Polk County
Living
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 2, 2015 7A
AARON YOST/ for the Itemizer-Observer
Cast members from the 2014 production Krista Watson as Mary (left) and Nathan Woods as Joseph (right) beg for a place to stay from Gary Schilling as the innkeeper (center).
TELLING THE STORY
Rickreall Christmas Pageant celebrates 75 years re-enacting nativity
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
R
ICKREALL — Milt
Serafin has never
seen the Rickreall
Christmas Pageant.
For 32 years, he’s per-
formed various roles in it
and even joined the board
about five years ago, but has
yet to be just a spectator.
He was planning to at-
tend with his wife 32 years
ago.
“That’s when they called
and asked me to be part of
the cast,” he said.
He accepted and has ex-
perienced the performance
from onstage or backstage
since.
Serafin’s family made per-
forming in the pageant a
family tradition over the
years, with all four of his
children joining the cast or
choir in some capacity.
He will once again play
the role of Zechariah in the
2015 edition, which kicks off
Thursday at Rickreall Event
Hall.
This is the 75th year it
will be staged.
“It’s just fellowship and a
community effort,” Serafin
said, explaining why he’s
been part of the pageant for
nearly half of its existence.
While the cast, crew and
loyal audience are celebrat-
You can help
The Rickreall Christmas Pageant needs a new director for
the 2016 season.
In addition to coordinating the production and oversee-
ing rehearsals in October and November, the director is re-
sponsible for communication, advertising and organizing
the annual potluck, and the Summerfest parade loat. The
position is volunteer and the candidate must be able to
work with the nonproit’s board of directors.
More information can be found about the pageant at
www.RickreallChristmasPageant.com If you are interested,
contact Mary McCarron at info@RickreallChristmas-
Pageant.com or 503-851-2683.
ing 75 years of the musical
telling the Nativity story in
nine acts, there’s a concern
for the future of the pag-
eant.
Mary McCarron, who has
been director for 11 years, is
stepping down after the an-
niversary performances.
“I’ve heard from a lot of
people that this starts the
Christmas season for them
and reminds them what the
season is about,” McCarron
said.
Pageant organizers still
haven’t found someone to
take on the volunteer role.
“It’s been probably the
biggest and most rewarding
accomplishment,” McCar-
ron said of leading the pag-
eant. “It’s helped me grow in
my leadership skills and my
faith, too.”
McCarron said she’s con-
tinuingly amazed at seeing
it come together each year.
Sometimes that took
minor miracles.
Last year, the cast was
short one wise man, and
two just wasn’t going to cut
it. She spread the word and
at the last minute they
found a third wise man.
This year, the cry went
out for a Roman soldier that
was filled.
The all-important call for
a new director thus far has
gone unanswered, but the
board is not giving up yet.
Neither are the cast
members.
Aaron Kuns, a Dallas resi-
dent, is one of the newer
choir members. After seeing
the pageant several times,
he decided to sing two years
ago.
“I can sing and I thought
AARON YOST/ for the Itemizer-Observer
The choir in the 2014 Rickreall Christmas Pageant fills the room with sound during
scene changes. The pageant will take the stage for the 75th time with three perform-
ances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Rickreall Event Hall.
it would be fun,” he said. “I
know they are always look-
ing for people.”
All three of his sons are
now part of the cast, too.
Kuns said he would like to
see that tradition carry on.
“I’m disappointed if it
doesn’t continue,” he said.
“It’s a longtime family tradi-
tion for some people.”
McCarron said if the pag-
eant can’t find her replace-
ment for the 2016 produc-
tion, she hopes a local
church will take on at least
part of the show.
She said her final project
is to post as many pieces of
pageant history on its Face-
book page, including photos
and old programs.
Nativity story
What: The Rickreall Christmas Pageant.
When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
Where: Rickreall Event Hall, 300 Main St. (Highway
99W), Rickreall
Admission: Free, but tickets are required. Go to
www.RickreallChristmasPageant.com for ordering informa-
tion and directions. Donations are gladly accepted.
“At least there is a way we
can still capture it and peo-
ple can look stuff up and
find pictures of someone,”
she said.
Serafin is hoping that it
doesn’t come to that, noting
that the pageant is the only
production of the Christmas
story with multiple per-
formances in the area.
Fittingly, he has faith the
tradition that has become
so much a part of his life,
and many others, will find a
way to continue for years to
come.
“I trust that people will
faithfully attend this year
and that someone will step
up and be willing to be the
director,” he said.
AARON YOST/ for the Itemizer-Observer
AARON YOST/ for the Itemizer-Observer
Those who have played angels over the years have written there names and years of
appearance on the wings they have worn during pageant performances.
Angels in the 2014 pageant cast fill the night sky above the shepherds in the field in
one of the nine scenes in the dramatic retelling of the traditional Christmas story.