‘A holiday tradition’: Wichita Children’s Theatre to present 39th Christmas pageant

A year away from its 40th anniversary, Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” has become a mainstay for the company.

“It has become a holiday tradition in Wichita,” said Kelly Wonsetler, director of theater. “I would say over the last 39 years there’s been thousands of young people who have been in it.”

The tradition continues for eight performances in December at Mary Jane Teall Theatre at Century II.

Another tradition with “Christmas Pageant” is an onslaught of young people who audition for the performance every fall, Wonsetler said – so many that each year’s performances are double-cast, with two actors alternating each role.

Wonsetler and Kyle Vespestad, Wichita theater veteran and teacher and director at the center, have taken the role of the parents on stage for at least a decade, she said.

Based on the book by Barbara Robinson – who visited WCTDC for a performance in its early years – “Christmas Pageant” is centered around “a group of ragamuffin kids, they’re on welfare – kind of a needy family,” Wonsetler said.

“They end up going to church because they hear they can get refreshments for free,” she added.

The six Herdman kids volunteer for all the big roles in the Christmas pageant, including Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men and the Angel.

“They’ve never heard the Christmas story from the Bible, so they hear it at church and realize more than the kids who grow up with it what it’s really all about,” Wonsetler said. “It’s funny but it’s also poignant.”

Because WCTDC is “crazy enough to do it,” Wonsetler said, “Christmas Pageant” is a constant in the holiday schedule while other performances – this year, “The Gingerbread Man” and “A Christmas Carol” – rotate from year to year.

Executive director Monica Flynn, Wonsetler said, has been a part of the production from the very beginning.

Wonsetler said there’s never been talk of not doing “Christmas Pageant.”

“To be honest, that’s kind of our thing. It’s like Handel’s ‘Messiah’ that’s always done at Christmas,” she said. “It’s our tradition.”

‘THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER’

When: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14; 10 a.m., 1 and 6:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Dec. 15-16

Where: Mary Jane Teall Theatre, Century II, 225 W. Douglas

Tickets: $9 from selectaseat.com or 316-303-8100