Junie B. brings holiday hilarity to Riley Center

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For any first grader, Christmas can be a mixed bag of emotions.

There’s the joy that comes with the prospect of new toys, and then there’s the serious issue of having your every move watched by Santa Claus.

For Junie B. Jones, the star of Barbara Park’s children’s book series, the holidays are rolling merrily along until her class draws names for Secret Santa. Casa Mañana Theater brings its play adaptation to the MSU Riley Center on Tuesday [Nov. 19] in a 7 p.m. family show performance of “Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!”

Loyal fans of the book series have followed mischievous Junie B. through kindergarten and into first grade. This play, adapted by Allison Gregory, provides a glimpse into Junie B.’s holiday dilemma: What to do when she draws the name of her rival, tattletale May, for Secret Santa. Will she use the opportunity to exact revenge? Or will the giving spirit of the season take over, resulting in a happy ending?

Everyone in the family will laugh along with the scenes cleverly lifted from the popular book of the same name.

Tickets are $18 and $10 at the MSU Riley Center box office, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets can be purchased online at www.msurileycenter.com or by calling the box office at 601-696-2200.