The Very Important Christmas Pageant

The angel "squadron" has been gathered. News of peace and joy are to be shared with a young girl named Mary, with shepherds on the hill, and the whole world. And this isn't just any news. This is the VERY IMPORTANT message announcing the story of the birth of Jesus Christ!This pageant is designed for a production with no set, no budget, no live musical accompaniment, and where the cast reads from their scripts. If you have a set, budget, live accompaniment, and decide to memorize it all, you can still perform this pageant. Cast members (and production staff) should be dressed to approximate shepherds, Mary and Joseph, wise men, and angels with costumes and props. Only two full cast rehearsals are needed. The cast is arranged so that only one speaker appears in more than one act. The group can rehearse all three acts (not including the music) during the first rehearsal! This allows each child to spend time practicing, rather than waiting for a turn to say their lines. The second rehearsal is just a matter of going straight through the script with actors and musicians. This pageant can be staged with as few or as many sets, costumes, and props as you desire. It works equally well with no costumes or sets (read with scripts in hand), as it does with a full production of costumes, scenery, and every word memorized. Vocal/piano scores for the sung music selections of the pageant are included. The arrangements of the Christmas carols used during and between the acts afford you the option of having a choir, a soloist, or instrumentalists, or others to participate in the pageant.

Length: 35-45 minutes.
Cast: Up to 20 or more speaking parts, plus additional opportunities for non-speaking parts.