Opens Friday, Nov. 27
8 p.m.
Plays through Dec. 20
Wade James Theatre
950 Main St.
Two Exciting Holiday Offerings in One Production

The Driftwood Players are setting the stage for their 2015 holiday production. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and a musical companion, “Timmy Perlmutter’s Extraordinary Hanukkah” are both coming to the Wade James Theatre.

New-to-Driftwood director, Andrew Coopman, is bringing his creative vision to this dual production.

We are introduced to Coopman by “Studio East” who informs the Puget Sound theatre community that Coopman, “is a new teaching artist and director who couldn’t be more excited about joining the theatre scene in the Emerald City. He received his BA in Theatre from Whitworth University and recently completed his MA at New York University-Steinhardt in Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities, with an emphasis in youth theatre production.

Previously Coopman worked with Missoula Children’s Theatre as a touring actor and director. He also worked as a teaching artist in the New York city area at Opening Act and Stages on the Sound.”

Coopman states that he “couldn’t be more thrilled to be . . . directing “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “Timmy Perlmutter’s Extraordinary Hanukkah” at the Driftwood Players.

Of Edmonds’ holiday event, Coopman says, “audiences will see what brings people together for the holidays and how much tradition and family plays a role in what is one of the most beloved times of the year. We celebrate multiple holidays within the contexts of the show, but what is at the core of both shows is that there is more to the holidays and to the people around us than meets the eye.”

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Barbara Robinson is a classic tale about a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant who are faced with the task of casting the Herdman kids–probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!  But it will make this year’s pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever.

“Timmy Perlmutter’s Extraordinary Hanukkah,” a Driftwood Players premiere production, is a one-act musical by Paul Lewis and Carissa Meisner Smit. It tells the sweet story about a surprise holiday visitor of Timmy Perlmutter’s family — Timmy’s well-meaning but often unthinking uncle. Although Timmy can’t possibly keep the astonishing gift that Uncle Jerome has brought for him, his disappointment gives way to understanding, and this Hanukkah turns out to be Timmy’s most extraordinary Hanukkah of all.

Tickets for Driftwood Players’ holiday production are available at their online box office or by calling  425-774-9600.