As Christmas approaches, one film in particular is poised to capture the hearts of audiences both faith-based and mainstream—”The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Directed by Dallas Jenkins, produced by Andy Erwin’s Kingdom Story Company and starring Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Elizabeth Tabish, and Lauren Graham, the movie adaptation of the beloved 1972 children’s book is a beautiful blend of heartwarming nostalgia and powerful spiritual themes.
As the movie opens this week, Jenkins and Erwin shared their excitement and personal connection to bringing this timeless story to the big screen. For Jenkins, the project has been a “calling fulfilled,” one that dates back two decades when his wife first brought home the book.
“This is the copy of the book that my wife brought home 20 years ago,” Jenkins said, showing his worn copy. “I have a sense of memory. Even as I open it, I almost get emotional. Because when I first read it to my kids, when I got to the last chapter, after having laughed and been appreciative of the nostalgia of it, I couldn’t see the words through my tears.”
Now, with the film complete, he expressed a sense of awe and gratitude. “It is surreal and beautiful, and I’m very grateful for it. But more than anything else, now it’s time for me to get out of the way and say, ‘Alright, this story now belongs to the viewer, and I hope God does something with it.'”
Erwin, a founder of Kingdom Story Company, was equally enthusiastic about the project, seeing it as a unique opportunity to reach a wide audience with a faith-based message. He recognized the potential for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” to become a new holiday classic, drawing comparisons to beloved films like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Elf.”
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“I really saw that this was something that could be a Christmas classic like, ‘It’s Wonderful Life’ or ‘Elf’ that you watch every year,” he said. “But the faith message was so ingrained in it, such a beautiful story. It was a classic piece of literature that has had fans since 1972. To take all that equity for a story that it’s just naturally a part of, just a great Christmas story.”
Erwin believes the film’s blend of faith and mainstream appeal will resonate with a wide audience, noting that “The only way you can’t enjoy this movie is you’re so cynical that your heart’s not beating.” Jenkins echoed this sentiment, joking, “If your heart isn’t beating, then you’re probably not going to like this movie.”
In assembling the cast, Jenkins drew from both his own previous collaborators and new talent, all of whom he felt were divinely guided to their roles.
“Fortunately, I was able to actually bring a couple of my ‘Chosen’ cast onto this movie, not just for promotional purposes, but because they were really great for the roles,” Jenkins said. “And these kids. I mean, every after every screening, someone will come up to me and go, ‘Where did you find these kids? They’re extraordinary.’ I think sometimes God brings them to you.”
“Honestly, I’d like to take credit, and I think we’re good at casting, and I have a good eye for that,” he added. “But sometimes the decision is really easy, because God goes ‘All right. All the other hundreds of hours of tape that you’ve watched was so bad, but these kids and these people are the only ones right for this role, and I’m not going to let you screw it up’.”
Erwin sees “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” as a prime example of the collaborative vision behind Kingdom Story Company, which aims to partner with talented storytellers to create impactful films. “The hope for kingdom is to just recruit other talented people, find what they’re passionate about, give them the keys to the car as they drive,” Erwin said.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” based on the book by Barbara Robinson, adapted for the screen by Ryan Swanson, directed by Dallas Jenkins and starring Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Elizabeth Tabish, and Lauren Graham, releases Nov. 8 from Lionsgate Studios and Kingdom Story Company. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here. Watch the video interview with Dallas Jenkins, Andy Erwin, and DeWayne Hamby below.
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