Photo Flash: First Look at THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, Ending This Weekend at OCTA

This Christmas, OCTA offered a wild take on the Christmas story with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, directed by Lana Jensen. This family comedy closes this Sunday, December 18. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Lana Jensen serves as the Director for the School of Theater at The Culture House in Olathe. Jensen is also excited to see this story on the OCTA stage: "OCTA is the perfect venue for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Most of the show is set in the sanctuary of an old church so it is just perfect. The audience should truly feel like they are THERE." One of her favorite aspects of this show is how funny and meaningful the message is. Audiences will find something or someone to relate to in some way. The crowds so far certainly loved watching all the kids tell their version of the Christmas story. In the play, a couple struggles to put on a Christmas pageant, but they are faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. The Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on, and really everyone around them, bringing nonstop laughs.

Also along for the ride are Michael James (stage manager), Harold Eastman (set design and construction), Mandy Stone (props), Camille Lerch (lighting design and light board operator), and Kevin Bogan (carolers vocal director). That's right! There are holiday carolers in the show, including Lindsay Lovejoy, Claire McClung (also Mrs. Clausing), Ella McClung, Chuck Chambers (also Reverend Hopkins), and Ken Kasten. Perhaps they can add some peace and harmony to the chaos brought by the Herdman children played by: Crew Shafer (Ralph), Lucy McClung (Imogene), Andrew McClung (Leroy), Ace Stone (Claude), Nathan McClung (Ollie), and Josie McClung (Gladys). You might see some similar names in the cast list, because there are six McClung family members in the show!

This cheery cast also features: Brian King (Father), Heather Tinker (Mother), Julia Masterson (Beth Bradley), Brock Olsen (Charlie Bradley), Madeline King (Alice Wendleken), Mina Foster (Mrs. Armstrong), Caroline Wise (Mrs. Slocum), Stephanie Kassen (Mrs. Clark), Jenn Ward (Mrs. McCarthy), Layne White (Maxine), Nate Lundgren (Elmer Hopkins), Andrew Guyer (Hobie), Thomas Hardy (David), Elliana Moore (Beverly), Aliyah Hart (Shirley), Madeline Ampleman (Juanita), Megan King (Doris), Ava Masterson (Janet), and Meredith Kiesling (Roberta).

Catch The Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 2-18, Friday and Saturday night performances at 8:00 pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. To purchase tickets, visit www.olathetheatre.org. Subscribers can make reservations by calling the theatre reservation hotline at 913-782-2990 or by emailing tickets@olathetheatre.org.

Photo Credit: Shelly Stewart Banks