Tribune Staff Reports
For the next production in its 2016-17 season, Jackson County Community Theatre will present a family holiday comedy, which, though filled with mayhem, somehow finds the true meaning of the season.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will have six performances — at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 11 — at the theater at 121 W. Walnut St., Brownstown.
The story, written by Barbara Robinson, was adapted into a movie in 1982.
It tells the story of a couple trying to stage a Christmas pageant for their church. Unfortunately, they are faced with the six delinquent children of the Herdman family, who decide to attend church and audition for the pageant after discovering that cookies were available.
Possibly the most inventively awful kids in history, the children engage in all sorts of terrible behavior. Despite protests from the disapproving church members, they are given roles in the Christmas play, where they tell the Christmas story in a most unconventional fashion.
Nina Peterson is director of the play. Peterson is a newcomer to JCCT but is a veteran director from Little Theatre of Bedford. Stephanie Lewis is assistant director, Janet Lewis is producer and stage manager and Andrew Prajzner is assistant stage manager. The set builders are Joel McGill, Joe Bradley and Joe Reynolds. Julie Bradley is costumer, and Stevi Begley is pianist.
Cast members are Bryce Osborne and Catherine Horton as the hapless Bradley parents who are trying to direct the pageant; Lucy Horton and Braedyn Stidams as the Bradley children; Evan Rohlfing, Addisyn Osborne, Brody Sawyer, Gabe Edwards, Reece Osborne and Claire Schepman is the undisciplined Herdman children; and Tim Horton as the Rev. Hopkins.
Others in the cast are Paige Davidson, Kinzie Dean, Kelli Klakamp, Aisenem Salieva, Sherri Robbins, Staci Osborne, Claire Elliott, Jenna Boknecht, Meredith Henry, Abby Tovey, Dezi Klakamp, Brynn Burton, Claire Sanders, Jake Bohn, Nadiya Ihle, Rylen Osborne, Meredith Lewis, Brady Horton and Makiya Bowman, who portray church adults, shepherds, choir members and baby angels. Andrew Prajzner and Stephanie Lewis appear as firefighters, reflecting their real-life jobs.
Tickets for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” are on sale at Family Drug in Brownstown and Artistic Impressions in Seymour and online through the group’s website, jcct.org. Tickets also may be purchased by calling JCCT at 812-358-5228.
The 2016-17 season is sponsored by a grant from the National Council for the Arts, the Indiana Arts Commission and the Columbus Area Arts Council.
Information: jcct.org