The Star of Bethlehem glides across the auditorium at St. Catherine Academy in Fairfield. Ariel Powell guides it from her wheelchair, nervously yet purposefully making her way up toward the stage. Ariel is noticeably scared but keeps going.
She knows that she has to lead the Three KingsRuben Torres, Tiffany Maisonet and Angel Vargas to Joseph (James Barry) and Mary (Catherine McClinch). As they say, the show must go on.
"I'm very proud of Ariel," says her mother, Cerella Powell. "She was nervous, but I told her she could do it."
Perhaps Ariel was anxious because of the sizeable crowd that turned out to see her school's Christmas pageant. St. Catherine, the Diocese of Bridgeport's special needs school, puts on the show each year for families, volunteers and supporters of the program. This year's crowd filled St. Catherine's auditorium to standing-room-only capacity.
"The people who have been there in the past have said to us, this is their way to start their Christmas season," said Helen Burland, the school's president. "It's so pure and simple, it brings out the true spirit of Christmas."
Each one of the school's 21 students gets a featured spot in St. Catherine's production, a telling of the original Christmas story. Each performed a role that fit his or her particular abilities given their respective disabilitiesfrom the three silent Marys (Francesca Cenatiempo, Kelly Martinez and Catherine McClinch) to the two outspoken narrators (Kayla Miele and Adrian Barrabi).
"It gets better and better every year," said Jackie Hernandez, mother of one of the angels, Jadealiz Rivera. "It's one of the greatest things always."
Full cast photo: Narrators: Kayla Miele and Adrian Barrabi; Marys: Francesca Cenatiempo, Kelly Martinez and Catherine McClinch; Josephs: Joseph Curillo, Wilson Donaher and James Barry; Angel Gabriel: Mina Deorio; Innkeeper: Edi Webbe; Shepherds: Tom Flynn, Josh Kotos and Jonathan Teixeira; Star of Bethlehem: Arial Powell; Angels: Jennifer Molina, Jadealiz Rivera and Kelsey Fontana; Kings: Ruben Torres, Tiffany Maisonet and Angel Vargas.
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