By Riley Savedge

Starting in December, the sounds of hymns and echoing bells fill the halls of All Saints Episcopal Church. Collegiate’s Christmas Pageant has been a long-standing tradition since Collegiate was founded as an all-girls school on historic Monument Avenue in 1915. Our Pageant in its current form began in 1940. Middle and Upper School girls execute the performance, with each grade playing various religious roles and characters in the play. 

Pageant has changed very little since former Town School Headmistress Catharine Flippen formalized the tradition 85 years ago. For many years, former Upper School Associate Director of Student Life Missy Herod (‘72) coordinated and directed the tradition, but she has recently been stepping back from her heavy involvement with the program since her retirement. Current Associate Director of Student Life Kim Adamik, who has taken on that role, stated, “The goal is to preserve the artistic beauty of the performance as much as possible, with costumes, lighting, props and music much the same from year to year.” The only distinct adjustment of the program was an addition of a scene as the school’s population grew. Middle and Upper School Admission Assistant Taylor Kell (’87) also helps organize Pageant, and she added, “Some songs get used on an every other year rotation, but really Pageant remains the same, which is part of why it’s such a beloved tradition.”

Senior Heavenly Hosts during a Pageant performance in 2024.

Pageant begins for the Middle School in 5th Grade, and girls have the option to participate in the tradition until 12th Grade. The Middle School girls are delegated their roles and attend practices based on their assigned characters. The 5th Graders are cherubs, pages, and trainbearers; the 6th Graders are village and shepherd children; and the 7th and 8th Graders are part of the balcony chorus, who complement the singing of the Glee Club.

During the performance, the 5th Graders process the aisles dressed in white gowns and silver halos, carrying candles to light the way in their role as cherubs. The 6th Graders either carry baby lambs as shepherd children or gleefully skip to the manger as village children. While the 7th and 8th Graders aren’t in the spotlight of the Pageant, their contributions to the balcony chorus are the backbone of the production. 

Collegiate’s Pageant is particularly noteworthy because there are no spoken words, but instead an hour of songs and gestures. Adamik and Kell believe that “Collegiate’s version (with no spoken words) is the only Pageant of its kind.” Joyous carols such as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” fill the silence in the absence of speaking roles. The songs bring together the Collegiate community to celebrate the Christmas season. 

Pageant leaves meaningful impacts on many of the participants, as they can still remember memories of their Middle School roles. Maddy Privasky (‘26) reflected on her time as a pillar cherub in 5th Grade: “I remember how exciting I thought it was to sit by the pews with our LED candles. I have loved all the roles I have played for Pageant and am looking forward to seeing what part I get to play for my last year!” A.V. Musick (‘26) has memories of being a villager: “In Middle School, I remember thinking it was so cool that we got to walk down the aisles with and sit next to the Sophomores when we were village children in 6th Grade. I love how all the girls come together!”

Pillar cherubs during a Pageant performance in 2024.

Pageant brings students a sense of joy and Christmas spirit, especially during a busy time of year. Lauren Kave (‘27) said,“Pageant gives me the Christmas spirit in a stressful time with schoolwork and brings me love.” With class exams soon after the performance, the stress of academic success weighs on many students. However, Pageant is a valuable break in peoples’ bustling lives and delivers happiness and comfort to the participants. 

Many alumni enjoy returning to Richmond to watch Pageant year after year. They adore the Christmas season, festive spirit, and community that comes together to carry out the performance. Elizabeth Myers (‘25) is a recent Collegiate graduate and looks forward to seeing the tradition in later years: “Pageant was truly an incredible experience! I am so grateful to have been a part of such a beautiful show alongside so many wonderful people. I can’t wait to come back as an alum and see Pageant for years to come!” While not an alumna yet, Musick treasures watching past participants and teachers return to All Saints to see the performance. She values “seeing all the older alumni light up when they see Pageant come together the same way, year after year.”

As I didn’t attend Collegiate in 5th or 6th Grade, so my first roles in Pageant were with the balcony chorus in 7th and 8th Grade. I remember being timid because of how filled the pews of All Saints were, especially being my first year at a new, unfamiliar school. After my initial apprehension, Pageant became a highlight of my Middle School years and beyond. During my role of balcony chorus, I adored singing “Silent Night,” a personal favorite hymn for me and my family. In Upper School, forming connections with my classmates has been the part of the tradition I’ve cherished the most. As I approach my final year of Pageant, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of Collegiate’s notable performance and hope to return as an alumna in the coming years. 

All photos courtesy of @collegiaterva on Instagram.