It is indeed a privilege to welcome you to the Laura’s Memories Website. If you love children, family, friends, and music then you’ll love Laura’s Memories. Please, take a few moments and check us out.
First of all, Laura’s Memories is a musical pageant performed by talented volunteers from the southern Missouri area who respect and admire Laura Ingalls Wilder, the renowned author of The Little House Books. Performances are held in the Ozark Mountain Amphitheater in Mansfield, Missouri, which is only 2-miles from the Rocky Ridge Farm where Laura lived for over 64 years and wrote her beloved stories.
We are confident you will enjoy what we have to offer. Don’t forget to view the photos of past performances, and take note of our performance dates so you can arrange a memorable visit to Mansfield.
We hope to see you this summer.
I heard about your auditions in June and was wondering if it were for younger kids as well? I have 7 yr & 11yr old little girls and a 4 yr old little boy, are they too young to try out and when, place and time are the audtions if they aren’t too young. Also what do they need for the auditions?
Thank You
Ashley
I enjoyed Laura’s books and so did my children. I’m looking forward to introducing my grand children to Laura’s books and “Laura’s Memories” this summer.
Hello Ashley,
I understand your concerns about age being a factor for the auditions; however, last year our youngest cast member (a Farmer Boy) was only 2-years old but his performance was outstanding. In fact, in recent years we have had babies in scenes that were held by their mothers. “Laura’s Memories” is a family oriented pageant. It is indeed entertainment that the whole family can enjoy on and off stage.
Thank you for your inquiry, and I hope to see you at the auditions!
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
Hello Nancy,
It is nice to hear from you.
If you and your children enjoyed Laura’s books then I’m confident you will all love “Laura’s Memories”. “Laura’s Memories” is unique because certain events that Laura wrote about (concerning her life) are brought to life on stage and they are complimented with music and songs because music was very much a part of her life.
I hope to see you and your family this summer at the pageant.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
Dear Phil, (Pa Ingalls)
My granddaughter Katie and I came to Mansfield the last night of Laura’s Memories , and because she was dressed up like Laura, she was invited by one of the women to be in the last scene of the play, when everyone was singing. It was the highlight of our trip and I just wanted to thank you again for a wonderful program. I am hoping to bring her sister Elysia, who will also be 10 in 2012.
Sincerely,
Jacque Green
Hello Jacque and Katie,
It is so nice that you took the time to write, and even better that you visited us last year. We are delighted that you enjoyed “Laura’s Memories” and we look forward to seeing you again. The show still has eleven scenes (two Acts) but this year the pre-show will feature “Dr. Tann”. As you may know, Dr. Tann was the one who helped the Ingalls and area families through their fever sickness, which Laura wrote about in the 15th Chapter of “Little House on the Prairie”. Last year was an excellent year for “Laura’s Memories” because our record breaking crowds seemed to share your enthusiasm, and many have already called about this year’s performances. I truly look forward to seeing you, so please give me a shout, and who knows…maybe this year Elysia and Katie can both be on the stage.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
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Hello. I just found the website! Years ago I participated in a Butter Days play written and directed by Gil (can’t remember his last name). Although I never participated in Laura’s Memories, I did enjoy my time with the play and never forgot the people I worked with. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I hope to be able to return to Mansfield this year and watch the show!
Michael, it is GREAT to hear from you. We hope you are doing well. I remember Gil (Bachman) because he tuned our piano and he also worked with Terry and Pat on the play, and he also was instrumental in helping OMP. He is a wonderful person! This is the 21st year of “Laura’s Memories”, and through the years it has evolved into a masterpiece for wholesome family entertainment. As you know, there is a lot of work goes toward putting something like this together but as you said it is an amazing experience. We are not only producing “Laura’s Memories”, we are also producing memories for ourselves, memories to last a lifetime and beyond.
Hope to see you at the play, and drive safely.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
I was given dates and times for the outdoor musical theater as well as the festival. I lead senior adult trips for our church members and need to know the appropriate protocol for scheduling a trip for one of your theater dates. I will await your response about reservations. Thanks.
Hello David,
We are delighted that you are considering a visit to our pageant. Since our amphitheater has a capacity of 600, reservations are not necessary because seating has never been a problem. However, if your group is large (25 of more) we will rope-off some bleachers for your convenience, but we will need to know what date you are planning to come. We start selling tickets 1 1/2 hours prior to the show. So it would be wise to come early and select a bleacher of your choice. Thank you for your inquiry.
Phil
In the year 2000, I traveled with my 3 sons to Wisconsin, and Ontario.
I had purchased Laura’s book collection as an adult. Of course, we traveled to Pepin,WI. We also went to the cemetary, and the museum. The museum had quite a lot of memorabilia. My husband called me today, to say, guess where we are going the 17th? I said, Really? So I have my collection out, reviewing it. I have wanted to go to Mansfield. Eleven years later…Mansfield here we come! I can’t wait…My family had some of the same family trials, and tribulations. I could relate to her books, and the hard life, joys, and sorrows. I wish I would have been able to meet her – I kind of did with her writings.
Dear Mary,
I’m happy to hear from you and to learn that you are coming to Mansfield, MO. on the 17th, Wilder Festival! It is always nice to hear from fellow Laura fans because we all have something in common, in that we love our families, friends, community and the simple pleasures that life offers. I know what you mean about “family trials and tribulations”. Having been raised on a rocky Ozark farm with four other siblings, I know how difficult life can be.
