The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opens at the Leo K. Theater on Friday, December 11, as part of the Seattle Rep's Young Rep program. It's a stage adaptation of Barbara Robinson's children's book, and the story centers on the Herdman kids—described as the worst children in the history of the world—who crash their town's annual Christmas pageant and turn the Nativity story into something completely different. It's a holiday classic that ends up being about empathy and belonging, and it's played by a cast of about 35 young performers between the ages of 8 and 20.

What makes this more than just a holiday show is how it's put together. It's a Young Rep Production Intensive, a ten-week program where young actors work with professional directors and designers to build acting technique and ensemble skills. The whole process culminates in fully produced performances on the Leo K. stage, the same professional space used for the Rep's main season. It's part of the company's youth-centered storytelling tradition, following previous Young Rep productions like Kimberly Belflower's Lost Girl and The Outsiders.

Deanna Martinez directs this one, and the cast is entirely young actors. If you're looking for a family-friendly outing in December, there are eight public performances to choose from: December 11, 12, 18, and 19 at 7:30 PM, and December 13, 19, and 20 at 2 PM. The theater is at 155 Mercer St. in Seattle. For those interested in the program itself, the intensive runs from October 6 to December 7, with rehearsals on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:30 to 7:30 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM. Tuition for those cast is $1,000 for ages 13-20, with tiered pricing for ages 8-12 at $925, $800, and $675, and scholarships and financial aid available.