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The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre is mounting a special Christmas performance of an original musical, "The Littlest Shepherd." Ferrum College has provided photos and a detailed press release, which I'm sharing below.

Anna, the prophetess, (Jody D. Brown) relates the story of Simeon’s seeing the baby Jesus to the Littlest Shepherd (Emily Rose Tucker) in the new Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre production: 'The Littlest Shepherd: A Musical Retelling of the Birth of Christ.' The production plays at the BRDT at Ferrum College in matinees, December 2, 3, 9, and 11, and at an evening performance, December 5.

"The Littlest Shepherd: A Musical Retelling of the Birth of Christ" opens at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre at Ferrum College in early December. Written by R. Rex Stephenson with original music by Emily Rose Tucker, this amusing and, at the same time, joyous musical combines the Gospels of St. Luke and St. Matthew as the Littlest Shepherd strives to find the Holy Family.

The familiar professional BRDT company including Jody D. Brown, Anna Holman, R. Rex Stephenson, Mike Trochim, Willette Thompson, and Emily Rose Tucker bring the musical with its timeless message of love and charity to life.

The play begins with four shepherds singing about a most unusual night. The Angel of the Lord interrupts them and sends them off to Bethlehem to visit the Christ child in the manager. However, as the three shepherds fulfill their mission, they leave the littlest shepherd home to tend the flock. When the Angel realizes that one shepherd is missing, she tries to fix the situation and therein begins the Littlest Shepherd’s quest to bring his special gift to the baby Jesus.

The original music that Tucker has provided for this musical draws on familiar forms to create its merry balance to the story. With lyrics by Stephenson and Tucker, the new music will have the audience humming, inspired, and, sometimes, laughing out loud. The upbeat music is accompanied by David Mitchell.

A delicious holiday meal including turkey with apple cranberry chutney, sweet potatoes with a walnut toffee topping, macaroni and cheese, salads, vegetables, rolls, and pumpkin cheesecake precedes each performance. In addition to the festive nature of the menu, it features local produce whenever possible. Patrons may choose to join the Christmas festivities at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre either for the meal and show or for the show only.

A preview performance without a meal is December 1 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances of The Littlest Shepherd are December 2, 3, 9 and 11; a Saturday evening performance is December 5. For this December performance, the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre is serving the evening meal at 6:15 and beginning the show at 7:30.

For more information about "The Littlest Shepherd: A Musical Retelling of the Birth of Christ," or tickets, call 540-365-4335 or write brdt[at]@ferrum.edu.

R. Rex Stephenson, author, and Emily Rose Tucker, composer, work on a song from their new musical, 'The Littlest Shepherd: A Musical Retelling of the Birth of Christ.'