By Tina Hawley
We all have the tendency to become a little childish during the holiday season, what with the focus on gifts and shiny things and whatnot, but the Cottonwood Heights Arts Council’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever does a lovely job of elevating that childishness to a pure hopefulness and energy that is sorely, sorely needed. Barbara Robinson’s classic 1971 children’s book by the same name has been a longtime favorite of mine, and I love this story in all of its incarnations (book, straight play, or musical). There’s usually two or three theatre companies performing it every year, but for me, the themes of Christianity, acceptance, and the eagle-eyed perception of a child have yet to grow old.
In a small town somewhere in the mid-twentieth-century Midwest, the townspeople have been terrorized by the Herdmans for years. The Herdmans, six children ranging from six to fourteen, have a single mother that works constantly, leaving them to amuse themselves by stealing, bullying, yelling, and smoking cigars. The last thing anyone expects them to do is demand the lead roles in the annual Christmas pageant, yet that’s exactly what happens. Even more unexpected than these kids’ sudden interest in Christianity is their fresh perspective on the Nativity story that leads the other characters to see the Christmas holiday in a whole new light.
If it weren’t obvious from that synopsis, this play rides on the backs of the child actors playing the lead roles. Fortunately, despite the fact that many of them are taking the stage for the first time, these kids have risen to the challenge. Their voices are loud and clear, and it’s clear the Herdmans are enjoying themselves. Imogene (Avery Judd) and Gladys (Anne Holt) get the majority of the stage time, and Judd is both scary and thought-provoking as she angrily questions the Nativity story. Holt as the youngest Herdman is an absolute delight with her attitude and energy. Ralph (Ryder Corkrey), Leroy (Taylor Dayton), Claude (Carter Wilcox), and Olive (Lucia Glime) revolve around these two in a cohesive unit, though they have some spotlight moments of their own.
Other leads include the narrator Beth Bradley (Gwyneth Scott), her brother Charlie (Eli Stebbing), and their parents, Grace (Rebecca Hess) and Robert (Robert Wilcox). G. Scott makes an excellent Beth, and her ability to recite long monologues of narration is impressive for her age. Stebbing switches between sass and terror at a moment’s notice. Hess and R. Wilcox have great chemistry, and Hess brings a realistic tone of frustration to Grace’s role as director of the pageant.
Both the kid and adult ensembles give solid performances. One-liners from the children are always clear and audible, and I particularly enjoyed the pre-show musical numbers (including kazoos!) from the town ladies (Becky Henriksen, Missy Stebbing, Chantel Nate, Adriane McKean-Munson, Naomi Laine). Henriksen is hilarious as the original pageant director and town busybody, Mrs. Armstrong.
Suitable for a small-town pageant staffed by a family of lower-class kids, director Dana Pearson has maintained a simple, utilitarian design for both set and costuming. Set designer Robert Roundy and lighting designer Chris Peck use movable pieces and beautiful projected images to create simple scenes such as the Bradleys’ dining room, the town church, and the pageant set. The town ladies and children are colorfully dressed, while the Herdmans slouch around in overalls, sloppy socks, and backward hats. However, the line this draws between them is erased in the final pageant scene, where all the children don similarly sub-par “costumes” made of sheets and bathrobes.
In a quiet moment just before the performance, Imogene is left alone holding the “Christ child” doll, staring bewilderedly out into the audience. She has mocked and questioned the Christmas story all the way through the play, but here there is a point of realization. Judd plays this key moment wonderfully, setting the stage for the play’s conclusion and leading the audience to question the picture they have built of the Herdmans up until now. As the townspeople realize, all children are equally worthy of love and acceptance—whatever the season—but most particularly during the holidays.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a simple play with a simple message, and the Cottonwood Heights Arts Council have carried it off with the light touch and light hearts it needs most. This production closes tonight, but I encourage all who can to attend Cottonwood Heights productions in future. They deserve it.
Cottonwood Heights Arts Council Presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, Based on Her Book of the Same Name.
Cottonwood Heights Theatre (Butler Middle School Auditorium), 7530 S. 2700 E., Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
December 7–9, 2019, 7:00 PM, Sat. 2:00 PM Matinee
Tickets: $4.00–$5.00, free for kids under 3
Cottonwood Heights Arts Council Facebook Page
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Facebook Event
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