Audition Notice For The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Cumberland ETC Theatre, is holding auditions for their upcoming production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” on Saturday September 6, and Saturday September 13th, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Cumberland ETC Ruppel Family Theater. Rehearsals will begin in October, and the show will run from December 11-14, (two shows on the 13th)
2025. The production is based on the book and play by Barbara Robinson, and will be directed by Diane Thorp and Chris Hopkins Hile.
Adults and children who are readers will be asked to read from a script, children can also come in with a memorized poem or a short song. .
The Story:
In this hilarious Christmas classic, 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 head-on with the story of Christmas. This crowd-pleasing comedy features a few Christmas Carols and lots of laughs.
ADULT ROLES (Ages are “stage age”)
All adult roles are small except for Grace Bradley
GRACE BRADLEY (MOTHER). 30+. A main role who takes over the annual Christmas pageant; mother to Beth and Charlie; wife to Bob.
BOB BRADLEY/ (FATHER). 30+. Husband to Grace and father to Beth and Charlie. A solid family man.
MRS. ARMSTRONG. 50s+. Managerial, in voice and manner; largish, bossy, impatient.
MRS. SLOCUM, MRS. CLARK, MRS. CLAUSING. 30-60+. Pleasant, motherly women very small roles
MRS. McCARTHY. 40s, 50s. A younger, less imperious version of Mrs. Armstrong
REVEREND HOPKINS. 30s+. pastor
2 FIREFIGHTERS Ready for any fire! (appear for a few minutes in one scene)
CHILD ROLES
BETH BRADLEY. 10-12ish. A lead role who is also the show’s narrator. Grace/Bob’s daughter. Beth needs a strong voice and stage presence; is in most scenes dealing with a range of moods and situations.
CHARLIE BRADLEY. 8-9; Beth’s brother - the typical kid brother.
ALICE WENDLEKEN. 10-11. Prim, proper, pain in the neck
MAXINE: 10-11. Beth’s church Sunday school classmate,good reader.
ELMER. 12-13. The minister’s son; dislikes church; not fond of the Herdmans.
HOBIE, DAVID, BEVERLY, JUANITA, DORIS. Various ages, 7-10.
THE HERDMANS — “the worst kids in the history of the world.”
RALPH. 12-13. The oldest Herdman; ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool.
IMOGENE. 11-12 Loud, bossy, tough, crafty. The Herdman leader.
LEROY. 10-11. Tough, very sure of himself.
CLAUDE. 8-9. Tough, combative. A crime buddy to Ollie.
OLLIE. 8-9. Boy Always looking for trouble. Claude’s usual partner in crime.
GLADYS. 7-8. Small, wiry, feisty, mean. Often funny
ADDITIONAL ROLES. Various ages, 6-up. Angel Choir members; baby angels, shepherds
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