MANSFIELD — Jonny King has been involved in team sports most of his life, including as a high school head football coach at Crestline.
Theater is just an extension of that collective and collaborative effort for King, now an assistant principal at Ontario High School, where he recently restarted the theater program.
“There’s a lot of similarities administratively in the organizational aspect and trying to compel young minds and bodies to execute a plan,” said King, who makes his own on-stage Mansfield Playhouse debut Friday night in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”
What’s the show about?
When the notorious Herdman children hijack a church’s annual Christmas pageant, chaos erupts as their wild behavior clashes with tradition. Yet, through unexpected honesty and rough-edged wonder, they reveal the story’s true meaning, transforming the town’s most dreaded production into its most heartfelt celebration for the entire surprised community.
“It’s the team component of everyone again … no matter how small the role is … everyone has a part to play and contribute to the success of the the show or the game. So certainly there are similarities there,” said King, who left the theater world behind for awhile after college.
“I think there is a similar time commitment and it’s educational. It’s fun (at OHS) to reach across the aisle to some of our athletes who are not familiar with the theater world, and for some of our theater kids who are not familiar with the athletic world, to try to kind of bridge that gap,” he said.
“It helps them appreciate what each do and the amount of time and effort that goes into each,” said King, who is about to stage auditions for “Annie Get Your Gun” at the high school.
(Below are photos from a dress rehearsal on Monday evening for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at the Mansfield Playhouse. The story continues below the images.)
It’s fitting King is playing the role of the dad, Bob Bradley, since his own children are in the show — and helped bring him to the 100-year-old community theater stage as part of a nearly 40-member cast.
“As I have gotten re-involved in theater — which was a side of my life that my kids were just completely unaware was a thing — they have started to show some interest,” he said.
His 7-year-old daughter, Ellie, asked if he would audition for the show with her. King said he was surprised when his 11-year-old son, Levi, also expressed interest.
“The three of us came and auditioned together and are all in the show together,” he said with a smile.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” a script based on the children’s 1972 novel by Barbara Robinson, is the perfect vehicle for family theater involvement, according to director Doug Wertz.
Ticket information
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” stages Dec. 5-6 and Dec. 12-13 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for students at the 95 E. Third St. theater.
Call 419-522-2883 to order tickets during box office hours, which are Wednesday through Friday from 1 to 6 p.m. and one hour prior to all performances.
Tickets can also be purchased online at www.mansfieldplayhouse.com
“This is a great show that really attracts family members to be able to share the experience with their kids,” he said. “We have several families in this production, dads and moms and their kids. It’s a nice opportunity for them to all learn the experience together and this is a great family show.
“The rehearsal process is not daunting, especially when you have to sacrifice dinner time to get to rehearsal. We only schedule a couple of hours a night and we’re usually out of here early because of the length of the show,” Wertz said.
“It really goes to show you that you can never judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to the kids and where their hearts are,” he said of the play’s message.
One of those moms, Emily Santamaria, is sharing the stage with her children, Lucia, 7, and Mila, 5. Her youngest, Tiago, is just six months old.
“Everyone jokes he could be baby Jesus,” the Mansfield woman said with a laugh.
It’s the Playhouse debut for Santamaria, a Tiffin native who performed in theater in the Seneca County city, as well as during her time at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
“We have friends who have been in (Playhouse) shows. We came and saw ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Willy Wonka’ and the girls loved it,” Santamaria said. “We got a calendar with the show schedule in the mail and we saw ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.’
“The girls loved that story and the movie. So we said, ‘Let’s audition’ and we kind of prepped them. We told them they may not make it (into the show), but that’s part of the fun to audition,” a former Spanish teacher now busy as a stay-at-home mom.”
Santamaria, plays the mom, Grace Bradley, tasked with directing the church Christmas pageant.
“It’s been fun because we get to practice lines at home together. We have made new friends and it’s nice to just have family time together,” Santamaria said.
“It’s natural for me because she is a wife and a mother and a teacher of sorts. I just love the redemptive part of the story for the Herdmans. That’s been neat to see come full circle.”
Ontario eighth-grader Sophia Deel plays Beth Bradley, tasked with narrating the story on stage while also performing in it.
The 13-year-old is also making her Playhouse debut, though she has been in school productions and has seen her friends perform, as well.
“My friends are always in (shows) and I always come see them. I would be like, ‘I really want to do that.’ I just love acting. It’s so much fun to me,” Deel said.
“I like expressing myself and it’s something I hope to take with me somewhere, someday.”
Deel said she appreciates the responsibility of narrating the show.
“I like how she is telling the story, and trying to get the Herdmans to see the true meaning of Christmas.”
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” — Directed by Doug Wertz
CAST
Saige Painley – Alice; Sophia Deel – Beth Bradley; Nathaniel Carney – Charlie Bradley; Cooper Getz – David; Sawyer Beasley – Elmer; Jonathan King – Bob Bradley; Dustin Carney – Fireman 1; Drew Anderson – Fireman 2; Scarlett Swisher – Gladys Herdman; Graycen Stevens — Ralph Herdman; Emily Santamaria – Grace Bradley; Gabriel Anderson – Hobie; Estel Bramlage – Imogene; Levi King – Leroy Herdman; Quinn Getz – Maxine; Katie Carney – Mrs. Armstrong; Taylor Beasley – Mrs. Clark; Rebekah Beasley – Mrs. Slocum; Katie Getz – Mrs. McCarthy; Shelbi Evans — Mrs. Clausing; Graycen Stevens – Ralph Herman; Genevieve Lauterbach — Claude Herdman; Mark Brumagin – Reverend Hopkins; Lucia Santamaria – Baby Angel; Mila Santamaria – Baby Angel; Chloe Rose – Baby Angel; Logan Maynor – Baby Angel; Ellie King – Baby Angel; Olive Evans – Baby Angel; Olivia Brumagin – Ensemble; Evelyn Brumagin – Ensemble; Cecilia Kettering – Ensemble; Breah Boyd – Ensemble; Whitney Paxton – Ensemble; Genevieve Lauterbach – Ensemble; Hardtly Roig – Ensemble; Stella McNary – Ensemble; and Josie McNary – Ensemble.
