🎄🤠 Y'all, grab your eggnog and buckle up for a Texas-sized Christmas catastrophe! In this hilarious episode of No Small Parts, host Scott Leon Smith sits down with director (and board president) Abbey Kanellakis and cast members Debbi Gifford, Julie Pollock, and first-time actor Shadow Pollock to talk about Bucyrus Little Theatre's upcoming riotous holiday comedy, Christmas Belles, sponsored by Firelands Federal Credit Union, Lulu's Kitchen, and The Ohio Flower Girls!

Expect behind-the-scenes chaos as we dive into the Futrelle sisters' attempt to save (or destroy?) the annual Christmas pageant in Fayro, Texas. You'll hear about flying angels (maybe?), a very pregnant Frankie, a recently jailed Twink, a socialite with Hollywood dreams, a pastor with in love, and the sweetest little red wagon handler you've ever met. Plus, the cast spills the tea on jealous directors, 27 years of "traditional" pageants gone wrong, and why community theatre is basically one big dysfunctional family reunion.

We also get the scoop on BLT's second annual Christmas Basket Silent Auction: bigger, better, and now a true silent auction with incredible donations from local businesses (think gift cards, season passes, themed baskets, and more!). Modern Woodmen of America is matching funds up to $1,500, so your bid goes even further for the theatre. And huge shoutout to Castle Auctions & Appraisals for managing the online Silent Auction.

Listen now to laugh until the reindeer come home and find out exactly how you can bid on those amazing baskets! Shows run ONE WEEKEND ONLY: December 12–14, 2025. Tickets at BucyrusLittleTheatre.com.

Host Scott Leon Smith sits down with Bucyrus Little Theatre Board President Abbey Kanellakis to unpack the theater's upgraded fundraiser, now a full online silent auction powered by Castle Auctions and Appraisals. Running December 8–16 (with live promotion during Christmas Belles performances December 12–14), the event features themed baskets, local business donations, gift certificates, swag, and one-of-a-kind items, all matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1,500 by Modern Woodmen of America.

Learn how to donate (items, baskets, or cash—deadline November 24), get pickup coordinated via Allie Mueller (419-310-9616) or the theater (419-562-0731), and why every bid helps fund critical upgrades: digital signage, sound systems, lighting instruments, and monitors to amplify voices and storytelling in BLT's intimate space.

It's community giving that doubles your impact, fuels holiday shopping, and keeps live theater thriving in Crawford County. QR codes, programs, and MonsterVox social blasts make bidding easy. Join the fun and support the arts!

Plus: Details on the 50/50 Scholarship Raffle and a sneak peek at the Southern-fried hilarity of Christmas Belles, directed by Abbey herself.

No Small Parts is a Bucyrus Little Theatre podcast, hosted by Scott Leon Smith of MonsterVox Productions. To learn more about this podcast or the Bucyrus Little Theatre, visit www.BucyrusLittleTheatre.com.

Get ready for a fang-tastic episode of No Small Parts, the podcast that shines a spotlight on the heart and soul of community theatre! This time, host Scott Leon Smith takes us behind the scenes at Bucyrus Little Theatre in Ohio, where rehearsals for the cult classic Bat Boy: The Musical are in full swing. Buckle up, Broadway fans, because this episode is a hilarious, heartfelt dive into a show that's equal parts Hamilton swagger, Mean Girls sass, and pure, unfiltered weirdness. Well ... kind of ...

Scott sits down with a few members of his cast, Cynthia Carvel (Shelly), Emma White (Meredith), and Chris Collins (Dr. Parker), to dish on what makes Bat Boy a one-of-a-kind theatrical beast. This off-Broadway gem, inspired by a 90s tabloid tale of a half-boy, half-bat found in a West Virginia cave, is a raucous blend of musical theatre genres. Think rock ballads, country hoedowns, rap battles, and Broadway-style belters, all wrapped in a madcap, self-aware package that pokes fun at itself and the entire musical theatre world. It's like if Little Shop of Horrors and Beetlejuice had a lovechild that grew up reading Weekly World News.

Cynthia, a 16-year-old theatre kid with a passion for singing, spills the tea on playing Shelly, the bratty teen who falls for the charismatic, bad-boy vibes of Bat Boy (played by the talented Darius, who's sadly not here, so they talk behind his back). Emma, a phlebotomist by day (perfect for a show obsessed with blood!), shares her journey stepping into the complex role of Meredith, Shelly's sitcom-mom with a mysterious edge. And Chris, channeling his inner mad scientist as Dr. Parker, dishes on tackling high-energy rock numbers and dancing (or flubbing) his way through the show's wild choreography.

From Nosferatu-inspired costumes to projections that dial up the '90s horror schlock, this production is pushing the envelope at Bucyrus Little Theatre. Expect dance breaks that'll make you want to line dance in the aisles, key changes that sneak up like a bat in the night, and a story that's as touching as it is bizarre. With nods to Broadway heavyweights like Kerry Butler (Mean Girls, Beetlejuice) and Jonathan Groff (Hamilton), this episode proves Bat Boy is more than just a cult hit; it's a love letter to the weird and wonderful world of community theatre.

Tune in to hear Scott and his cast share pizza-fueled banter, rehearsal war stories, and why this show is a must-see for anyone who loves musical theatre with a side of chaos. Catch Bat Boy: The Musical at Bucyrus Little Theatre from October 17th-19th and 24th-26th, 2025, with special Saturday matinees to accommodate the cast's homecoming plans.

Grab your tickets at busyruslittletheatre.com and prepare for a bloody good time!

Bucyrus Little Theatre is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are located at 130 Songer Avenue, Bucyrus, Ohio.