A young teen struggles to find her place and her voice in her faithful, mid-western family while her mother, the church music director, wrestles both her daughter’s resistance to playing Mary in the church pageant and her aging mother’s desire to play the same role at her nursing home’s first-ever Christmas play.

SYNOPSIS:

Molly Ferguson is the middle daughter of an active, faithful family in the Midwest. Her mother, Becky Ferguson is the music director of Calvary Church. Her husband, Buck, owns the local hardware store. The eldest daughter, Amy, is a popular and talented high school student, and Molly’s little brother, Brian, is a middle school student and budding athlete. Becky’s mother, Nana, lives in a nursing home and is struggling with dementia.

Molly has grown up in the shadow of her older sister, and she rebels against almost everything that Amy stands for. She has a darker mood, aesthetic, and outlook than the rest of her family. She spends a lot of time in her room, playing her guitar. She is the only one in the family whom Nana repeatedly forgets.

Christmas is only weeks away, as is church Christmas Pageant, which Becky organizes and directs. Molly protests to no avail when her mother informs her that she will be playing Mary in the Pageant. Her not-quite boyfriend, Teddy, supports her in her decision to reject the coveted role.

During a visit, Nana laments that she was never chosen to play Mary in the Christmas Pageant, an honour for which she had always longed. Over dinner that night, Brian jokingly suggests that his mother should stage a pageant at the nursing home as well as the church, so that Nana can get her wish. Becky takes the idea to heart, and with the support of the nursing home director, she begins to work on it, aided by Amy, some church women, and a very reluctant Molly.

Though initial rehearsals don’t go well, Nana is rapturous and enthusiastic. Becky gradually learns how to navigate the limits of this senior population. On their way back to her room, Nana once again forgets who Molly is, and Molly’s frustration boils over. Guilt-ridden and angry, Molly goes for a walk at night alone. Without meaning to, she finds herself praying, and though her prayers are words of anger and rejection, God’s presence is steadfast. Nevertheless, the next morning at breakfast, Molly announces that she will not play Mary in the pageant.

Christmas Eve day arrives, and friends and family fill the day room for the show at the nursing home. Molly helps Nana get into her costume, and Nana is over the moon with excitement. She explains to Molly what an honour it is to play Mary. Molly is not totally convinced, but Nana’s enthusiasm, wisdom and faith begin to turn her heart. The Pageant goes off fairly well, with Nana going off script to recite the Magnificat, and concluding with Molly and her guitar giving a rendition of “Silent Night”. After the show, Molly informs her mother that she will play Mary after all.

Everyone moves to the church for the evening program. A family has provided an infant to play Jesus, and holding the baby in the pageant, Molly’s heart is turned and she begins to understand the honour, the grace and the courage of Mary.

Early in the morning on the day after Christmas, a call comes – Nana is quickly failing, and she soon dies. The funeral is held in the church, still decorated for Christmas. The pastor invites all of the women who have ever played Mary to stand in honour of Nana and the Virgin Mary. Women of all ages and appearances stand to pay tribute.

A year later, it's pageant time again. Molly helps her mother and sister to organize the new cast, and she shares the same words of wisdom and faith with the new Mary that her Nana shared with her.