Assignment Christmas Past
Come along as a group of students tackle their Christmas essay assignment with the help of a little time travel.
Mr. Winchell has assigned a project right before Christmas break and the school Christmas program. Our group of students are less than excited, but with a little inventive help, they soon find themselves meeting and interviewing Christmas experts as they travel back to that first Christmas. They have work to do if they are going to make it back in time for the school program.
Along the way they meet a few familiar and famous faces as they see for themselves how Christmas has inspired others through the years, from Charles Dickens to Franz Gruber the students begin to see that the Christmas spirit is expressed in a variety of ways.
Soon enough they find themselves present at the very first Christmas as well. Their troubles with their assignment are truly becoming a thing of the past. Together they learn more than assigned and a lot about the true joys of Christmas.
Introduction: Reads the opening welcome and set up, could be any cast member or additional actor.
Mr. Winchell: Classroom teacher with a reputation for being strict.
Abbie: Not the most motivated student you’ll ever meet
Brian: Along for the ride Cathy: Take charge, unofficial leader of the group.
Dave: Just one of the guys, Dave tends to be pretty inquisitive
Eddie: Eddie is a bit of a class clown
Harold: An eccentric student, Harold has had a few failed experiments along the way
Teacher: A classroom teacher from the 1960’s
Edward: Eddie’s father as a young man
Marvin: Mr. Winchell as a student at St. Nicholas School
Charles: Charles Dickens, welcoming host to our group
Gruber: Franz Gruber composed the music for “Silent Night”
Mohr: Fr. Joseph Mohr wrote a short poem to celebrate the Christmas season
Choir Leader: Welcomes the children to join in as the choir practices their new song.
Drummer Boy: Verifies that our group of students are exactly where they think they are.
Shepherd: Tells of their invitation to be a part of the celebration.
Wise Man #1, #2, and #3: Each offer a bit of advice and welcome our group to stay and be a part of the first Christmas.
Called To Christmas
Feeling lost each Christmas as the world hustles and bustles around you?
The wise men were lost too, but lucky for them they had the benefit of Onestar Navigational Technology to help them along, now didn't they? And they weren't the only ones struggling as they were first Called to Christmas...
"Called to Christmas" is a light-hearted and reflective look at the story of the Nativity and those who were called to be present that first Christmas. It captures the excited energy of the holiday in a humorous and accessible way for audiences of all ages.
The characters are flawed but willing, from directionally challenged kings to overzealous angels, downtrodden soldiers to a greedy Innkeeper, each has a special part to play in order for Christmas to arrive as planned. Even the sleepless shepherds buy into the angel's message. Together they provide a welcome fit for a king!
Introduction: Reads the opening welcome and set up, could be any cast member or additional actor.
Mom: Mother to a trio of sweet but somewhat excited set of three children.
Dad: Father of said trio, slightly embarrassed by their behavior.
Child 1: All three are focused on the getting, not the giving of Christmas.
Child 2: See above
Child 3: See above
Grandma: Loving grandmother
Grandpa: slow on the uptake
Angel 1: Like the kids, the angel roles are non-gender specific. Angel #1 is the leader
Angel 2: Half of a chatty pair of angels, expressive and excited, quick to compliment.
Angel 3: The other half of the chatty pair, very outgoing and humorous.
King 1: He thought he knew where they were going, slightly embarrassed
King 2: This king keeps the conversation moving
King 3: Trying not to complain.
Shepherd 1: Has some trouble sleeping, looking for a quiet night.
Shepherd 2: Has a few years on the job
Inn Keeper: Likes his money, and is glad for the business the census has created for him.
Wife: Loves her husband, doesn't love her chores.
Inn Child 1: Both children are as tired as their mom and ready to go with her.
Inn Child 2: See above
Drummer Boy: Left to play in the marketplace
Soldier: He is ready to be done fighting
Towns person 1: Provides comic relief with the partner.
Towns person 2: See above
Mary: Thankful for a place to stay and the surrounding visitors.
Joseph: Thankful to God and His angels for providing them safe passage and a place to rest
Home For Christmas
Three determined angels set up shop as travelers try to find their way home for Christmas, but instead they end up stuck in a bus station with more than a few other stranded travellers. Problems persist, but when a certain teen pop star shows up in need of bus repairs things start to get interesting.
Join our travelers as they wait to see if anyone is getting anywhere this Christmas. Stuck together in bad weather, they take time to discover how they can truly find their way home this Christmas. It helps to have a few angels around to get things moving in the right direction.
Mike: Head angel in charge of helping out during the Christmas season
Gabe: Second angel in command
Ralph: Angel #3... There to help Mike and Gabe. Together they represent the three archangels
Dispatcher: Announces important plot points throughout the play
Jay: Intern to the angels (the boss’s son). This is Jesus coming down to help the angels in their Christmas mission
Ramona: Teen age pop star, tired of stress and travel & being away from her family, She is looking to get away from the spotlight.
Agent: Ramona’s mom, realizing that her daughter needs a break.
Mom: Mother of a family traveling for the holidays
Dad: Father of same family
Chris: Son in the family
Carol: Daughter in same family-traveling by bus to visit cousins.
Driver: Tour bus driver
Soldier 1, 2, & 3: National Guard soldier helping out in the ice storm
Aunt Cindy: The relatives our traveling family was going to visit
Uncle Kevin: same
Grandma: Loves a funny story, along for the ride with her family
Dan: On his way to visit his cousins
Jan: same. They come across their cousins in the same bus station, crossing paths as they were each headed to the other family’s home for the holiday.
