December is upon us, and our Christmas tree is up! Today I'm going to a meeting where I will be able to make some crafts for Christmas presents, and final practices for the Christmas play are fast approaching. It is such an exciting time of year!
One of my favourite Christmas sayings is "Keep Christ in Christmas". I prefer that to "Happy Holidays" by a long shot! Do you have a favourite Christmas saying?
I have a story that I am currently writing for this blog, but it is (alas!) not Christmas themed, so I believe that I will save it for the New Year, when I will be doing my play writing posts. That way I will be able to have a story going, but not have to put a ton of time into it during the moments when I should be writing several plays for a camp I attend in the spring.
Today I will give you some excerpts from my Christmas play this year, "More Blest to Give". This is the Christmas play that I wrote this year.
Firstly, an introduction to the characters!
Jim O'Brien-a self-conscious member of Riverside Baptist Church who takes over for Pastor Peters (who is hurt in a car accident)
Kristen Anderson (my part!)-"creative", crazy teenager who writes the revised Christmas play for Riverside Baptist Church
Ambrosia Kellen-teenager who does not want to be involved in anything that might include work; member of Riverside Baptist Church (funniest character in the play!!!)
Mrs. K. N. Speedle and Crocus Walker are gossips, and are quite entertaining. Nancy and Robert help fill in the extra lines, and then their is a huge cast of children for the little Sunday School program in the church.
Here is part of the first scene. Let's head to Riverside and join in the fun!
Jim: (to no one in particular) Where's Pastor Peters? He's half an hour late for practice!
Mrs. Speedle: (gossipy) Well, hopefully he had an idea for this Christmas program. With the Johnsons moving away at this most critical time of year, its all on him now.
Crocus: (also gossipy) Yes. I can't believe that Sheila Johnson couldn't convince that husband of hers-what's his name, Mrs. K.N. Speedle?
Mrs. Speedle: Hosea, Crocus.
Crocus: I can't believe Sheila couldn't convince Hosea to leave the church at some more convenient time. After all, she directs the play each year and plays the piano for the church. And that Hodiah guy leads the choir. And their daughter-what's their daughter's name, Mrs. K.N. Speedle?
Mrs. Speedle: Louisa, Crocus.
Crocus: Yes, and Louisa had the main part of the play this year-she is a good actor, though slightly dramatic at times. And Holemo had to move away with the whole load of 'em for no real reason at all.
Jim: (overhearing ) Actually, Hosea Johnson had to move away because of his job. The company moved him, and he had no choice.
Mrs. Speedle: We still think that it was such an inconvenience to the rest of us, James.
Crocus: Yes, we certainly do.
Ambrosia: (curling her hair with a finger; dramatically) Has anyone thought about me yet? Waiting is so laborious! Anyway, at least Louisa's off the scene. Maybe I'll get the lead part this year-Miss Ambrosia Kellen, lead star of Riverside Baptist Church. Sounds good. I certainly look like a star, and I can sing beautifully. (begins singing "The First Noel" off tune; Kristen plugs her ears; others wince and make faces)
Mrs. Speedle: (stage whisper to Crocus) Talking about overdramatic...
Ambrosia: (stops singing) But my life verse is "See the lily of the field-it toils not, neither doth it spin...". I love being a lily. Hopefully being a star isn't any work.
I just love Ambrosia! Thankfully, we were able to get a wonderful actress to fill the part of Ambrosia! She is such a comic with the part! In fact, let's head to scene four and find Ambrosia having a conversation with Kristen, whom you, so far, have not met!
in Scene Four:
Kristen: (with note pad; to Ambrosia) Are you wanting to still be in the Christmas program, Ambrosia?
Ambrosia: Certainly! I'm just dying to be the main actress of the Christmas play this year. You're writing a new program, right, Kris?
Kristen: The name's Kristen, not Kris.
Ambrosia: Well, you can rely on me to be involved. You see, I've been involved in six different drama clubs, and have taken three years of voice training. (..............)
I have to go now, but I will be back again soon!
Merry Christmas, and God bless you!
Indi