My Favorite Memories from "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

1) Frances Hull laughing.
2) The night the Savior's arm came off in rehearsal.
3) Ian Cole: "No."
4) Reuben Shelton: "He's out to get the baby and he's not even in the play??"
5) The Silent Night Moment: pin-drop/no-applause as the lights dimmed on the angels and all the Herdmans kneeling at the manger.
6) Lex, cool-headed and patient, at the lightboard.
7) Rolling down the aisle in the food pantry barrel.
8) Walking Teagan Chandler and her mom backstage.
9) Hugging the Bird and all my other favorite audience members.
10) Rachelle Cole: "And Imogene will be....Mary."
11) Twinkies in the Break-a-Leg bags.
12) Live piano music from Eva, er Evan.
13) Five performances + two matinees = 1521 audience members
14) "Chris Schaefer/Santa Baby".
15) Jayme pushing and Hudson calming.
16) Our two matinee audiences full of kids, who laughed loudly and long, and yet knew when to get quiet.
17) The smooth-running Variety Show
18) Looking at the marquee lights in my snowflake glasses.
19) The amazing 'get 'er done' new parents we picked up along the way.
20) Sitting at the Lees', bone tired, and listening to the happy chatter of my theatre family reflecting on the Show Past, Show Present, and Show Yet to Come.