December 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20, 2009
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm
Sundays at 3:00pm

In this hilarious Christmas tale, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids-- probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't believe the mayhem-- and the fun-- when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!

"An American classic."-- McCall's Magazine.

"One of the best Christmas stories ever-- and certainly one of the funniest."-- Seattle Times.

This delightful comedy is adapted from the best selling book and the only story ever to run twice in McCall's Magazine.

 

Cast
in order of appearance

 
Beth Bradley McKennan Henninger
Alice Wedlekin Grace Martin
Maxine Jessica Van Norman
Ralph Herdman John Smith
Imogene Herdman Lynsey Jeffery
Leanne Herdman Gianna Grigalonis
Claude Herdman Stephen Sokolowski
Olive Herdman Julia Smith
Gladys Herdman Maggie Toner
Charlie Bradley Lydia Burnett
Grace Bradley Susan Burnett
Bob Bradley Gary Martin
Mrs. Slocum Sasha Kimiatek
Mrs. McCarthy Carrie Stack
Mrs. Armstrong Joanne Ferrence
Beverly/Angel Choir Alyssa Reynard
Elmer Hopkins   Kirill Klingaman
Holly Madison Bledsoe
David Rhys Williams
Shawn Dylan Smith
Juanita Mackenzie Lewis
Doris Soliel Hartwell
Reverend Hopkins Frank Petrie
Fireman Dan Lewis
Fireman Pam Dillenback
Roberta/Angel Choir Sarah Fernandez
Janet/Angel Choir Jovina Fager
Katie/Angel Choir Megan Heyer
Lisa/Angel Choir Gwenivere Polles

 

PHOTOS

         

 

         
 

 
         

 

         
 

 
         

 

         
 

 
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

Reviews

Young actors shine in 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!'
By Myra Yellin Outwater

December 8, 2009

''The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!'' by the Pennsylvania Playhouse is a delightful piece of holiday fluff designed to amuse and entertain family audiences.

The show tells the story of the transformation of the streetwise Herdman family. These five dirty, poorly behaved children have learned to survive by manipulating the system. They have no parental supervision and lie, steal, smoke cigars and bully younger children.

The play opens as these tyrants, who learn that the church offers free cookies and drinks after services, become churchgoers and then volunteer for the leads in the annual Christmas Pageant. And then, despite the fears of the other children and their parents, the pageant becomes the best Christmas Pageant Ever!

Pamela Dillenbeck does a good job of holding her large cast of 22 children and eight adults together. But true to the old theater maxim, it is hard to play opposite children, and while the adults in the cast work hard to maintain the flow of this charming story of holiday redemption, the children steal the limelight.

McKennan Henninger displays an incredible poise as Beth Bradley, the young girl who narrates and introduces the story. Lynsey Jeffrey is a swaggering know it all Imogene who, when cast as Mary, questions the traditional story and then adds her own touching realism to the play when she is overcome with maternal feelings for the Baby Jesus. John Smith plays Ralph Herdman, her overbearing boyish brother, who becomes the caring and protective Joseph in the pageant.

But it is Maggie Toner's often unpredictable posing that makes Gladys, the youngest Herdman, such a fun character. Assigned to play a peace-loving angel, Toner is exuberant and mischievous and in constant motion even to her final bow.

Joanne Ferrence adds a funny cameo as Mrs. Armstrong, who falls and lands in a hospital, and then tries to micromanage the pageant from her bed.

The set is a lovely series of ivory paneled walls decked with red Christmas bows.

''The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!'' 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 21, Pennsylvania Playhouse, Illicks Mill Road, Bethlehem. Tickets: $20, adults; $17 seniors, students. 610-865-6665, http://www.paplayhouse.org .

Myra Yellin Outwater is a freelance writer.
Copyright © 2009, The Morning Call