The Making of a Holiday Tradition (part 5)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - The Ensemble
The ensemble is the backbone of every successful production. Ensemble members must be talented, focused, disciplined and creative. They sing the harmonies, they dance the production numbers and they breathe energy into every scene. The ensemble is invaluable.
Last year BYPC brought a remarkable performance of “Newsies” to the Derryfield stage. The story is inspirational. The music is compelling. And the dance is the star. And all of that happens through the ensemble. Check out this photo. The intensity and energy that exudes from the ensemble was palpable providing the dimension and power that lifted our performance to pure magnificence.
With a cast of 52 talented performers the BYPC’s 2019 production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is double cast so each actor has the opportunity to play an acting role and to play an ensemble role. The experience for our young actor is immeasurable and provides unique challenges. Here are some insights from our cast.
So Mrs Armstrong, we would like to amend your statement that “there are no small parts only small actors” to that there are no small parts - period. The ensemble rocks.
The Making of a Holiday Tradition (part 4)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - Gladys Herdman
In the words of Charlie Bradley, “Gladys isn’t big but she’s fast and she’s mean, and she bites.”
And yes, sadly, Gladys hits too. As the youngest and the scrappiest of the Herdman clan Gladys is a survivor of her own life. She is intimidating, cunning, and resourceful. After all she is the Herdman who pierced Imogene’s ears which is stunning for one so young.
She has been portrayed by some of our youngest cast members who delight in bringing life to this feisty fireball. Here are some of our current and past Gladys Herdmans broadcasting her now trademark proclamation. “Shazam! Out of the black of night with horrible vengeance. The Mighty Marvo.”
“Shazam!” In one raucous and momentous utterance we are awakened to the fact that Gladys Herdman is just a child. She is one unshakable and tough child but she is nonetheless a child. An innocent who drifts into her imagination fed by stories read from a comic book to make sense of the events that Grace Bradley chronicles from the Christmas story. Her viewpoint is honest. She cuts through the poetic prose and boils it down to one simple and direct message. “It’s Jesus. He’s in the barn. Go on go see him.” And she wins our hearts.
“Hey, hey unto you a child is born!” This child, as every child, brings the message of hope filling our hearts with love. And this child, Gladys Herdman, invites each of us to experience the joy of the season as only a child can. Shazam!
The Making of a Holiday Tradition (part 3)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - Mrs Armstrong and Entourage
Mrs Armstrong and Her Entourage
Ah Mrs Armstrong. Some may call her bombastic while others see her as a gift from the angels themselves. After all she runs the bazaar, the potluck supper, and she directs the Christmas pageant year after year after year. Her directing philosophy is summed up in her trademark slogan - “There are no small parts only small actors”. She has it down to a science - every detail, every line, every note, every halo. And it is all done exactly as she commands until one day - disaster hits.
With one slip of a step Mrs Armstrong finds herself in traction at the local hospital instead of at the helm of the town’s Christmas. Rumors of her accident spread like wildfire with even the idea of cancelling Christmas itself. But calmer heads prevailed. Grace Bradley’s calm head to be exact. Grace volunteers to direct the annual Christmas Pageant and the rest of the holiday to-do list is reassigned to Mrs Armstrong’s entourage - commonly known as the town gossip mill.
The Gossip Mill
Try as they may even this intrepid group of town gossips are no match for Grace Bradley’s belief in the true meaning of Christmas and her determination to make her production truly, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. And in the end even Mrs Armstrong and her entourage feel compelled to applaud the efforts of Grace and her spirited cast of characters.
Over the years the very first parts that I feel compelled to cast are Grace, Beth, Alice, Gladys, Imogene and Mrs Armstrong. Each of these characters are pivotal to the arc of Barbara Robinson’s delightful story but Mrs Armstrong is particularly challenging.
She is outrageous, bombastic, a know-it-all and just plain fun to bring to life. Mrs Armstrong demands that our actors let go and “play her big”. She is often loud, raspy, and undeniably delicious to portray for our actors who accept the challenge of throwing caution to the wind and are willing to go a bit over the top. Over the years our Mrs Armstrong has been in a wheel chair with a head full of curlers draped in a fuzzy bathrobe with a wide ranging selection of accents that span the globe. And although the costuming, props, and accent of this year’s portrayal of Mrs Armstrong are still in process our actors are sure to delight as they strive to leave their mark on this begrudgingly lovable character. It is not to be missed. Ah Mrs Armstrong.
Don’t miss Mrs Armstrong on December 6 and 7! Get your tickets today, https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/35009.