This is the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of baby Jesus as told by an amateur community theatre duo of two men (Peter Carlone and John Voth), playing all the characters from the Wise Men to shepherds to angels to Mary. Throw in an opera diva (played by Karen Ydenberg) for good measure, and you've got yourself a silly and humorous take on the Nativity.
At first, I wasn't quite sold on the whole amateur community theatre aspect of the show, with Peter, the earnest new actor who is trying to pay his dues, and John Oliver Bunion, the haughty demanding director and overactor of the show. Their constant bickering while trying to tell the tale of Christmas was a bit distracting until it became the meatier part of the program, and Jesus et al. took a backseat.
In the end, this seemed to be like Pacific Theatre's version of a Christmas panto (complete with some audience particiaption) and it delivers. The Messiah is on now until December 17 at Pacific Theatre.
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