We will pray that you’ll have a safe trip.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
What a wonderful experience we had with our two granddaughters this past Sat. eveing, Sept. 10. We, of course, enjoyed the tour of Laura Ingalls’ houses, but this pageant certainly was the highlight of our trip. Due to rain, the performance was indoors, but that created a very personal experience for us, since we had front row seats!! We recommend this pageant to everyone that is a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The girls wanted to listen to the CD we purchased, all the way home in our car – we do now know all the words of “Farmer Boy” – one of our favorite songs!
Dear Priscilla,
As spokesman for the cast of “Laura’s Memories”, we were indeed honored by your presence, and I want to personally thank you for those very kind words! We are all volunteers, and making people happy is one of our most important objectives. Obviously, you taking the time to write us demonstrate that we are succeeding in that endeavor. We are happy you returned home safely. God bless you and your wonderful family, and we hope you will return and perhaps be able to see the pageant at our beautiful amphitheater. Having the performance indoors keeps us dry but nothing can replace the outdoor performance under the stars and with all the props.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
My sister and I just returned to our respective homes today (TX and OK) after spending the most delightful day in Mansfield, MO yesterday, Sept. 17! Wilder Day 2011 was truly a success for these two rabid Laura Ingalls Wilder fans! Even the cold, wet rain couldn’t dampen our spirits! Our day was capped off by experiencing “Laura’s Memories” in the high school gym. Although we wished we could have experienced its “true” setting in the amphitheater, we were thrilled that there was a warm, dry “Plan B” available! We didn’t really know what to expect. After all, we had spent a week and a half in July touring all of the Laura homesites (including Mansfield where we found out about Wilder Day which brought about this weekend’s excursion!) and watched the pageants in both Walnut Grove, MN and DeSmet, SD. After seeing last night’s performance in Mansfield, we both agreed that “Laura’s Memories” is definitely the best of the 3 pageants . . . hands down!! We laughed, we cried, we bopped along to snappy melodies, we had a delightful chat during intermission with “Pa,” and we truly experienced Laura’s Memories! This pageant does an excellent job of covering all of the books and capturing the most important moments of the life of a lady we ALL would’ve loved to know (and feel like we do know through her books)! Thank you so much for a heart-felt performance and for giving your all even in circumstances that weren’t ideal. I look forward to learning all the songs (on the CD I bought at the show) so that I can belt them out with you from the audience next year! Thank you for being an integral part of our experience of a lifetime!!
My sister and I visited Mansfield this past weekend for Wilder Days. Wow – what a wonderful weekend! While we were drawn to Mansfield this particular weekend so that we could actually hear Pa’s fiddle being played and so that we could go upstairs in the Wilder’s farm house, we knew that we also wanted to attend the pageant. This summer we toured all the Laura Ingalls homesites and attended the pageants in Walnut Grove and De Smet. So, naturally, when we learned of the Mansfield pageant, we knew we had to attend. This was, by far, the best pageant of the three. Although it had to be moved inside the school gym due to the weather, the gym backdrop quickly faded away as the pageant came to life. The music was incredible. The scenes chosen for the pageant completely captured the spirit of the books. I was not prepared for the emotional ending. When Laura departs for Mansfield and Pa sings to his half pint, I literally had to wipe away a tear that slipped down my cheek. That was so powerful. Despite the damp, dreary weather, we had an incredible time and are already planning to attend next year so that we can see it at the amphitheater. Thank you for the perfect end to an already wonderful day!
Hello Elizabeth,
It is always a real pleasure meeting fellow Laura fans because they are all such wonderful individuals, and they all display a deep appreciation for Mrs. Wilder and her beloved stories. The stories of her life have touched all our lives in a special way, and have provided a nexus for the youth of today, and the youth of future generations, to a better understanding of the importance of each family member’s role in the contribution of life under various situations. I believe that “Laura’s Memories” not only honors Mrs. Wilder, it keeps her legacy alive, and it brings people together who share the same principles that she valued. I’m truly fortunate to be a part of such a group.
I’m happy that you made it home safely, and am looking forward to seeing you again; hopefully, it will be under the stars and in our beautiful amphitheatre.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)
Hello Jennifer,
It is truly gratifying to hear such kind words, and to know that you and your sister returned home safely. I apologize about the rainy weather and for the inconvenience of having the performance in a gymnasium. Your comment about the pageant’s “emotional ending” clearly describes how I feel each time I sing “Half Pint”. I get a lump in my throat, and I struggle with getting the words out, and keeping back the tears; I always fear that I do not do the song justice. The song is so emotional for me because, as a father and grandfather, it conjures up memories of when my daughter and granddaughter were small. It makes me aware of how precious each moment we have in life and to make the best of what little time we have left. The human drama, as presented in Laura’s stories, covers the spectrum of emotions that is perhaps unsurpassed in the Americana of children’s literature. The stories of her childhood illustrate the importance of enjoying the simple pleasures of life, howbeit, the beauty of a warm summer day playing in a creek, a true friend, a piece of candy, or the basic essentials of life that are too often overlooked.
Thanks again for those very kind words, and I look forward to seeing you again.
Phil (Pa Ingalls)