Christmas Pageant set for Dec. 19-20

The 22nd Nazareth Christmas Pageant will be staged Dec. 19-20, at 7:30 p.m. in Holy Family Catholic Church in Nazareth.

Pageant tradition makes Holy Family Church the place to intimately know Christmas and all its meaning through a story told with lavish costuming, lighting and music.

This year’s production of the pageant marks a passing of the torch as cast, choir and crew pay tribute to the late Sharon Brockman, who served as choir director for many years and had a role in all of the pageants through 2019, and Gladys Fortenberry, who coached narrators and readers of the production.

Maddie Brockman, granddaughter of Sharon Brockman, will play piano in this year’s staging, while Alan Birkenfeld, who has come down from the risers where he sang tenor with his brothers, to serve as choir director.

“Two of the songs the choir will be performing in the prelude this year will be favorites of Sharon and Gladys, as a special tribute from the choir to them,” explains co-director Lisa Schulte.

A series of 14 scenes accompanied by 14 songs, some of them written by parish members, present in a lavishlycostumed yet charmingly simple manner the real story of Christmas, depicting a progression of events.

Scenes of pantomime, narration and music range from the annunciation to Mary by the Angel Gabriel in the Galilean village of Nazareth through the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, the appearance of an angelic host to shepherds huddled around a campfire, a visit by the splendidly costumed Wise Men adorned in robes made from priest vestments and communion railing cloth, the chilling search for male infants by uniquely costumed soldiers bearing spears and lanterns, the resultant flight of the Holy Family to Egypt, and their eventual return to Nazareth, where Jesus spent his boyhood.

Handmade costuming and scenes created by gifted hometown artists and craftsmen move the story along. A good many of the scenes include hosts of sparkly-winged child angels. Many of the women who are working on this year’s pageant portrayed angels in their childhood.

The locally written pageant was first produced in 1972. It was performed intermittently 16 times from 1972 to 1994, then languished in prolonged hiatus until 2009, when it was revived with performances through 2015.

Pageant co-directors Lisa Schulte and Nicole Schulte played a vital role in reviving the production in 2009 after it had lain dormant for 15 years. Each felt a compulsion to restore the production for new generations to enjoy. The heirloom pageant was revived when community residents realized a generation of youngsters in Nazareth had grown up without experiencing it.

Following another threeyear hiatus, the 21st anniversary performances occurred in 2019, and this year marks the 22nd production.

At the heart of the pageant is touching music performed by talented voices from within the Nazareth community.

Organist Mary Lynn Olvera has played in nearly all of the pageants and Angela Fulkerson, also a participant in numerous pageants, provides accompanying flute music. Chloe Birkenfeld, whose grandfather, Herman, was renowned for his skill on the fiddle, graces the pageant with her skill on the violin.

Sopranos include Vera Huseman, Kathy Birkenfeld, another veteran of all of the pageants, Katherine Fulkerson, Dolores Heiman, the oldest active choir member, Angie Hochstein, and Lisa Schulte.

Second sopranos include Nicole Schulte, Jeanie Birkenfeld, Lindsey Brockman, Teresa Sewell, and Mary Beth Gerber.

Performing as altos are Darlene Schulte, Beverly Schulte, Mona Schulte, Katy Schulte, Karleen Hoelting, Lacey Hoelting, and Dawn Ramaekers.

Tenors include Carl Huseman, Lester Womack, Keith Birkenfeld, Darryl Birkenfeld, J. C. Pohlmeier. And Matt Birkenfeld. Bass performers are Rex Ramaekers, Dwayne Kleman, Keith Hoelting, Steve Buckley, Marvin Schmucker, Paul Wayland, and Gregg Gerber.

Cast members for the pageant include Troy and Shelby Ramaekers as Joseph and Mary. The child Jesus is played by Leo Huseman and older Jesus is played by Jack Wanjura. Lesly Annen portrays Elizabeth. Zecharia is portrayed by Hugh Durbin.

The innkeeper is played by Mac Annen, and Simeon is portrayed by David Olvera. In the role of Herod is Shane Ethridge, and common men are portrayed by Spencer Acker ad Dayson Schacher. The three kings are played by Derrick Schacher, Matt Olvera, and Mason Kleman.

Playing the menacing soldiers in the chilling Soldier Search scene are Braden Wethington, Landon Schulte, Tyson Schulte, Bradley Gerber, and Alec Braddock, while the terrified women fleeing the soldiers with their children include Macee Huseman, Karen Wanjura, Kristin Braddock, Kim Schulte, and Grace Huseman.

Angels include Brynlee Schilling, McKinley Moore, Autumn Birkenfeld, Kaylin Acker, Wylie Braddock, Mackenzie Wilhelm, and Emery Brockman.

Among the host of acolytes are Luke Schulte, Callen Hochstein, Steeley and Emerson Moore, Addie Birkenfeld, Samantha and Michael Fulkerson, Kennedy Wilhelm, Rhett Ethridge, Kamre, Charly and Braeli Mask, Jett McLarty, Oren and Sy Welps, Malory Wilhelm, Sara and Anna Prins, Jett and Riley Ramaekers, Addie Schulte, Iris Schilderink, Kattey Gerber, Collin and Caleb Kimball, Noah and Olivia Raef, Tanner and Jentri Birkenfeld, Harper Johnson, Adalyn Braddock, Kate Brockman, Connor Acker, and Dayne Schulte.

Veteran lighting crew members are Jim Hoelting, Ralph Brockman, and Julius Birkenfeld.

Readers include Ryan and Diane Heitschmidt, Dwight Acker, Joe Hochstein, Derwin Huseman, Stephanie DeMoss, John and Jack Welps, Mark Kleman, John Fulkerson, and Joel Gerber, and costumers are Cynthia Schulte, Jolene Schulte, Kim Birkenfeld, Vera Hoelting, Rita Hoelting, Sandra Kleman, Missy Kleman and Klynn Gerber.