SYNOPSIS

The local Christmas pageant is predictable every year -- the angel choir wears too much lipstick, the shepherds are all in their father’s bathrobes, the choir sounds like a "closet full of mice," hardly “four-star entertainment.” But when seasoned and authoritative pageant director, Mrs. Armstrong, breaks her leg, it is up to Beth Bradley's inexperienced mother, Grace, to step in.

The timing couldn’t be worse, as the rambunctious Herdman children, a rough and tough group of siblings from the wrong side of the tracks, descend upon the pageant, lured by the promise of free dessert at Sunday school, and determined to win all the lead roles for themselves.

The Ladies’ Aid Society members are beside themselves with disapproval, all the shepherds try to quit the show, because Gladys Herdman “hits too hard." the show is briefly re-titled “Revenge at Bethlehem," and the church catches on fire!

Then something magical happens as The Bradleys and their community watch in surprise as the same old Christmas story is rejuvenated by the creativity, energy, and unexpected sincerity of a misunderstood young family.

Mary Robinson’s "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," based on her novel of the same name, is a widely beloved Christmas tale, warm and incredibly funny, full of characters both relatable and utterly unique. The large cast and age range make this show a community favorite, in which a varied, multi-generational group of performers can come together.