EDMONDS — Two plays for the price of one. Sounds like a great gift.
Opening tonight, Nov. 27, Edmonds Driftwood Players offers not only “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” but a brand new play titled “Timmy Perlmutter’s Extraordinary Hanukkah.”
Barbara Robinson’s classic tale about the trouble-making Herdman kids — Claude, Ralph, Leroy, Ollie and Gladys — is both funny and touching. This rough and tumble bunch, who smoke, drink and shoplift, go to church for the first time when they find out that the church offers snacks. Despite protests from some of the church ladies, they are given roles in the Sunday school’s Christmas play. And the church ladies are reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.
Robinson adapted her book into a play, which was first performed on Nov. 26, 1982 by Seattle Children’s Theatre.
Amy Gentry, Driftwood’s managing director, said the community theater group also is happy to premiere the new one-act musical by local playwrights Paul Lewis and Carissa Meisner Smit.
It’s a sweet story about how Timmy Perlmutter comes to the realization that his family is his greatest gift.
Director Andrew Coopman, who is new to Driftwood, has brought his creative vision to the double-feature production, Gentry said.
“Working at Driftwood is like joining a miniature family of creative artists,” Coopman said in a press release from Gentry. “And I look forward to every opportunity to work with them and this community more.”
Audiences will come away from the show remembering that tradition and family play vital roles in this time of year, said Coopman, who arrived in Edmonds over the summer after earning his masters degree in theatrical education at New York University.
“It’s exciting for us to offer two productions with actors of many ages who embrace the different holidays celebrated during this season,” Gentry said. “Come join us.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @galefiege.
If you go
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “Timmy Perlmutter’s Extraordinary Hanukkah”: Nov. 27 through Dec. 20, Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St., Edmonds. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, 2 p.m. some Saturdays and Sundays. Call 425-774-9600, option 3, or go to www.edmondsdriftwoodplayers.org.
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