The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: Great Way to Get Into the Christmas Spirit

By KSEE News

December 6, 2011 Updated Dec 6, 2011 at 3:35 PM PDT

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" opens Wednesday, December 7 and runs through December 11 at the Cal Arts-Severance Theatre in Fresno. This morning on KSEE Sunrise we talked with director J. Daniel Herring and the littlest bully--Karli Stemler who plays Gladys Herdman.

The Herdmans are the meanest kids in town. They lie, steal, smoke and cuss. Teachers pass the kids to the next grade because inevitably another Herdman will be coming into their class. There were six Herdmans--Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claudia, Ollie and Gladys (played by Karli Stemler). Their father disappeared when Gladys was two and their mom worked double shifts at the shoe factory and was never home. The Herdmans were bullies and did whatever they wanted. So, it surprised the town when they showed up one day to Sunday school thinking they would get free refreshments. They end up taking over the Christmas pageant, but in the end the whole church learns the true meaning of Christmas--including the Herdmans. A heart-warming holiday tale for the entire family.

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