The Best Christmas Pageant Ever WITH GUEST Dallas Jenkins
Sep 13, 2024
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Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the hit series The Chosen and director of the movie adaptation, shares insights about his latest project based on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He discusses the themes of humor and childhood poignancy found in the book. Fun anecdotes reveal a serendipitous meeting with Kellen Erskine, highlighting their comedic connections. Jenkins dives into casting choices and how they enrich emotional storytelling, illustrating how laughter can deepen our understanding of heartfelt narratives.
Dallas Jenkins emphasizes the importance of blending humor and emotional depth in adapting 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' for film.
The podcast highlights themes of redemption and community while exploring the emotional impact of the story on audiences and families.
Deep dives
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Overview
The podcast discusses the essence of 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' by Barbara Robinson, highlighting its narrative about a family of children who, after being overlooked by child protective services, attempt to steal food from a church but end up auditioning for the church’s annual nativity play. This short, engaging story explores themes of redemption and community through the disruptive influence of the Herdman kids, who are portrayed as notorious troublemakers. The narrator recalls a personal connection to the book, revealing how reading the last chapter to their children evoked a deeply emotional response, showcasing the layers of humor and sentiment within the narrative. The book serves as a light holiday read, yet possesses profound messages about empathy and the nature of the Christmas story.
Movie Adaptation Insights
Dallas Jenkins, the film's writer and director, shares his vision for translating the book into a movie, emphasizing the importance of maintaining its wit and emotional depth while appealing to both children and adults. He describes the casting of comedian Pete Holmes as the father, highlighting that Jenkins saw Holmes as a unique choice capable of blending humor with the film's heartfelt message. Throughout the creative process, Jenkins aimed to create a timeless quality in the film, avoiding any strict adherence to a particular decade while capturing the essence of Americana and nostalgia. The final movie adaptation has been influenced by extensive notes and reflections Jenkins took while reading the original book, ensuring that the adaptation honors its source material.
Evocative Storytelling and Humor
The conversation centers around the art of evocative storytelling, where Jenkins explains the necessity of crafting emotionally rich scenes that lead viewers through a journey rather than delivering straightforward lessons. He discusses the importance of showcasing the humility reflected in the characters' development, particularly in relation to the birth of Christ. The film aims for a blend of humor and deep emotional resonance, creating moments that surprise the audience with both laughter and tears, enhancing the complexity of the characters and their journeys. This layering of emotions allows for a richer experience, aiming to connect with audiences on a personal level and invoking reflections on faith and community.
Audience Reception and Emotional Impact
As the discussion concludes, Jenkins shares feedback from Barbara Robinson's daughter, who expressed heartfelt appreciation for the film, recognizing its successful blend of humor, sentiment, and artistry. This response reinforces the aim of creating a movie that resonates with families while staying true to the book's legacy. The emotional reactions encountered during preview screenings, including audience sniffling during poignant moments, suggest that the film may profoundly impact viewers as it evokes the same emotions experienced in the book. Jenkins reflects on the broader implications of capturing humor and genuine emotion in storytelling, asserting that the film aspires to educate subtly through an engaging narrative that stays true to the spirit of Christmas.
SUMMARY: An Americana small-town Christmas pageant gets hijacked by kids from the other side of the tracks, but it all works out (or this would be a very different genre). Kellen is joined by Dallas Jenkins who directed and co-wrote the movie (currently IN THEATERS and at 90% on Rottentomatoes!)
KELLEN ERSKINE IS PERFORMING IN CARLSBAD (close to San Diego) THIS WEEK! Nov 16th! Go to KellenErskine.com for tickets
-Get two free tickets to any of Kellen's live shows in 2024-2025 by joining The Book Pile's Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile
-If you want to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and support the podcast in a fun way, click here to buy the book! https://amzn.to/40KmkDK
-Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC's America's Got Talent, and the Amazon Original Series Inside Jokes. He has garnered over 200 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com
-Dallas Jenkins is the creator/writer/director of the worldwide phenomenon of a TV showThe Chosen. He is also other things, but if we listed them all his paragraph would be longer than Kellen's.
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