The Enchanted Forest of Independence

Saturday October 26, 2027 - Independence, Missouri 

On Thursday October 24th, Darryl and I left on a quick trip to the Midwest. We arrived at my brother John's home in Independence, Missouri Friday morning. After a shower and a brief rest, Darryl left to go help Cody on the Flip House in Stillwell, Oklahoma and I stayed with John and Nancy for an upcoming convention next week. 

Now a little bit about my big brother and his wonderful wife Nancy. They are "Theater People". Actually, Nancy in a professional actor and director in the theater world and has served on the National  Board of The American Association of Community Theaters. For all but 2 years they have chaired and directed their communities Fall Festival Celebration called The Enchanted Forest, where actors bring Fairy Tales, Fables, Nursery Rhymes and Favorite Movies come to life.

The actress playing Mother Goose wasn't able to be there Sunday Morning for the Festival Parade, so Nancy drafted me to fill in for her. Lucy the goose and I rode on the Enchanted Forest Float with about 20 other Characters. It was so much fun to work this puppet and interact with the people along the parade route. The children loved her.

That evening I got the VIP treatment when I went to "The Enchanted Forest". After I paid I had planned to just follow the crowd, but following Nancy's instructions, I asked one of the security people to call for my nephew John Wayne Eppert IV, the head of security for the event. He didn't recognize me at first, but when he realized who I was he gave me a big hug. Then he took me past the line and my brother John met me and took me on a personal tour, and even behind the scenes. What fun!

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At each "station" along the trail there are vignettes with actors telling their stories and directing you along the path. We first encountered an Arabian Prince who told us of Aladdin and the rules of the Forest. 

We walked on down the lane and met up with Little Bo Peep and one very talkative sheep...

The Three Pigs and an ineffective and fed up wolf. 

The Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus...

Dorothy and Glinda the Good...

A couple of swashbuckling Muskateers....

And the lovely Effie the Enchanted Forest Fairy, played by Nancy, and she was truly a delight to watch and really had her audience entranced. Nancy also wrote all of the scripts for the vignettes.

Finally, Captain Hook and his First Mate Smee, directed onto a hayride where we rode through the forest and found Aladdin and Jasmine fleeing the Guards, and autumn lights and displays along our ride.

I have heard John and Nancy talk about this production they have run for decades and I am so glad I was finally able to come and see it for myself. 

Sunday October 27, 2024

We went to stake conference where we heard an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, speak to us. It was such a beautiful and spiritual time and I feel so blessed that I was there. We spent the afternoon wrecking the sets and taking down the beautiful Enchanted Forest.