Picayune Memorial High School’s Intro to Theatre class will present “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at 7 p.m., Friday at the Picayune School District Auditorium.

Drama teacher Bill Rester said the entire production is being put on by the students — from acting to costumes to lights — as part of their exam grade for the course. More than 40 students are involved in the production. The script for the play was transcribed directly from the beloved television Christmas classic.

“It offers a bit of nostalgia,” Rester said.

For Rester and his students, there has been almost no rest this year. The group just came back from competing with the one-act “Hard Candy” at the South Mississippi Drama Festival held at University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Although the group will not advance to state this year, they won several prestigious awards including Best Belly Laughs and the People’s Choice Audience Favorite Award. Senior Alex Parker took home the All-Star Cast Member Award.

“We had fun and we learned a lot,” said Rester. He also said the group is pleased about picking up the Audience Favorite Award.

After the brief Christmas break, students will audition the first week in January for roles in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” scheduled to be performed in March. They also are planning to do both the male and female versions of “The Odd Couple,” on alternate nights, in April.

The one and only performance for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is this Friday. General Admission seating is available at the door on the evening of the performance. The cost is $5 and all proceeds will be donated to benefit Christian Care Ministries.