Broadwater Community Theater Delights A Crowd
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Broadwater Community Theater Delights A Crowd
MT 43 News Staff
Even the meanest children were delightful in the Christmas Play at the Lodge over the weekend. The 3 performances were attended by over 200 people. The play is based on the book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. It featured the Herdman family, six of the meanest children in school who were won over to become Mary and Joseph and the wise men in the church pageant.
Mother( Grace), played by Karolyn Schmaus, did her best to fill in regular director Mrs. McCarthy’s (Destiny Grandy) spot after McCarthy broke her leg. But soon Mother’s best-laid plans turn into chaos when the school’s mean family, the Herdmans (Ava Boaz, Karter Schmaus, Caleb Crusch, Anthony Grandy, Ayden Thompson and Kaylee Flynn) show up to take over the play. Mother tries to get her own children Beth (Harper Hazlett) and Charlie (Clayton Rice) to take the parts. They refuse, not wanting to get beat up by the Herdmans. None of the Sunday School kids want anything to do with performing alongside the Herdman family.
With the gentle coaxing of the other shepherds, the angels and Mother’s reading of the story of Jesus’ birth, the bratty bunch of kids begin to understand what Christmas is about. Eighth grader Ava Boaz who insists on playing the part of Mary, soon realizes the Israelite family is not unlike her own. “ They have very little. They are immigrants in an unfamiliar place with no friends and nowhere to stay. The point of the play is to put into retrospect what the story is about,” Ava said in an interview.
Ava gave a powerful performance as the leader of the Herdmans. Her character was complimented by Ralph (Karter Schmaus) who played Joseph. Mother Grace’s husband, Bob, (Noah Borror) helped the play sparkle with his foot-dragging sense of humor.
Ava, like many of the actors in the play, has performed in past theater productions. She said she really enjoys acting. She had never read the book “Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” She explained how she got into character: “I watched the movie which helped me visualize the character and how to interact with the other characters in the play. The Herdmans were a really bratty bunch of kids!” she said.
Others in the 24-member cast were Alice (Tessie Hughes), Maxine (Kay Crusch, Mrs. Armstrong (Erilyn Strait) Mrs. Slocum (Aroura Toney), Rev. Hopkins (Jayden Flynn), David (Junior Kuscinski), Hobie (Charlie Hughes), Elmer (Brock Graham), Beverly (Katey Crusch) and Shirley (Harper Kuscinski). The baby angels were Mariah VanZee, Abby VanZee and Joshua VanZee.
Director Amanda Hazlett had practiced with the cast for 2 months. Her helpers were Carla Amundson at the piano and Destani Spencer who ran stage lights. The Elf (Patrick Plantenberg) opened the matinee to an audience of over 100 Sunday by introducing BCT board members LaRinda Spencer, Carla Amundson, Tina Homann, Birdi Kribbs, Jim Domino, Anne Hall, Mele Moa, Destani Spencer, Pat, and Nancy Marks.
Marks gave the legacy of the Ryland KM Foote Memorial Trust which will transform into a newly formed nonprofit Broadwater Community Theater.
To see all of the pictures (there are almost 30) in hi-def, full size visit a website at:
https://mt43news-business-services.com/mt43newsRouter/2023BCTDinner
Article Images
Click on Image Thumbnail(s) to view fullsize image
PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Mrs. McCarthy- Destiny Grandy, Mrs. Armstrong- Erilyn Strait, Rev. Hopkins- Jayden Flynn and Mrs. Slocum- Aroura Toney
Photo Credit: Nancy Marks
Image 2 Caption: America’s perfect family. Back row: Mom- Karolyn Schmaus and Dad- Noah Borror. Front row: Beth and Narrator- Harper Hazlett and brother Charlie- Clayton Rice
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 3 Caption: The Herdmans, tough kids from the wrong side of town. Back row: Ayden Thompson, Anthony Grandy, Ava Boaz, Karter Schmaus. Front row: Kaylee Flynn and Caleb Crusch.
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 4 Caption: The Herdmans come to understand the real meaning of Christmas. Mary- Ava Boaz, The Lord’s Angel- Kaylee Flynn and Joseph- Karter Schmaus
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 5 Caption: Angels and Choir. Left- Right: Harper Hazlett, Katey Crusch, Tessie Hughes, Mariah VanZee, Abby VanZee, Kay Crusch, Harper Kucinski.
Photo Credit: Pam Sample
 .JPG)
