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<p>You&#8217;ve probably seen nativity displays with two angels.</p><p>Or two shepherds.</p><p>Or even two wise men (maybe because a third magi statue got broken.)</p><p>But you&#8217;ve probably never seen a display with more than one infant lying on the straw.</p><p>That could change, if you attend &#8220;Two Babies in A Manger,&#8221; set to be performed at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 at St. John the Baptist Church, Nesbitt Street, Larksville.</p><p>The play, the latest theatrical endeavor by playwright priest the Rev. Gerald Gurka, is based on a story by an unknown author that tells of a 1994 visit a pair of Americans made to a Russian orphanage, at the invitation of the Russian Department of Education.</p><p>Their visit marks the first time a young orphan named Misha hears the story of Jesus&#8217; birth, and as he and the other children fashion their own manger scenes from cardboard and torn napkins, the little boy feels inspired to place a second doll next to the one that represents Jesus.</p><p>Of course, there has to be some conflict in the story.</p><p>Parishioner Lucy Singer, who is frequently cast against type in Father Jerry&#8217;s Nativity plays &#8212; perhaps as an unwelcoming Mrs. Innkeeper or some other grouchy character &#8212; supplies that in her role as Ms. Agatha G. Hunchbull of the orphanage staff.</p><p>&#8220;You little reprobate!&#8221; Singer said during a recent rehearsal, reciting lines from the script as she pulled one of the small figures from Misha&#8217;s manger. &#8220;This belongs in the garbage! How dare you put in two babies! Who do you think you are?&#8221;</p><p>Gurka, as director, suggested she stamp her foot as the tirade continued.</p><p>&#8220;Did I hear the word &#8216;No?&#8217; &#8216;NO?&#8217; You little insubordinate twit! Don&#8217;t you dare say &#8216;no&#8217; to me!&#8221; Singer went on, directing more pretend anger at Aiden Maciejczyk of Edwardsville, who looked appropriately frightened in his role as Misha.</p><p>Soon calmer heads prevailed, including those of a character named Iggy, who wears a top hat in homage to the magician in the 1969 Rankin/Bass Productions TV special &#8220;Frosty the Snowman,&#8221; and a character named Father Kluger, whose name is a nod to Fred Astair&#8217;s voicing of the narrator, S.D. Kluger, in the 1970 stop-motion Christmas television special &#8220;Santa Claus is Comin&#8217; To Town.&#8221;</p><p>Questioned by Iggy and Father Kluger, Misha explains in touching fashion why he wanted to use one of the dolls to represent himself and put it in the manger to help Jesus stay warm.</p><p>Church member Jessica Lee, of Larksville, who is reprising her role as Mary this year, said she is no stranger to dealing with two babies at a time, because she had twins 11 years ago.</p><p>One of her twins, Dennis, portrays a young Jesus in the play. His character speaks to Misha and assures him they will always be friends. The other twin, David, portrays one of the wise man in the biblical depiction that comes to life in the play. Their father, also named Dennis, portrays Joseph and their younger sister, Dannica, portrays a star.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s really nice for the whole family to do something like this together,&#8221; Jessica Lee said.</p><p><ins>IF YOU GO</ins></p><p><ins>What: &#8216;Two Babies in A Manger&#8217;</ins></p><p><ins>Where: St. John the Baptist Church, 126 Nesbitt St., Larksville</ins></p><p><ins>When: 4 p.m. Dec. 24, to be immediately followed by Mass</ins></p><p><ins>Admission: Free</ins></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Paper dolls were among the props used during a recent rehearsal for &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; &#8217; </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_manger4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Paper dolls were among the props used during a recent rehearsal for &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; &#8217; </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Marty Gabel plays the part of Professor Ignatius Hinkle in the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; Playwright the Rev. Gerald Gurka said the professor wears a top hat in a nod to the magician character in &#8216;Frosty the Snowman.&#8217; </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Marty Gabel plays the part of Professor Ignatius Hinkle in the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; Playwright the Rev. Gerald Gurka said the professor wears a top hat in a nod to the magician character in &#8216;Frosty the Snowman.&#8217; </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">As Misha, Aiden Maciejczyk of Edwardsville has put together a manger that is a little different from all the other mangers fashioned by children at the orphanage. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang1.jpg</photo2><caption2>As Misha, Aiden Maciejczyk of Edwardsville has put together a manger that is a little different from all the other mangers fashioned by children at the orphanage. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ms. Agatha Hunchbull, played by Lucy Singer, scolds Misha played by Aiden Maciejczyk in a scene in the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang3.jpg</photo3><caption3>Ms. Agatha Hunchbull, played by Lucy Singer, scolds Misha played by Aiden Maciejczyk in a scene in the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger.&#8217; </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Father Jerry Gurka directs his cast during a recent rehearsal as the group prepares to present the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger,&#8217; set for 4 p.m. Dec. 25 at St. John the Baptist Church in Larksville. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_mang5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Father Jerry Gurka directs his cast during a recent rehearsal as the group prepares to present the play &#8216;Two Babies in a Manger,&#8217; set for 4 p.m. Dec. 25 at St. John the Baptist Church in Larksville. </caption4><photoCredit4>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Playwright priest&#8217;s latest offering to be presented Dec. 24</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mary Therese Biebel</p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>IF YOU GO</strong></p><p><strong>What:</strong> &#8216;Two Babies in A Manger&#8217;</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> St. John the Baptist Church, 126 Nesbitt St., Larksville</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 4 p.m. Dec. 24, to be immediately followed by Mass</p><p><strong>Admission:</strong> Free</p></factboxMeta></div>

Larksville parish to present‘Two Babies in a Manger’