Calendar of Events

Nov

Sat

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Tickets

Nov 25 – Dec 4 all-day

Family Weekend Performance Dates: November 25 & December 2-3, 2023

School Matinee Performance Dates: November 27 – December 4, 2023

If You Like...

Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!
A Christmas Story
Miracle on 34th Street

Ages 6+
≈1 hour
Performed at The Lexington Opera House

Prices: $25/Adult, $20/Child, $10/Members

Adapted by Barbara Robinson

The Bradley family’s church Christmas Pageant is always the same, year after year – until the Herdmans show up! With “the worst kids in the world” taking the lead roles, this year’s Pageant will be a total disaster. But it might just be the year when the rambunctious, rag-tag Herdmans help their community see Christmas in a whole new way, and prove that even “the worst kids in the world” can change it for the better.

Family Weekend Performance Info

Saturday, November 25 – 2:00pm
Saturday, December 2 – 2:00pm
Saturday, December 2 – 7:00pm* (Pay What You Will)
Sunday, December 3 – 2:00pm

Tickets

*Pay What You Will tickets cannot be purchased online, but can be reserved ahead of time by calling our Box Office at 859.254.4546 x245. Learn more on our Pay What You Will page.

Proudly sponsored by:

For Educators:

School Matinee Performances

Our School Matinee Performances allow you to bring your students to the theatre for an unforgettable field trip!

Recommended for Grades 1st-8th
Curricular Connections: Holiday Traditions, Social Inclusion, Adaptation

Monday, November 27 – 10:00am & 12:00pm
Tuesday, November 28 – 10:00am & 12:00pm
Wednesday, November 29 – 10:00am & 12:00pm
Thursday, November 30 – 10:00am & 12:00pm
Friday, December 1 – 10:00am & 12:00pm

Monday, December 4 – 10:00am & 12:00pm

School Group Rate: $8 per seat with every 10th seat FREE!
Individual Rate: $15 per seat

Book a Performance

Things to Know Before the Show

Emotional Intensity

Action/Stage Combat

Language

Sound & Lighting

The Herdman children are not the nicest kids on the block. You will hear them say unkind things, like ‘You are stupid.” Before they understand the meaning behind the Christmas Pageant, they also poke fun at the story of Jesus sleeping in the manger and not in a nice hotel. Unlike in the book, there are no curse words used in the play.

Our Herdman family starts out a little rough around the edges, but they eventually learn how to treat others with a little more kindness and respect. During the show, you may see them pick on their fellow pageant members, steal their lunch, and even...smoke a cigar (THE HORROR)! Stories like these are a great conversation starter for you and your young person on how to best treat our friends.

During the final dress rehearsal, the characters believe that there is a fire in the bathroom and panic. The characters yell and run out of the Church basement, and there will be pulsing lights and fog. There are firemen who come and try and put out a fire before being knocked over by the Herdmans, and the whole scene ends with a character being accidentally sprayed with a fire extinguisher.

This story is a great way to start conversations about... kindness and trying new things. The Herdmans are known around town...and not for any good reasons. The whole community is concerned that they will ruin their perfect Christmas traditions and are hesitant to even give them a chance. Mrs. Bradley, however, is not going to give up on them. With the help of the Bradley family, we come to understand why the Herdmans behave the way they do and see that they can grow and change if given the chance. We are left with the reminder that in life, everyone deserves a chance and people can surprise you.

We love this story because... it is a timeless holiday story with characters we can all relate to or know in our real lives. Traditions, especially those around the holidays, are so important for a community, and being inclusive can open a whole new world for people who may not feel welcome. We also love seeing the growth of Herdman family, especially Imogene Herdman, who plays Mary in the Christmas Pageant.

Categories: Shows

Dec

Sat

Discover More Event: The Best Coat Drive Concert @ Lexington Children's Theatre

Tickets

Dec 2 all-day

UPDATE: Due to artist availability, this event is being postponed and will not take place on December 2nd. We will have more information later if we are able to reschedule it. In the meantime, we will still be accepting winter coat donations on behalf of Believing in Forever! New coats are accepted by the organization between now and Monday, December 4th.

Learn More about the Coat Drive

We invite you to join us for a coat drive benefitting the local non-profit Believing in Forever, which empowers children to become community game changers! As a thank you, Devine Carama of One Lexington is hosting an exciting concert before the Pay What You Will performance of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. This is a FREE event, and we welcome winter coat donations for all ages and sizes.

When: December 2nd
Where: Lexington Children's Theatre, 418 West Short Street, Lexington, KY 40507
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Tickets: No tickets necessary for event. For the 7:00pm performance, call the Box Office at 859-254-4546 x245 to reserve your Pay What You Will tickets or purchase them at the door.

Learn more about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by clicking on the image below.

Event presented by the PNC Foundation

Categories: Show Events Shows Tags: Believing in Forever Coat Drive

Jan

Sat

Acting from a Script (Ages 8-12) – SOLD OUT

Tickets

Jan 13 @ 9:00 am – Feb 10 @ 10:15 am

Saturdays: January 13 – February 10, 2024
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Tuition: $95

In this class, students will build their acting skills through memorization, blocking, and character development.