May 14, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Five questions with Ben Gilly of the ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’

Tonight at 7 p.m, The St. Joseph Church of Christ will present “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”

We asked Ben Gilly, who is Bob Bradley, to answer five questions for us.

What can you tell me about your character?
I play the character of Bob Bradley, husband to Grace and father to Beth and Charlie; a
solid family man. Bob is begrudgingly tasked to help his wife with wrangling the kids together for
the pageant.

What has been your favorite part about the pageant?
I’ve enjoyed watching the children of the cast grow and develop their characters. Many
of them came in with little to no theatre experience and have really learned a lot and put
together a great show.

What do you hope the audience takes away from the story?
While presented mostly as a comedy, the core of the show is the biblical telling of
Christ’s birth. Audience members should expect to laugh, cry, and learn about the meaning of
Christmas. I hope everyone is able to see a little bit of themselves in the characters of the story.

What has it been like acting with your kids?
My daughter, Ellie, has loved every bit of this show. My wife and I have both always had
a soft spot for drama and theatre and it’s been awesome to watch our girl express herself and
learn how to have a stage presence. It’s been a real bonding moment for her and I too since we
have some inside jokes and stories that the rest of our family hasn’t been a part of.

What is your favorite part of the Christmas season overall?
I’m a sucker for classic nostalgia. I love driving around town looking at lights and
decorations, watching ALL the holiday movie favorites (including Die Hard), singing carols,
spending time with family; just all the traditions of the season!

Banner
Related Posts

Live at St. Joseph Village Board Feb. 22.2022

February 22, 2022

February 22, 2022

Discussing the proposed location of Philo Bank. Max Painter saying the lot has been vacant for a long time. Tami...

Winter storm closures

February 15, 2021

February 15, 2021

CLOSEDHomer Lake, Lake of the Woods, Middle Fork River, River Bend, and Sangamon River Forest Preserves, as well as remote...

Weekend Family Fun Guide

June 14, 2019

June 14, 2019

Every weekend we pick at least three events that we think are can’t miss for families in this area. This...

Alumni banquet to be held

October 25, 2021

October 25, 2021

The 2021 SJO Alumni banquet will be held Nov. 13 at the Royal Community Building. The event starts at noon...

Weekend Family Fun Guide March 8-10

March 8, 2019

March 8, 2019

March 8-10 Free Kids Movie 10 a.m. Savoy 16 A Free Movie will be shown at the Savoy 16 starting...

PTC to host carnival

March 8, 2019

March 8, 2019

The annual St. Joseph PTC Carnival will take place tonight. “It’s genuinely a fun family event that costs little or...

Author to host talk at library

March 5, 2019

March 5, 2019

On Saturday, March 9th at 1 p.m. Maureen Hughes will be at the St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library, 201 N....

Employees help co-worker during time of need

February 8, 2021

February 8, 2021

The staff at the St. Joseph Subway wanted to help April Patton. Manager Adam Porter said his co-worker said she...

Ogden festival committee to meet tonight

March 11, 2019

March 11, 2019

The Ogden Festival will be bigger and better this year if organizer Kelly Cooper has anything to say about it....

‘Helping them reach their potential is humbling and rewarding at the same time’

January 26, 2023

January 26, 2023

A performance today will culminate one of the most powerful artistic and personal experiences Justin Lee has had in his...

Christmas in St. Joseph events kick off this week

November 28, 2022

November 28, 2022

A young girl’s wish for a community Christmas tree started a town-wide holiday extravaganza that will kick off on Dec....

Tree lighting, Grinch scavenger hunt to take place today

December 2, 2023

December 2, 2023

The hunt for the Grinch is on. The Village of St. Joseph is hosting a scavenger hunt on Dec. 2...

Around Town: Feb. 18-23

February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019

If you want your event included please email us at stjosephrecord@gmail.com Feb. 18 Story Time for Children 6:30 p.m. St...

Weekend Family Fun Guide

June 24, 2019

June 24, 2019

Every week we select some events that would provide your family with some fun. This post is sponsored by Island...

Spring Community Garage Sale dates set

January 5, 2021

January 5, 2021

The Spring St. Joseph Community Garage Sales will be held April 8, 9 and 10th. Participants select their own times...

Comments
Leave a Reply