(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Bridge Players Theatre Company will hold auditions for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical on September 1-2, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. In this musical adaptation of the funny and touching holiday classic, The Herdmans (widely known as the "worst kids in the history of the world") crash Sunday School lured by the promise of free snacks and end up hijacking the annual church Christmas pageant!
First-time director Grace Bradley is suddenly stuck trying to balance managing the outrageous Herdmans (who have never heard the Christmas story – but have rewrites!) with appeasing the judgmental church ladies. Soon, everyone is calling to cancel the whole thing and it’s up to the Bradleys and the Reverend to help their community see both the Christmas story and the Herdmans through new eyes.
The musical features a Book and Lyrics by Jahnna Beecham; and Music and Lyrics by Malcolm Hillgartner. It is based on the play by Barbara Robinson.
The Bridge Players Theatre Company production will be directed and choreographed by Joanna Piazza with musical direction by Steven McMahon. The producer is Marissa DiPilla.
The production will take place weekends from November 13-28, 2026.
Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is encourage. You can register online here. Auditions take place Board Street United Methodist Church (36 E Broad Street) in Burlington, New Jersey.
All parts are open and the ages of the children are flexible. Those wishing to audition should prepare a piece of a song either from the show or of their own choosing, showing their personality. Please bring a backing track; a Bluetooth speaker will be available. There will also be cold readings from the script.
PLEASE DO NOT AUDITION IF YOU ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR ALL PERFORMANCES AND TECH REHEARSALS, November 1 - 12. Set strike on November 29 is required for all participants.
This is a non-Equity, non-paying production. Bridge Players Theatre Company is a non-profit organization.
Character breakdown: Please note: All roles are open to actors of all ethnicities, gender identities, body types.
The Herdman Kids
RALPH – The oldest and coolest. He’s the enforcer, age 13
IMOGENE – Leader of the Herdmans. She’s loud, bossy and crafty, age 12
LEROY – Ralph’s backup. Very confident in the muscle department, age 11
CLAUDE – Scrappy and smart, age 10
OLLIE – A bit of a naïve urchin who follows the older boys’ leads, age 9
GLADYS – Little but fierce. Nothing scares Gladys, age 8
The Bradleys
GRACE – Sweet, good-humored, slightly frazzled mom, 35-40ish
BOB – Easygoing dad, wry sense of humor, 35-40ish
CHARLIE – Typical kid brother, says what he thinks, age 10
BETH – Charlie’s older and wiser sister. She’s honest and kind, age 11
Church People
HELEN ARMSTRONG – Organized steamroller. She’s always in charge, 40-50ish
REVEREND HOPKINS – Occasionally befuddled, always well-meaning, 40-50ish
Church Ladies
LUANNE – Sassy, tells it like it is, 35-40ish.
BETTY – Sweet southerner, calls everyone “honey,” 30-40ish
CONNIE – Direct, no-nonsense type, 30-40ish
Kids
ALICE WENDLEKEN – Know-it-all. She thinks she’s perfect, age 11
ELMER HOPKINS – Preacher’s kid, which means he needs to behave and be nice, age 10
TEDDY SHOEMAKER – Wimpy kid with glasses, asks too many questions, age 9
IVY REED – Beth’s earnest friend who is sometimes a goody-goody, 11
Additional cast needs include various kids to play angels and shepherds in the pageant and other kids in the lunchroom.
This is a non-paying, non-Union production. All parts are open and the ages of the children are flexible. If you have any questions, please reach out to the director.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Bridge Players Theatre Company celebrates the diverse community that they live in and serve as a member of Burlington County. They are dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and in confronting anything in their operations that may inhibit this. They are committed to creating a culture of inclusion, where all interested individuals can thrive, succeed, and are able to participate in and contribute to Bridge Players. For them, this means everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feels valued, and respected. They accept the challenge to build an organization where full and fair participation is the norm.
