* Disclaimer: My family received complementary tickets from Cadence Theatre to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical and this is my review of the production.
Cadence presents eight performances of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse at Dominion Energy Center just in time for the holidays. The musical is a fun-filled festive production featuring professional actors and local children.
Based on the best-selling book and play by Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical is the story of the Herdman kids, known in their small-town as the worst behaved kids, ever! The Herdmans are loud, disruptive bullies who somehow land the leading roles in the church’s Christmas pageant. Hilarity and chaos ensue as the children “revise” the classic Christmas story and the townspeople become offended and outraged. The pageant’s director Grace Bradley and the Reverend must find a way for the community to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas despite the Herdmans' attempt to wreck it.
My family and I watched the Frosty cast of the production on opening night. We hadn't read the book or watched the movie before this play, so this was our first exposure.
The Cadence Theatre's production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical is a delightful and heartwarming holiday treat for families of all ages. It’s a fast-paced and entertaining show that keeps the audience captivated from start to finish.
The cast delivers energetic and engaging performances, bringing the story to life with humor and charm, especially the actresses who played Grace Bradley, and sisters Imogene and Gladys Herdman. These actresses did a great job bringing this story to life. We also enjoyed Bob Bradley's sense of humor and how he supported his family. The actors playing Grace and Bob Bradley had great chemistry and were very believable as husband and wife. Throughout this story, you'll see how not to judge a book by its cover, how everyone deserves respect, love and redemption.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical plays Friday through Sunday this week, ending December 22, 2024. Tickets are on sale now for $40 and can be purchased here.