Angel in Training 1: Comic relief
Angel in Training 2: Comic relief… they help move the story along and get people where they need to be
Making Miracles
Three angels make a wager that Christmas is one of the few things that stays the same and venture to Earth to investigate.
Along the way the experience the Christmas spirit in a variety of ways. Venturing from place to place, our trio of angels visit a family getting ready for their trip to Grandma's and a group of volunteers helping serve Christmas dinner at the local shelter. They see the Christmas spirit alive and well in those they meet, but none as much as the hard work of three street corner bell ringers collecting donations.
These bell ringers have the spirit, but not the donations needed... lucky for them our angels decide to step in and help them broadcast their spirit with the help of a local news crew. Soon enough they prove it only takes a little effort from everyone to make a miracle or two.
Including the original song "A Miracle or Two", these volunteers show just what is needed for a miracle, even if they need to start making some themselves.
Angel #1: Skeptical and reserved, Angel #1 doubts that there is much to see on Earth each Christmas
Angel #2: Fun-loving and ready for Christmas
Angel #3: Ready to gamble that much of the reason for Christmas still exists
Mom: Loving mother of an average family on Christmas morning
Dad: It may be Christmas, but Dad is still on the job, providing a little “fatherly advice”
Boy: In need of constant redirection, our family’s son can’t seem to say a sincere comment
Girl 1/Girl 2: Both girls are sweet, caring, and innocent
Guests: 1-5: Our guests at the shelter take the time to thank God for the gifts they have
Workers 1-4: Volunteers who observe the gratefulness of their guests
Bell Ringer #1: Leader of another trio of Christmas “angels”,
Bell Ringer #2/Bell Ringer #3: High-spirited helpers
Camera Person: Headed for an assignment, our local news crew camera person gets reassigned through the help of our angels
Holly Ann DeIvory: Local lovable reporter
One Silent (But Snowy) Night
Midnight Mass is on the line as a blizzard shuts down a small town. Join Fr. Joe and an endless stream of unexpected visitors as they get ready for Mass in hopes of a miracle, even one that seems vaguely familiar in a variety of ways. It takes the whole town, but Christmas is coming, snow or no snow!
Father Joe thinks it will take a miracle for anyone to make it out for Midnight Mass during the worst blizzard in years, but they just keep coming. Quickly joined by Sister Ann, the church choir, and a variety of suprise visitors, Father Joe slowly learns that Christmas is coming, one way or another.
Introduction: could be any cast member or additional actor.
Fr. Joe: A small town priest in charge of a Christmas Eve Mass
Sister Ann: teacher at St. Nicholas School.
Miss Halfnote: Choir director
Choir: No speaking lines required for this group.
TV/Radio Announcer: Our local weather person
Bob Wiseman: Owner/Operator of Wiseman Deliveries
Barry King: Bob Wiseman’s nephew.
Holly King: Bob Wiseman’s niece
Angel the Security Guard: Angel works for Guardian Security
Mrs. Gold: Attorney at Law,
Ms. Franken: Partner of Alice Gold
Mr. Murray: Partner of Alice Gold
Altar Servers #1 and #2: You can’t have Mass without some help.
Jackie Shepherd: Jackie runs a local snowplow business
Tin Star Christmas
It’s almost Christmas, A new sheriff is assigned to a small town just as word gets out that one of the meanest outlaws in the west is making his way back home. The townspeople worry that the new sheriff is in for more than he can handle (and so is he).
Tin Star Christmas is a play about learning from the past and choosing to change for the better. This play uses light comedy to share a message about redemption and the good to be found in everybody if we only look for it, especially at Christmas time.
Sheriff John Snow: The new sheriff in town, just in time for trouble
Trusty Gunn: An honest to goodness cowboy with an “aw shucks” attitude. One of the“not so wise” deputies.
Dusty Rhodes: A cranky older character, more of a prospector type. One of Sheriff Snow’s deputies.
Rusty Gates: A little bit innocent, younger than the other deputies.
Black Jack Cole: An outlaw headed back to Bethlehem Falls with a score to settle, just not the one everyone thinks it is.
Sister Carol: Head teacher at the town school works with students to prepare for Christmas.
Sister Joy: Also a teacher at the town school, a little too honest about what goes on around her.
Sister Ann: The third, quieter nun in the group.
Mayor: A bit of a blowhard, offers John Snow a job as sheriff
Fr. Daniel: The town’s pastor, he has a good idea why Black Jack Cole is headed their way.
Brother Jacob: Fr. Daniel’s assistant, always has a comment or two.
Ma Cole: A tough old lady who has high hopes for her boy.
Olivia: One of the first students to meet the new sheriff.
Ashley: One of the first students to meet the new sheriff.
Student Amanda or Andy: Discusses the nativity at school.
Student Betsy or Bobby: Discusses the nativity at school.
Student Caroline or Charlie: Discusses the nativity at school.
Student Debbie or Donny: Discusses the nativity at school.
Townspeople 1-6: A group of townspeople telling tales about Black Jack Cole and what he is up to.
Young Boy: One line role-helps warn everyone Black Jack Cole is headed to town.
Young Girl: One line role- helps warn everyone Black Jack Cole is headed to town.
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