The oldest Herdman, and toughest, named Imogene decides their family should do the Pageant for the free food and treats. Imogen also decides that she will be Mary and her brothers and sisters will be ...

Imogene Herdman (Beatrice Schneider) shouts, “They’ve had all kinds of chances,” when the church begins adding names of participants for the 75th Christmas pageant in their town. This line ...

But as far as I'm concerned, Mary is always going to look a lot like Imogene Herdman - sort of nervous and bewildered, but ready to clobber anyone who laid a hand on her baby. And the Wise Men are ...

Photo courtesy Ellie Leonard/ Some of the cast from OTA’s 1996 show “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” included, from left, Ellie (Leinart) Leonard as Beth, Cara LaChance as Alice, and Jessie Young as ...

Overcome by the experience, the Herdmans playing Mary and Joseph stand frozen on stage; and Imogene Herdman, who is playing Mary, begins to cry from the beauty of it all.

While Schneider delivers a strong performance as Imogene, some of the younger Herdman actors falter, and their uneven delivery can briefly pull viewers out of the story.

I can say the book, written by Barbara Robinson, is also great, though nothing compares to the cinematic joy of watching the original Imogene Herdman, played by Megan Hunt, threaten to shove a pussy ...

Imogene forces the story’s main “good girl,” Beth, to hand over her necklace. The youngest Herdman, Gladys, has a demeanor that scares even adults.

Merriment, yuletide magic to take center stage again as BCT’s ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ continues From left are Alexis Huffman as a member of the Angel Choir, Jojo DiStefano playing Gladys ...

The Herdman brats including, from left, Gladys (Brooklyn Bracken), Imogene (Sydnee Lane) and Leroy (Jameson Sheldon) act up during rehearsals for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” ...

Eleanor Kalk plays Imogene Herdman in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Imogene is initially considered an inappropriate choice to play Mary mother of Jesus, but to the surprise of the ...

The Herdman children in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” running Friday through Dec. 22 at the Spokane Children’s Theatre. (Courtesy of Tanya Brownlee ) By Azaria Podplesky For The ...