Lighten the season with ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’

The Acadia Players will take the stage at the Grand Opera House tonight, tomorrow night and twice on Sunday with one of everyone’s favorite Christmas stories — “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”
Based on the popular children’s novel by Barbara Robinson, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a hilarious and light-hearted comedy that is fun for the whole family.
The play tells the story of the Herdmans, a bunch of rough-and-tumble juvenile delinquent siblings who are inventively awful, spending their time cussing, smoking and stealing. After hearing that snacks are served at Sunday School, however, the Herdmans decide to attend, and they are just in time to volunteer for all the major roles in the church’s Nativity scene.
In their new roles, the Herdman children actually learn about the Nativity story for the first time, and their crazy interpretations help the whole town rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.
With spy stories, the “Mighty Marvo,” reluctant shepherds and burnt applesauce, the Herdmans make the Nativity scene their own. Will this be the best Christmas pageant ever or just a disaster?
The production is co-directed by Desirée and Olivia Doucet, with assistant direction by Tori Bourque. Cast and crew are all members of the Acadiana area and include adults to children as young as five.
The play will start at 6 p.m. tonight and tomorrow night. There will be a matinee showing at 2 p.m. as well as a 6 p.m. showing on Sunday, Dec. 20.
Tickets are $12 and $15 and are now available through the Grand Opera House at www.thegrandoperahouse.org. For more information, call (337) 581-0020, find the Acadia Players on Facebook or visit www.theacadiaplayers.com.