Christmas Pageant 2004

at Trinity Church, Lime Rock

Our 62nd Christmas Pageant!!

Each year's Christmas Pageant is slightly different from the one before. No, the Gospel according to Luke doesn't change (well, perhaps we do learn a bit more about it each year) but fundamentally we're working with the same text.

What changes year to year, particularly in a small parish like ours, is the population of young people here at Trinity available to act in it. Our Trinity Kids include young people who live here year 'round and are on public school schedules, those who live here year 'round but are on private school schedules, those away at boarding school, those who live in New York City and who are here primarily in the summer -- but whose families make it a point to spend Christmas with us, as well as children whose relationship to the parish is less direct (our neighbors, children of friends of parishioners and members of extended families). With comings and goings of families, with former Pageant kids becoming young adults, and with children we see baptized as infants one year reaching an age when they are potentially cast members, we are never quite sure who our cast will be until we actually hold our first rehearsal.

And sometimes not even then!

Here are a few photos of the first and second rehearsals of Christmas Pageant 2004: We were still too busy figuring out how it would all work out to take many pictures, unfortunately.

(click on any of the photos to see a larger version)

Our Sunday Schooler who would be playing the role of Mary was here early (no surprise!)

We were able to run through parts of the Pageant. Here's the angel speaking to Joseph in a dream (from the Gospel According to Matthew)

Angel Gabriel stood in for Joseph (who was sick) in walking through the trip to Bethlehem

Cast members gathered around the piano as they reviewed "Away in a Manger" and the animal song -- both Pageant favorites

Mary tried on her costume

...and so did Angel Gabriel!

More angel costumes

...and shepherds

...and angels

Pageant dreams...

We were happy to find that week that many Pageant veterans would be back, in speaking roles, in non-speaking roles (but still learning), and in helping run the Pageant.