By JUNO OGLE

juno@dailynews.net

Christmas is for kids, it's said, and the organizers of Heartland Community Theatre have not forgotten that with this year's holiday production.

"Miracle on 34th Street" is based on the classic Christmas movie, and the cast -- 35 people in all -- is kid-heavy.

"It's one of those big Christmas standards. This show is really tightly based on the movie. It's really something that is going to be good for people to see," said Cheryl Glassman, the play's director.

The story centers around Macy's department store, a Santa Claus who might be the real thing and a little girl who needs some help believing in Christmas.

Although some of the cast members barely are into double-digit ages, they already are stage veterans.

Among those are the Wasinger sisters, Gracie, 10, Lexie, 12, and Annie, 6. They've all had a wide range of parts in more than a dozen HCT productions, but it might be Gracie who has one of the tougher parts.

Gracie plays a young immigrant girl who speaks only Dutch and plays a part in helping another little girl see Kris Kringle, played by Raymond Brent, might be more than just a man in a red suit.

"It's really tough," she said. But she and her mother, Becky, have been watching the movie to help her learn the words.

"I'm also working with the guy who plays Santa to get the sounds right with him," she said.

"It's neat because they all almost become like family, and they get to see it all come together," said Becky, who often helps with costumes.

Another HCT veteran is Hannah McGuire, 9, in her first lead role. She plays Sarah, described by another character as "a far-too-serious 6-year-old" who doesn't believe in Santa Claus.

The family ties run deeper, as Sarah's mother, Doris, is played by Hannah's mother, Jessica McGuire, also no stranger to the community theater.

"I can't say enough for little Hannah," Glassman said. "Or of all the little kids."

Hannah said she got started in the community theater because of her mother, and she wanted to be in this play because she likes Christmas.

She's not like her character, Sarah, she said, though she couldn't immediately think of how.

"She's more fun," piped up Greg Frizzle, 14, who plays a newspaper boy. He said this is a favorite role because "I have lines."

New to an HCT production is Conner Staab, who also plays one of the newspaper boys.

"It's kinda easy," he said about his part. "The newspaper boys have to yell a lot, and that's fun."

Glassman said about three quarters of the cast is new to HCT.

"We are a community theater, so you don't know who's going to come out, all the way down to the smallest part," Glassman said.

"A lot of people that do this, especially adults, they've done it in high school or grade school and for some reason, something calls them to come and audition. It's great they can get up on stage and release these talents they have hidden," she said.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Reserved seating is suggested. Call (785) 259-1798, e-mail hctkansas@gmail.com or go to www.heartlandcommunitytheatre.org to order.