How to go
What: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 10 and 11; 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12 ; Shows for this weekend are sold out
Where: Mechanic Street Playhouse, 10 S. Mechanic St., Lebanon
Cost: $18 adults; $10, ages 4-12; Children under 3 on laps, free
More Info: (513) 228-0932
LEBANON — One of Peggy Allen’s favorite books to read to her students at South Lebanon Elementary School is “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Now Allen will get to live out the book’s story of a Christmas pageant gone awry on stage.
“I love to watch the evolution of the characters,” said Allen, who plays Grace Bradley, a befuddled novice director charged with taking a herd of unruly kids and making a presentable Christmas pageant. “I start as a typical mom who doesn’t really want to be involved and is faced with getting these wild kids to do what they are supposed to do.”
The Lebanon Theatre Company will present “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” for the next two weekends at its Mechanic Street Playhouse, 10 S. Mechanic Street, in downtown Lebanon. Tickets for this weekend are sold out, but seats are still available for shows on Friday-Sunday, Dec. 10-12. For more information, call (513) 228-0932 or visit www.ltcplays.com
The play tells the humorous adventures of the unruly Herdman children who are forced to put on their church’s annual Christmas pageant after everyone else drops out and the longtime director is injured.
“The Herdmans don’t know anything about Christmas and most of the church folk don’t really like the Herdmans,” explains director Paula Whitaker. “The pageant has always been run a certain way and the Herdmans come and change everything up. The two sides slowly start to come together as the play progresses.”
Whitaker said the play is for ages 9 months to 90-years old.
“It’s just like the Christmas pageants people remember,” Whitaker said. “We all have a lot of fun during the production.”
The play offers meaty roles for both adults and child actors, including Katie King, 3, Grant Meyer, 6, and Ella Dreyer, 6. For Katie, who is making her stage debut, her most memorable line is “I can’t find my halo!”
“I like the whole play — it’s really funny,” Ella said.
“We did the show about six years ago and it was an audience and actors’ favorite,” said producer Wayne Dunn. “It gives a wonderful, heartfelt message.”
Marilyn Carter of Springboro, who plays dethroned pageant director Mrs. Armstrong, said the play is one the most fun she’s ever participated in.
“Watching the kids is great,” said Carter. “The play is just non-stop fun.”
About the Author