Volunteers – Job Descriptions

Thank you for volunteering to help with our production! Detailed job descriptions are below.

Cast Monitors

There should be two cast parents per church, who have the responsibilities listed below. Please click here for detailed instructions, and click here to download the pageant script.

  1. Attend the two rehearsals plus both pageant performances.
  2. Learn cue lines and direct children from front right or front left of stage (see below).
  3. Monitor cast members back stage and help out where needed.
  4. Front right: These parents will monitor Animals, Townspeople, and Kings, and make sure that these cast members all wear dark pants or tights, dark socks, and no shoes during the performances. “Front right” parent will distribute the costumes for these actors.
  5. Front left: These parents will monitor Angels, Gabriel, Herald, Mary, and Joseph. Make sure that Angels, Gabriel, and Herald all wear white tights. Make sure that Mary and Joseph wear pants, tights, or socks to coordinate with their costumes. “Front left” parent will distribute the costumes for these actors.
  6. Upstairs: These parents will monitor the shepherds, who wait for their entrance in the room behind the choir loft, and make sure they wear dark pants, tights, or socks under their robes.

Choir Parents

There should be one choir parent per church, who has the following responsibilities:

  1. Attend each choir rehearsal (Sundays, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., starting the first Sunday in November).
  2. Take attendance for the children in that choir parent’s church and give list to the choir director at the end of rehearsal.
  3. Help with music and maintain order during choir rehearsals.
  4. During rehearsals and performances, one choir parent stays on each side of the choir loft to maintain order and assist choir director.
  5. Make sure robes are obtained from each church for dress rehearsal and performances.
  6. Organize taking home of robes to be ironed as needed prior to performances and make sure children wear dark pants, tights, or socks under robes.
  7. Assist in lining children up by height prior to “Now Light One Thousand Christmas Lights” at the end of the pageant.
  8. Check candles to make sure batteries are operational during dress rehearsals; “light” candles as children line up in foyer.
  9. Distribute candles in foyer to choir members before entering the sanctuary for the final song.
  10. Collect candles at the end of the pageant.

Set-up and Clean-up Parents

There should two set-up/clean-up parents per church, who has the following responsibilities:

  1. Meet at 3:00 p.m. on the Friday before the pageant to set up the stage. Allow one hour.
  2. After the Saturday dress rehearsal, vacuum and clean church for the service the next morning.
  3. Arrive early on Sunday to set up chairs for additional seating along rear and sides of sanctuary.
  4. After pageant (Sunday evening or Monday as agreed), store props and costumes in Unitarian Church’s upper closet, noting any replacements needed. This information should be provided to the Assistant Chairperson.
  5. Vacuum back rooms, office, belfry, and choir loft.
  6. Make sure choir robes are returned to appropriate churches.

Costume Parents

There should be one costume parent per church, with the following responsibilities:

  1. Check costumes during the first rehearsal. Organize, replace, and repair as necessary, so they are ready for the dress rehearsal.
  2. Help the townspeople get dressed upstairs and escort them downstairs to stage right.
  3. After the final performance, store costumes in properly labeled boxes and bags in the Unitarian Church closet nearest the choir loft.

Refreshment Parents

There should be two refreshment parents per church, with the following responsibilities:

  1. Set up and help serve refreshments at the Congregational Church following the pageant. Coordinate with Congregational Church representative.
  2. Make sure signs directing guests to the refreshments are made and visible.
  3. Clean up after refreshments are over.

NOTE: The Congregational Church Hospitality Committee provides hot chocolate that evening. All parents of children participating in the pageant must provide one batch/box of cookies for between performances and before/after tree lighting.