SUMMARY
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a hilarious Christmas tale that is good for all ages. 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 Herdman’s collide with the Christmas story head on!
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Grace Bradley – Mother, anguished director of Christmas Pageant.
Bob Bradley – Father, Ward Cleaver type with a sense of humor.
Beth Bradley – Narrator of the story (many lines).
Charlie Bradley – Traditional kid brother (many lines).
Alice Wendleken – Prim, proper, pain in the neck (many lines).
Imogene Herdman – Loud, bossy, crafty (many lines).
Gladys Herdamn – Feisty, fighter, imaginative (many lines).
Ralph Herdman – Ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool.
Leroy Herdman – Tough, sure of himself.
Claude Herdman – Tough, combative (role may be male or female)
Ollie Herdman – Looking for trouble, Claude’s partner in crime (role may be male or female).
Mrs. Armstrong – Managerial in voice and manner, likes to be in charge.
Mrs. Sloeum – Pleasant, motherly type.
Mrs. Clausing – Pleasant, motherly type.
Mrs. Clark – Pleasant, motherly type.
Mrs. McCarthy – Snooty. A younger version of Mrs. Armstrong.
Maxine – A worrier, narrator of the Christmas Pageant.
Elmer Hopkins – Son of Reverend Hopkins.
Hobie – Charming with a big smile.
David – One of the boys.
Beverly – Bit of a whiner.
Reverend Hopkins – A nervous man.
Baby Angels – Little children with big angelic smiles and gleaming eyes.
Firemen
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Rehearsals begin Monday, October 2 and will typically be held Monday-Thursday evenings at The Coralville United Methodist Church, 806 13th Ave., Coralville. There will not be rehearsal on Halloween or the week of Thanksgiving.
Tech Week (Nov 26-30) Rehearsals will be held at the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch. Participation in Tech Week and all performances is mandatory to participate in the show.
Performances are December 1 & 2 at 7PM and December 2 at 2PM. at The Hoover Library in West Branch.
Tech week and all performances are mandatory! Previous commitments that will conflict with tech week and performances must be rearranged. Do not commit to any Young Footliters Production unless you can make it a priority and honor the guidelines and rules. Be sure your family can support you in your schedule.
AUDITION INFORMATION
CASTING ACTORS IN KINDERGARTEN TO 8TH GRADE ONLY!
Auditions are Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27 from 2 pm – 5 pm @ The Coralville Public Library. For auditions you may prepare a short monologue or poem. You will also be asked to do a cold reading. A cold reading means you will simply read from the script that the director will provide for you. Please fill out this AUDITION FORM to secure an audition appointment. Once you fill out a form, our producer, Liz Tracey, will contact you with your appointment time. If you do not hear back from us within a couple of days, please email etracey@coralville.org.
PARTICIPATION FEE
The participation fee for Young Footliters is $45 per play and $75 per musical. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a play. So the fee is $45 per child. Your participation fee is a crucial part of making this theatre possible. But we understand that participation fees may make it difficult for your child to be involved in a show. Please let us help. Scholarships are available through the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts for families with financial need. Please don’t hesitate to e-mail Liz Tracey if you would like a scholarship form. etracey@coralville.org.
