Special to the PVT What’s billed as the "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is taking to the boards at Pahrump Valley High beginning Nov. 9-10 and then playing again Nov. 16-17. HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Actors Rodney Camacho, Anthony Orozco, Staci Russell and Tammy Nostik during dress rehearsal. Advertisement

Most everyone knows the story of Christmas, but leave it to Pahrump to put a new and funny twist on tradition.

This year residents have the opportunity to see "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," put on by the Pahrump Arts Council in conjunction with the Pahrump Valley High School Drama Department.

But the title of the play could likely serve as a descriptor of it as well.

"It's looking at the Christmas story with new eyes," Francine Winters, co-director of the play, explained. "It shows that Mary's a teenage mom who has to travel all this way just to pay taxes."

It all begins during the 1890s in an unnamed small prairie town and the church is getting ready for its annual Christmas pageant.

The town's stodgy old busybody, who normally directs the pageant, has broken her leg, however, leaving a kind young mother to run the show.

To the town's horror, the six infamous Herdman kids show up to Sunday school and end up being cast in the play.

The Herdmans are essentially ragamuffin orphans, known to smoke cigars and steal other children's lunch money.

In fact, it's while taking yet another victim's candy that the Herdmans learn about church in the first place.

While attempting to extort the goodies, the victim tells the Herdman hooligan he can have it because the good kids get all the candy they want at Sunday school anyways.

Needless to say, the Herdmans show up in all their scruffy glory, grubby hands held out, just in time for casting call.

The town and church gossips are less than pleased with this development, but in theater as in life, the adage that the show must go on holds true.

"It's sweet and poignant, but most of the time it's just really funny," Winters said.

And with a cast that ranges from 5 to 75, sprinkled with local celebrities such as Tamara Nosik, Al Jones and Channel 41's Rodney Comacho, the story is sure to be brought to life.

The show opens Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Pahrump Valley High School auditorium.

The second show is the same time and place Saturday, Nov. 10.

For those of you who can't make opening weekend, two more performances will be held Nov. 16 and 17.

Tickets are $10 for locals and $7 for students or members of PAC. They are available at Ace Hardware, the Chamber of Commerce Office, the Pahrump Valley Community Library, and the Pahrump Arts Council office.