Seasonal & Holidays
Newtown Arts Company Stages 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!'
The holiday show is set for the Newtown stage in late November and early December.
NEWTOWN, PA — A heartwarming story about six misunderstood siblings who teach a town the true meaning of Christmas comes to the Newtown Theatre stage from November 30th through December 2nd in Newtown Arts Company’s production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
The play by Barbara Robinson, based on her bestselling novel, is told through the perspective of Beth Bradley, the daughter of the pageant’s reluctant director. When the six unruly Herdman siblings visit Sunday School for the first time after learning that the church offers snacks, they volunteer for all the lead roles in the pageant without ever having heard the Christmas story before. Since they’ve bullied the other kids into remaining silent during the call for volunteers, the director has no choice but to cast them.
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Everyone in town expects the pageant to be a disaster, but as the Herdman siblings learn the Christmas story and look at the events from a new perspective, their unconventional performances make the show more realistic and moving, which spurs the narrator, her mother, and the town to think more seriously about what it all means.
The production, under the direction of Mary Liz Ivins of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, was first performed on Nov. 26, 1982 by the Seattle Children’s Theater. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
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Performance dates are Thursday, Nov. 30, Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. (evening performances), and Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. (matinees). Tickets are $24 (main floor) and $21 (balcony). Tickets may be purchased at www.newtownartscompany.com.
With a proud tradition of producing live theater and theater education in Newtown since 1983, Newtown Arts Company dedicates a portion of the proceeds from its shows to a Scholarship Fund. Since its founding, Newtown Arts Company has granted more than $200,000 in scholarships to talented local students pursuing post-secondary education in the performing and fine arts.
Information about Newtown Arts Company shows, programs and scholarships may be found at
www.newtownartscompany.com.
