CCT Presents THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL

After last year's highly successful South Carolina premier of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical, Columbia Children's Theatre (CCT) is remounting the show in what is becoming a holiday tradition December 1 - 9. Show times are December 1 at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 2 at 3:00 p.m.; Friday, December 7 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, December 8 at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.; and Sunday, December 9 at 3:00 p.m. All performances are held at Columbia Children's Theatre's performance space on the 1st level of Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive next to Barnes and Noble. General admission tickets are $10.00 for children three years of age through adult. The 7:00 p.m. performances on Saturday evenings will have a special ticket price of $5.00 for everyone. Advance tickets can be purchased securely online at columbiachildrenstheatre.com. The production is sponsored by the Melkomian Family.

Based on Barbara Robinson's popular 1972 book and the subsequent television and live theatre adaptations, this musical, with book music and lyrics by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner is a delightful and faithful musicalization of the original source material. When the Herdman children, (arguably the worst kids in the history of the world) discover that you can get free snacks at something called "Sunday School," they waste no time in getting themselves not only to Sunday school, but also landing the lead roles in the church's annual Christmas pageant.

This production features many of your favorite CCT Mainstage performers such as Paul Lindley and Scott Hull as Bob Bradley, Courtney Reasoner as Grace Bradley, Lee O. Smith as Reverend Hopkins, Jordan Harper and Brandi Smith as Helen Armstrong, Sara Jackson as Beth Bradley, and Julian Deleon as Ralph Herdman, Baker Morrison as Leroy Herdman, and Roxanne Rich and Sarah Krawczyk as Immogene Herdman and Kristin Young, Jillian Peltzman and Carol Beis as The Church Ladies. Rounding out the adult company are Bryann Burgess and Madeleine Smith. Again members of CCT's YouTheatre Company will join the professional Mainstage actors in portraying many of the kid roles. They are: Addie Brown, Eliza Brown, Paden Herbig, Leila Pregnal, Vanessa Lopez, Chloe Morgan, Rebekah-Ryan Young, Cameron Vipperman, Louise Vipperman, Zach Shaduck, Henry Melkomian, Will Varner, Courtney Hope Diveley, Adele Fuller, Dorothy Weaver, Marjorie Weaver, Fionn O'Connor, Stephen O'Connor, Luke Schrader, Cort Stevenson, Walker Weaver, Rylee Winecoff, Karoline Young, Franklin Caudle, Mary Catharine Gabrielli, and Ian Aitkin, The show is directed by CCT Artistic Director, Jerry Stevenson with musical direction by Paul Lindley and choreography by Lisa Sendler.

Columbia Children's Theatre is a professional resident not-for-profit theatre dedicated to providing quality live theatre experiences for families and young audiences. CCT's current season is sponsored by The Braddock Group. CCT is also supported in part by the City of Forest Acres, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.