Baby Jesus is visited by the three kings.

It took more than 300 people to put on this year's First Baptist Church Easter Pageant in Jackson.

This is the 11th year for the locally produced pageant and once again people are coming in expecting an amateur production and walking out amazed at how professional and polished the production is.

Marsha Craft wrote the script for the pageant. She said she based it on a similar show in Branson entitled, "The Promise."

The two-hour presentation of "Give Us Hope," depicts a modern day family coming to the pageant that ends up becoming stagehands for the pageant.

The family comes face to face with Jesus, while along the way they discover that they don't very much time for each other and even less time for Jesus.

Jesus is portrayed by Dr. Jim Wright, a member of First Baptist from Perryville.

The family have questions throughout the pageant and they are confused about some things.

They end up coming to know Jesus as their personal savior.

Jim Raney plays Peter and Scott McQuay and Elaine Carlson are the story's main narrators.

The production took 300 performers and stagehands and the entire year for preparation.

Besides the excellent singing and acting, the technical side of the show is spectacular.

The show's use of background music to create moods and the use of lighting and smoke make for a visual spectacle that shouldn't be missed.

Wendy Hayes directed the performance.

"She gives unselfishly of herself each year," Craft said.

There are still two more productions to be done today. They will be at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Jackson on High Street.

The production only uses people from within the church.

Craft also said that the show has performers of all ages from a baby to senior citizens.

Craft said that the pageant is a community service for the church.

"It's a revival for many people and others that come learn more about Jesus," Craft said.

"We are a visual society, pageant is a real unique and creative ministry to allow people to visualize the life of Christ," Craft added.

The Easter Pageant packs the house for six perfomances a year. Tickets are available, but not required to see the show.

Tickets will reserve preferred seating up to 20 minutes before the start of the show, Craft said.