I admit it. Christmas pageants are one of my favorite things about this season. My kids and grandkids are pretty much beyond those days now or live too far away for me to attend.
I’ll even admit to crashing an elementary school program or two for the guaranteed chuckles.
Well, this season I don’t have to — the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre is bringing my guilty pleasure to the stage.
This program from Producing Artistic Director Patrick Stinson has everything I long for in a children’s Christmas show…plus the behind-the-scenes laughs I’ve missed in the past.
Director Jalayne Riewerts presents us with the charming and raucous story surrounding the misfortune of the ever-patient Mother played by Karen Stephan.
Mother is forced to take charge of the Christmas pageant after the usual fearless leader breaks her leg. Not one of the church busybodies has any faith Mother can actually pull this off — but of course nobody else wants to do it.
The odds against Mother increase dramatically when the Herdman children — the town hellions — decide to participate.
They quickly take over the meatiest roles in the manger scene and bring an unexpected energy to the Christmas story.
This show is delightfully effective in a short amount of time — about one hour total. There are some really funny moments that are worth the ticket.
The show captures those pageant moments you can count on — little kids messing up; 10-year-old actors saying the lines they believe in rather than going by the script; the choir singing loudest on the chorus of “Gloria!”
Although it did get a little hairy when Gladys Herdman chose to make the Christmas Angel into a Black Knight and change the pageant title to “Revenge at Bethlehem!”
When the bell choir takes the stage, their obviously haggard teacher declares loudly “Do NOT tinkle until I TELL YOU TO TINKLE!”
For me, that’s some hilarious stuff.
Karen Stephan does an easy, natural job as usual and Sydney Schrieber delivers a great narrative as daughter Beth. Sarah Stephan plays Imogene Herdman and she is a real standout. I found Skylar Pennock annoyingly cute as the snotty Alice Wendleken.
This is a show everyone will love and appreciate. Get the entire family together and go see this as part of your Christmas plans this year.
In fact, it’s the perfect set up for some families. You don’t have to talk to each other very much and it’s only lasts an hour.
Tickets for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” can be purchased at the Clinton Showboat or call 242-6760. Purchase online at www.clintonshowboat.org. Tickets are $15 and show times are 7:30 on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 on Sunday through Dec. 13.
See you at the theater!
Jami Smith is our local theater reviewer and a sales representative at the Clinton Herald.
She can be contacted at jamirsmith@clintonherald.com
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