Description

Understanding Christmas through Christmas cards.

Three women are shopping in a card store, at various stages of their understanding of Christmas.
They find there is much difference between a “Christmas card message” and the real message of the birth, and the worth, of the Son of God coming to be among us on that first Christmas.
The three characters are at various stages of Christian maturity, with Brenda at the “high end” and Tracy at the “low end”. From a characterization standpoint, this would mean that Brenda would tend to act in a more self-assured manner, whereas Tracy would be subject to emotional highs and lows. Leanne would offer the audience a character somewhat in-between those two positions.
A major Christmas presentation with music, written to compare the various emphases of Christmas.

Cast:  3

• Brenda
• Leanne
• Tracy
• Choir and shoppers (as available)

Bible Reference:   Luke 2

Set:

• Main area of stage for video presentations, (no acting), If possible have this area behind a scrim, for information contact DramaShare.
• Actors perform from a smaller area at the side, made up with backdrop, etc., as a card shop. Signs on walls indicate Hallmark Card shop.
• Choir will be singing as video runs, actors in low lighting

The center acting stage would be that area over the baptistry in most churches and would be used for the video presentation, (no actors on this stage). The three actors would perform from a small stage near the main stage. The choir would be singing as the video rolls, actors would be in low light.

Lighting:    Spots to isolate and build up individual areas

  Sound:   wireless mics if available

Song: 

• It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
• Frosty The Snowman
• Blue Christmas Without You
• Joy To The World
• The First Noel
• Majesty
• Christ Is Christmas
• Advent Celebration
• Redeeming Love
• First Treasure of Heaven

SFX:  as indicated in script

Costumes:    Actors  regular winter street clothing. Choir dressed to suit effect of song they are singing.

Props:  large oversized card catalog, sign: Hallmark Card Catalog

Special Instructions:   scrim scenes are easily installed and add an extra dimension to the presentation

  Time:   50

Sample of script:

Three shoppers enter card shop, brush themselves off, shiver, indicating coming in from the cold.

Tracy: Hi, Brenda, Leanne, good to see you! Looking for Christmas cards I suppose?

Brenda: Well, it is the season you know, it’s now or never!
Leanne: Actually I was looking for a card for my mother-in-law.

Tracy: Mother-in-law? (Laughs) Better be really careful! Could be trouble if you don’t choose the very best!

Leanne: Actually, my mother-in-law and I are best friends. And that being the case I do want a nice card for her.

Tracy: I get it, (winks), and you want it to stay that way, right? (Looks at card, looks at back of card).

Leanne: Tracy, I saw you looking on the back of the card! Just like the card commercials on TV! You were looking to see the brand of card, weren’t you?

Tracy: Not too likely! I was looking at the price! Do you just see how much these cards cost? Incredible! Especially when it’s just for the couple of seconds it takes to tear them open, then that’s it, the card ends up in a drawer or in the garbage!

Leanne: In the garbage? I would never put cards from my family in the garbage!

Brenda: Really though, what are you supposed to do? You can’t keep them on the mantle forever.

Leanne: Actually, we have scrapbooks where we keep all our family cards.

Brenda: You know, that’s an excellent idea, we should do that.

Tracy: Not our family, we just chuck them.

Leanne: What’s this? (Picks up catalog, reads) “Hallmark Classic Christmas Collection, the card that brings a song to family and friends”. Isn’t that nice! The card plays music when you open it. Lovely thought!

Tracy: Lovely price! Now just who is going to pay that much for a singing Christmas card? Ridiculous if you ask me! But then, you know what they say! There’s one born every minute!

Leanne: Oh, but look! Listen!

SFX:  behind main stage scrim a scene of snow falling and a family shopping

Leanne opens card, lights down 75% on actors

Song:  choir sings “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”

lights down on center scrim are, up on actors

Leanne: Now wasn’t that nice!

Tracy: Wonder how long the batteries in the card last? Probably dead by the time you get the card home!

Brenda: What else do they have?

Brenda turns the page, actor lights down, up behind scrim

SFX: scene of two snowmen

Song: choir sings “Frosty The Snowman’)

Tracy: That’s all we need! Another reminder of snow and cold weather coming!

Brenda: Well, look, there’s lots more to choose from!

Tracy: Here’s one for me! Stuck alone in the city for the holidays! It sure will be a blue Christmas!

Tracy turns the page, lights down

SFX: lights with blue filter up behind scrim showing Christmas scene

Song:  choir sings “Blue Christmas Without You”

Leanne: I’m sorry, Tracy! Are you sure you can’t get home for Christmas?

Tracy: Not possible! I’ve got to work on Christmas Eve, and again on Boxing Day. No way I can travel 3-1/2 hours each way and still get back in time to open the store for the Boxing Day sale!

Brenda: I don’t see why we need to have stores open on Boxing Day! Surely we can do without stopping for a couple of days and allow everyone to spend some time with their families.

Tracy: No chance! Boxing Day is the busiest day of the year at my store. We simply couldn’t live if we weren’t open on Boxing Day!

Leanne: Well, it just doesn’t seem right! (Sighs) What other cards do they have?