by Tim Slover and James Arrington
(For production by Community Theatres, Professional Theatres and LDS Wards and Stakes)
The story of Wilford Woodruff, a great missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ. Wilford Woodruff was a man who coupled his commitment with high spirits, boundless enthusiasm, and seemingly endless energy. This one man play tells the story of young Wilford on his various missions. How did he do it? There are glimpses in this one-man play: the unshakable commitment to the gospel and its appointed leaders, especially Joseph Smith, was a hallmark of his entire life. There were also his guilelessness and his humility, his ability to endure hardship, his dry sense of humor. Says, Wilford, “I fished in Arkansas and Tennessee! I fished on the isles of the sea! I fished in England twice, crossing the Atlantic Ocean four times fishing, for the Lord! I’ve been through twenty of these United States and into the Canadas, searching, for schools of the Lord’s fish! And I have brought into his net hundreds and thousands, baptizing 813 and confirming 632 with my own hands! Now I say this to show you what the Lord can do with the weak things of the earth if only we’ll let him.”
Wilford Woodruff: God’s Fisherman was commissioned by the Mormon History Association and premiered 6 July 1987 at its Mormon History Association and premiered 6 July 1987 at its Annual Meeting at Oxford University in Oxford, England, in celebration of the sesquicentennial of the British Missions. It later appeared on stage at BYU and in other theatrical venues along the Wasatch Front and in Denver. Tim Slover acted the role of his great-great-grandfather, and James Arrington directed and produced the play. The bulk of the words of the play are taken directly from the writings of Wilford Woodruff, himself: journals, articles, letters, etc,.
The play can also be easily adapted to a multi-reader Reader’s Theatre format by any group.
PLAY DETAILS:
- 1 man (or multiple Readers of both genders)
- simple setting with props
- About 70-80 minutes
- 1800s costume
- Order # 2075
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- The PERUSAL PAGES file (in PDF format) is available here: God’sFishermanPERUSAL
- EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.
REHEARSAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE
- Script in PDF format — Order #2075a : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to make copies for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2074d : $50 (for the first or only performance)
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2074e : $35 (For each successive performance)
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
PRODUCTIONS
- Denver Colorado — 1988
- Western States Tour — 1987 – 1988
- Brigham Young University — 1987
- Mormon History Association — Oxford England — 1987
from the catalog of
