The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Encyclopedia
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (titled "The Worst Kids in the World" in Australia, New Zealand and the UK) is a book written by Barbara Robinson in 1972. It tells the story of six delinquent children surnamed Herdman. They go to church for the first time after being told that the church offers snacks. Despite protests from other church members, the Herdmans are given roles in the Sunday school
's Christmas play, in which they tell the Christmas story
in a nonconventional fashion. Robinson first published the story in McCall's
magazine before it was adapted into a book, which sold over 800,000 copies.
The kids' parents were rarely seen. Their mother, Mrs. Herdman, worked double shifts at the town's shoe factory although she would be seen around town walking their pet (a mean one-eyed cat) on a double length of chain; and Mr. Herdman deserted the family when Gladys, the youngest and meanest of them all, was only two years old. The kids and their mother lived over a garage at the bottom of Sproul Hill, in town.
The story was narrated by Beth Bradley, a girl of the same age as Imogene, the second-oldest Herdman and their de facto caretaker. In some ways, Imogene sees Beth as perhaps the only person that she can trust, even though Beth often tries to avoid Imogene. Beth's brother, Charlie, had, unwisely, told Leroy Herdman, the same age as he, that they received snacks at Church, and, because of that, they all came to the church for the first time.
Beth's mother, Grace, had been put in charge of the pageant when the original leader, Mrs. Helen Armstrong, fell and broke her leg. It was at that point that the Herdmans came and landed all lead roles in the Christmas play by intimidating every other kid from auditioning.
This didn't sit well with most of the other members of the church, most especially, Mrs. Wendleken, the mother of Beth's prissy, arrogant, stuck-up friend, Alice.
Alice, like her mother, didn't like the Herdmans, and sometimes didn't really like others either. She felt that she was above everyone else, and her mother was extremely prudish. Beth liked her, but she could get fed up with her and her sanctimony as well.
After various travails, including an incident where everything seemed to go completely topsy-turvy (being called the one great big sinful thing Alice Wendleken had hoped for, which allowed her mother to call everyone on the phone to have the Herdmans forcibly removed), the show went on, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable Christmas plays ever, since the Herdmans mainly did what came naturally. The pageant had a very noticeable effect on Imogene. She sat there, holding the baby doll that was Jesus, and cried, perhaps for the first time in her life.
Even those people who didn't approve of the Herdmans being in the church and the pageant, had to admit they did a very good job.
. The book was next adapted into a television movie on ABC
in 1983, starring Loretta Swit
. Robinson also wrote this adaptation's teleplay
.
The Herdmans were featured in two sequels, The Best Halloween Ever! and The Best School Year Ever.
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
's Christmas play, in which they tell the Christmas story
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
in a nonconventional fashion. Robinson first published the story in McCall's
McCall's
McCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873...
magazine before it was adapted into a book, which sold over 800,000 copies.
Plot
The Herdmans were infamous around the community they lived in. Among other things, they lied, stole, hit people, ignored and/or cussed at their teachers and other people in authority (parents, the Police, etc), set fire to things, and, in general, cause trouble. All six also smoked cigars.The kids' parents were rarely seen. Their mother, Mrs. Herdman, worked double shifts at the town's shoe factory although she would be seen around town walking their pet (a mean one-eyed cat) on a double length of chain; and Mr. Herdman deserted the family when Gladys, the youngest and meanest of them all, was only two years old. The kids and their mother lived over a garage at the bottom of Sproul Hill, in town.
The story was narrated by Beth Bradley, a girl of the same age as Imogene, the second-oldest Herdman and their de facto caretaker. In some ways, Imogene sees Beth as perhaps the only person that she can trust, even though Beth often tries to avoid Imogene. Beth's brother, Charlie, had, unwisely, told Leroy Herdman, the same age as he, that they received snacks at Church, and, because of that, they all came to the church for the first time.
Beth's mother, Grace, had been put in charge of the pageant when the original leader, Mrs. Helen Armstrong, fell and broke her leg. It was at that point that the Herdmans came and landed all lead roles in the Christmas play by intimidating every other kid from auditioning.
This didn't sit well with most of the other members of the church, most especially, Mrs. Wendleken, the mother of Beth's prissy, arrogant, stuck-up friend, Alice.
Alice, like her mother, didn't like the Herdmans, and sometimes didn't really like others either. She felt that she was above everyone else, and her mother was extremely prudish. Beth liked her, but she could get fed up with her and her sanctimony as well.
After various travails, including an incident where everything seemed to go completely topsy-turvy (being called the one great big sinful thing Alice Wendleken had hoped for, which allowed her mother to call everyone on the phone to have the Herdmans forcibly removed), the show went on, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable Christmas plays ever, since the Herdmans mainly did what came naturally. The pageant had a very noticeable effect on Imogene. She sat there, holding the baby doll that was Jesus, and cried, perhaps for the first time in her life.
Even those people who didn't approve of the Herdmans being in the church and the pageant, had to admit they did a very good job.
Plays and Television
The book was adapted by Robinson into a play which was first performed on November 26, 1982 by the Seattle Children's TheatreSeattle Children's Theatre
Founded in 1975, Seattle Children's Theatre is the second-largest resident theatre for young audiences in North America and among the 20 largest regional theatres in the United States, with an annual operating budget of approximately $6.5 Million...
. The book was next adapted into a television movie on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in 1983, starring Loretta Swit
Loretta Swit
Loretta Swit is an American stage and television actress known for her character roles. Swit is best-known for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
. Robinson also wrote this adaptation's teleplay
Teleplay
A teleplay is a television play, a comedy or drama written or adapted for television. The term surfaced during the 1950s with wide usage to distinguish a television plays from stage plays for the theater and screenplays written for films...
.
The Herdmans were featured in two sequels, The Best Halloween Ever! and The Best School Year Ever.