Audition Dates: September 14-15th
Cast Size: 6 women, 4 men, 9 girls, 8 boys
In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won't believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide head-on with the story of Christmas! This delightful show is adapted from the bestselling Young Adult book, and has become a holiday staple for groups across the United States. The crowd-pleasing comedy features plenty of great roles for children and adults, a few favorite Christmas Carols, and lots of laughs.
Roles Available
FATHER(Bob Bradley)-solid family man,35-38
MOTHER (Grace Bradley)-trim, attractive, 35ish
BETH BRADLEY the narrator,: strong voice and presence, 10-17
CHARLIE BRADLEY traditional kid brother, 8-15
RALPH HERDMAN -ragged, scroungy, slouching manner, touch of adolescent cool, 12-15
IMOGENE HERDMAN -loud, bossy, crafty, 11-15
LEROY HERDMAN-tough, sure of himself, 10-15
CLAUDE HERDMAN-tough, combative, 9-13
OLLIE HERDMAN -looking for trouble, Claude's usual partner in crime; 8-12
GLADYS HERDMAN -small, wiry, feisty, 7~12
ALICE WENDLEKEN,-prim, proper, "pain in the neck" 10-15
MRS. ARMSTRONG-largish woman, managerial in voice and manner, 50ish
MRS. SLOCUM-pleasant, motherly, woman, 35-60
MRS. CLARK - 35-60
MRS. CLAUSING-35-60
MRS. MCCARTHY-a younger, less imperious version of Mrs. Armstrong, middle 40s
MAXINE-I0-l4
ELMER HOPKINS-12-15
HOBIE–10-13
DAVID 8-12
BEVERLY-8-10
FIREMAN -25-30
FIREMAN -25-30
SHIRLEY-7-10
DORIS 7-10
REVEREND HOPKINS - middle to late 40s
Angel Choir Members
Baby Angel Choir Members (7-12year olds)
For consideration for a youth/child role, please be prepared to read the following at audition:
CHILD:
(Reciting in the pageant) And in that region there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them…(Gladys doesn’t appear, trying again)…An angel of the Lord appeared to them…(Gladys still doesn’t appear, continues worried)…The glory of the Lord shone around about and they were sore afraid...(trying to give Gladys her cue)…WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD appeared to them and said, Be not…(Gladys appears suddenly yelling her line, continuing flustered)…and suddenly there was a multitude of heavenly host, saying Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
For consideration for a male role, please be prepared to read the following at audition:
REV. HOPKINS:
I’ve been on the telephone all day, and I can’t make heads or tails of it. Some people say they set fire to the ladies’ room. Some people say they set fire to the kitchen. Vera Wendleken says all they do is talk about sex and underwear…The whole church is in an uproar. I don’t know…Jesus said, ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me”, but I’m not sure he meant the Herdmans…Grace, don’t’ you think we should cancel the pageant? We could blame it on the fire…makes a good excuse.
FATHER:
Well...that’s what they were…Mary and Joseph. They were refugees, in a way. They were a long way from home, didn’t have any place to stay, didn’t know anybody. They were probably cold and hungry and tired…and messy. (To Mother) I think you worry too much. Now…I’m going to push baby angels onstage, and I’m going to hand out shepherd’s crooks and then push them onstage…When do I do all that?
For consideration for a female roles, please be prepared to read the following at audition:
MRS ARMSTRONG:
(Talking on the phone) I’ll tell you again, Grace, how important it is to give everyone a chance. Here’s what I do – I
always start with Mary and I tell them we must choose our Mary carefully because Mary was the mother of Jesus…Yes, and then I tell them about Joseph, that he was God’s choice to be Jesus’ father. That’s how I explain that. Frankly, I don’t ever spend much time on Joseph because it’s always Elmer Hopkins, and he knows all about Mary and Joseph…but I do explain about the Wise Men and the shepherds and how important they are. And I tell them, there are no small parts, only small actors. Remind the angel choir not to stare at the audience, and don’t let them wear earrings and things like that. And don’t let them wear clunky shoes or high heels. I just hope you don’t have too many baby angels, Grace, because they’ll be your biggest problem.