The Oswego Players’ 2025 season finale is the delightful play “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”. Show times for the production are 7:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, December 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th, and 2pm Sundays, December 7th and 14th.
This production is a wonderful example of the Oswego Players’ mission to bring our diverse community together through engaging performances that enrich lives, educate, inspire creativity, and foster an appreciation for the arts. Members of the Oswego Players achieve this through several avenues and for this 2025 end of season play, we have four specific examples: the wide representation of kids and adults from across the County, the partnership with the USMC Reserve Toys for Tots program, the special preview night with Senior Citizens and the contribution from the Oswego Fire Department.
With 28 actors in the show, along with 20 technical and backstage crew, director Jennifer Hitchcock had to cast the net far and wide to bring the performance to the stage. “We have kids and adults from Mexico, Scriba, Oswego, Minetto, Fulton and most places in between,” she said. “The commitment of all in traveling to the theater for rehearsals or coming in during their spare time to build sets or focus the lights truly reflects the community spirit shown by these volunteers.”
Through family connections, Hitchcock even approached the Oswego Fire Department to borrow some equipment to add realism to the production. “I was very happy to loan a couple of sets of spare gear,” Oswego Fire Chief Paul Conzone said. “I’m looking forward to coming to the show to critique how they are being used – maybe we’ll inspire some future generations of firefighters!”
Each performance season for the Oswego Players is preceded by a Senior Preview Night, which is the final Dress Rehearsal. “We send out invitations to senior citizens – both individually and in organized groups or communities,” Players’ President Tammy Thompsons said. “It’s a win-win situation – the seniors get to see a performance at a much-discounted price, and the actors get some live audience feedback and participation just before opening night. Due to its popularity, often these organizations make it an outing for their members by providing vans to bring them to the Frances Marion Brown Theatre.
In the spirit of the season, the Oswego Players have also partnered with the USMC Reserve Toys for Tots campaign and are accepting new and unwrapped toys until the last performance on December 14th. The Toys for Tots mission is to deliver hope to children at Christmastime and beyond. “This is a really important initiative,” Hitchcock said. “We are proud to help the program and strongly encourage our patrons to donate. We have a Toys for Tots donation bin located in the lobby of the theatre and we hope to have it filled before the end of the show.”
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc www.concordtheatricals.com
This project is made possible through the CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Cultural Engagement regrant program thanks to a New York State Senate Initiative supported by the NYS Legislature, the Office of the Governor and administered by the New York State Council on the Arts.
For more information and ticket sales please go to https://oswegoplayers.org/ or for phone reservations please call the Box Office at 315-343-5138.
Pictured are some of the cast members of the Oswego Players’ “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” surrounding the Toys for Tots donation box. (back row l-r): Parker Nesbitt, Annilea Murphy, Elisabeth Corbett, Brook Samson, Meg Adelman, Abby Adelman. (in the box): Reuben Wheat, Catelyn Adelman, Charlotte Hitchcock.