 1856.  The theme of this conference was to rescue the Saints still on the plains.  Brigham Young had just learned the day before conference that there were companies still on the plains. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py60LvJaBbo&feature=plcp

This prior post is a better description of the history. 
http://billywardlegen.blogspot.com/2012/10/rescue-of-handcart-companies-1856.html

This is a productions of the Stevens Creek Ward,  Ted Dorff portrays Brigham Young and Stan Dye President Franklin Richards.  The narrator is Ashley Orton.

Your Heart Will Burn Act 1 scene 3

This is a continuation of the reenactment which we performed in the Stevens Creek Ward, mostly among the youth.  We tell the story of the Ashtons and Isaac Wardle and the company in general.
Scene 3 introduces us to the Ashtons, and their decision to travel by handcart, even with their mother, Sarah Anne Ashton being pregnant.  To William and Sarah were born six daughters.  I this seen we see Betsy, 11, Sarah 7, Mary Ann 5 and Elizabeth 3.   A daughter between Betsy and Sarah previously passed away.  Of course the actors who were cast are older than these ages.  There is no record of how the Ashtons heard of the handcart plan.  Here I have Edward Martin and William Severn bringing the news.  William Severn and Mary Astle were both from Nottingham and they actually marry on the ship Horizon.  Details of their relationship are historical fiction.  London Bridge and the song are both period.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACC0Kn3-d5s&feature=plcp
 I am not sure why this didn't come out as one movie, but here is the rest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t7xQAaYvjw&feature=my_watch_later_videos&list=WL1B1D4D57B99DF7E2

Your Heart Will Burn Act 1 scene 2

Scene two follows Isaac and his conversion to the gospel.  Again I have President Richards teaching him when it actually was Frederick Smith.  Isaac talks about not being able to read, which is an accurate portrayal.  He did not have the opportunity to attend school much.  He does talk about his finances and traveling to Zion.  He went to work in the coal at Walsall so as to raise more money.  I think this mine may have paid more as the conditions weren't as nice.  When I wrote this musical, I was under the impression that Isaac was the first of his family to convert to the Gospel.  I was wrong in this assumption.  Many family members converted in the Whitwick Branch, his mother being the first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D4eoTd4JU&feature=plcp

Your Heart Will Burn: Act 1 overture and scene 1.

15 years ago I wrote a musical of the handcarts, which we produced in our ward, Stevens Creek Ward.  I told the stories of Isaac and the Ashtons as well as the company.  The program is in this post:
http://whilhelmsthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/01/your-heart-will-burn.html

Please remember that this was a ward production, and I was directing.  We have our flaws, but overall I think it is done well.  If not for Susan McGhie, who made the video, we would not have a record of the musical.  I will be correcting some of the historical mistakes I have found.  I am putting the musical on You Tube a bit at a time and will comment here.
  Overture and Act 1 Scene 1:  This video has the overture, Joe Eliason on piano and Elaine Morris on violin.  Stan Dye introduces  the missionaries as President Richards.  This was my first artistic license as Isaac says he was taught by Frederick Smith.  I have not found any other reference to Frederick Smith.  However to avoid multiple cast members, President Richards, president of the European mission, and apostle, is here.  This scene shows Isaac and his older brother William in the mines.  Isaac began working at the age of seven.  He would come home and fall asleep as he ate his dinner.  This is presented in the scene.  Isaac is portrayed by my son Mark and sings the son "Living Between the Light and the Shadows" which I wrote in high school.  I added a verse for Isaac.  We also see James and Mary, Isaac's parents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YzTCQI1CbU&feature=plcp

Close Your Eyes; Martin's Cove Song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr7xt6gfJzM

This is a simple song which honors the handcart pioneers as they were in Martin's Cove.  Its being simple is what made it so poignant, in letting people experience this event. When we performed this Ashley Orton sang this song and Bishop Joseph Eliason played the piano.  They did an excellent job.

The lyrics, in case they are hard to follow above:

Close you eyes, see them for real
Close your eyes and be on that hill.
Feel the wind bite at your face.
our thread bare coat gives you no grace.

Hear the snow crunch under your feet.
With the Saints, the cold try to beat.
The frozen ground under your bed
Gives you no place to rest your head.

Hear the wind blow through the trees,
Coyote's yell, song on the breeze.
Snuggle warm, the temperature falls,
Freezing, freezing, nothing thaws.

Close your eyes, see them for real.
Close your eyes, and be on that hill.