Christmas ~ One-Act ~ Beginner-Friendly ~ Approx. 20 min
Synopsis
Medieval Christmas pageants often placed Jesus’ story in their own time so that people could more readily connect to it. Today, In This Town is a modern adaptation that trades medieval language for parking garages, professors, and a few pigeons, and explores how Jesus affects our own story: right here, right now.
Characters
Flexible cast size; with doubling can be performed with as few as 4 actors. Many of the roles are gender-neutral; those which are not are marked.
- MARY (F)
- JOSEPH (M)
- NURSE — one of the “shepherds,” patient and professional
- CAT LADY (F) — one of the “shepherds,” chatty, passionate, and somewhat in her own world
- DAUGHTER/SON — one of the “shepherds,” loving yet somewhat irritable
- GOD THE SON (M)
- GOD THE FATHER (M)
- GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT — usually played by a woman (see Gen 1:27 on the image of God) but flexible depending on cast availability
- GABRIEL
- PIGEONS (flexible number)
- ANGEL CHOIR (flexible number)
- OREO THE CAT
- HISTORY PROFESSOR — one of the “Magi,” absentminded and unassuming
- ASTRONOMY PROFESSOR — one of the “Magi,” sincere but frequently at a loss and trying to put a good face on it
- PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR — one of the “Magi,” cynical and sarcastic with a tiny bud of faith poking through
