THE HOLIDAYS ON STAGE

‘The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge’

Central Stage Theater of County Kitsap, 9729 Silverdale Way, Silverdale, through Dec. 21 – $15 (adult), $12 (senior), $10 (kids)

For those looking for that new take on the old Holidays On Stage, check out the folks at CSTOCK, telling the age-old story of Ebeneezer Scrooge — only as a rocker, with the ghosts of rock-and-roll past.

It’s a mid-90s script, go figure, by the duo of Eddie Levi Lee and Larry Larson, called “The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge.”

Ebeneezer — Iggy, that is, (played by Dan Olson) — is a burnt out 90s rocker, bah-head-banging his way begrudgingly through the holidays, until he’s visited by the ghost of his old songwriting partner, Bob Marley, who warns him that Scrooge will be visited by three other ghosts this evening.

It’s a cross between classic Dickens and the pop culture he never knew — in song. Not quite sure how I feel about this.

It opens this weekend, playing through Dec. 21.

Info: www.cstock.org for tickets.

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’

Western Washington Center for the Arts, 521 Bay St., Port Orchard, through Dec. 14 – $15 (adult), $12 (senior), $10 (kids)

It’s been asked many times in many ways, but what do you really get when you make the worst-behaved children one could imagine players in the annual church Christmas Pageant?

Indeed, holiday-cheer-theater for the whole family, and for the season.

Actually it was a book before it was a play. By the Philadelphia-based children’s author Barbara Robinson.

The likely more well known play is being staged at WWCA this holiday season, through Dec. 14.

The Herdmans — a notorious six-member clan of brothers and sisters — known for being the most “inventively awful” kids ever, are persuaded into participating in the church’s annual Christmas Pageant because of the “free refreshments.”

When they do, the oldest Herdman steals the preacher’s son’s role, casting himself as Joseph by intimidating everyone else into not trying out for it. The oldest Herdman girl Imogene, just as bossy and bullying as her older brother, casts her self as Mary, and the Christmas-caroling, church-pageant-shredding mayhem ensues.

Meanwhile the show’s new director this year, Grace Bradley, is hopelessly determined to make it “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!” Expect the true meaning of Christmas and a new take on the old Christmas pageant.

Info: www.wwca.us, (360) 769-SHOW for tickets.