Kids Rehearse for HCCT's Pageant: (From left) Bailey Brown portrays Maxine, Michael Rapstine plays Elmer Hopkins and Colton Rapstine is Hobie.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opened Thursday, Dec. 5th, at the Hill Country Community Theatre (HCCT) with a Gala Performance. The play, based on a 1972 best seller by Barbara Robinson, is the second of six productions in the 17th season for HCCT, a nonprofit, 147-seat playhouse located at 4003 FM 2147 West in Cottonwood Shores between Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay.

We are anticipating such a large demand for tickets by patrons, families, groups and area visitors that we have already added an additional performance for Tuesday, Dec. 10, said HCCT Executive Director Bruce Hennie, who also directs the production.

Those Awful Herdman Kids . . . are portrayed by (from left) is Trey Holland (kneeling), Lex Rapstine, Austin Amick, Megan Johnson, and Nicole Johnson (kneeling).

This is a fun family show that certainly appeals to young and old alike.

Pageant is so popular, even the cast size had to be increased from 26 to almost 50 men, women and children to accommodate the many talented persons who auditioned, Hennie added. The actors are from Marble Falls; Cottonwood Shores; Granite Shoals; Austin, Horseshoe Bay, Kingsland, Blue Lake, Burnet and Lampasas, with 20 making their first HCCT appearance.

Pageant is about the Bradleys, a young couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant, but faced with casting the Herdman kids probably the most inventively awful kids in literature! When the Herdmans collide head-on with the Christmas story, the mayhem and nonstop fun commence.

The Box Office (830-798-8944), which operates from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, opens on Nov. 25th to patrons and on Nov. 27th to the public. Regular and Contributing Memberships for the 2002-2003 Season are still available for those wanting to secure early reservation preferences and other privileges. The theatre lobby opens one hour before the 8 p.m. shows and at 1 p.m. for the 2:15 p.m. Sunday matinees.