Naperville teen having a blast in Scientology spoof

Sara Geist, a freshman at Naperville Central and star of Next Theatre's holiday comedy, "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant," began acting professionally two years ago at age 12. That was when she began appearing in the American Girls Revue.

By the standards of most professions, this is an early start. But in the world of child acting, where some get started before they can read, this is comparatively late.

Geist doesn't care, though. And she is having a blast in "Scientology Pageant."

"I love the script for that show," Geist says. "When I first read the play I was laughing so hard my mom would run in and say, 'What is so funny?' I thought it was hilarious."

The show is Kyle Jarrow's send-up of both Scientology and poorly acted holiday shows.

"The show is basically a Christmas pageant," Geist says. "Except we are making it about Scientology. It is like a spoof of Scientology - we have the aliens and weird costumes, but it is Christmas Pageant."

Aliens?

"L. Ron Hubbard told a lot of people that the reason we had emotions was because some aliens had killed a lot of people and their spirits were all over the galaxy," Geist says. "Their spirits went into our bodies and that is why we have emotions."

Did Geist know about Scientology before she was cast in the show? "No, I didn't know anything," she says. "At the first rehearsal they gave us this big packet of material. And also you learn about Scientology because of the way it is presented in the show."

Another aspect of the show is that, in the tradition of many amateur Christmas pageants. the costumes look handmade, Geist says. And it is being performed entirely by children.

At 14, Geist is the oldest in the cast. The youngest just turned 10, she says.

"I play Annie, an aspiring actress who is struggling in life," Geist says. "She shows up at a Scientology center and it gives her hope ... I also play a Buddhist monk and I understudy for L. Ron Hubbard."

The material may seem funny on the page, but now that the show has been running for four weeks, does it still seem hilarious to Geist?

"Oh yes. This is genuinely a fun show to do," she says. "The energy is great and the (seven other) kids are great. It is kind of like every day I go in there I just have as much fun as I did when we started."

• "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" runs through Jan. 3 at Next Theatre Company, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston. For tickets call (847) 475-1875, ext. 2, or go the Next Theatre Web site, nexttheatre.org.