Manger Mania. Script. Summary. Characters. Scene 1. Song #1 Friendly Beast (2:32) 2/3 Room with audience while kids play instruments

Transcription

1 Manger Mania A musical by Raymond J. Lombardi (with adaptation by Susie Hostetler, Abby McCune, and Christina Johnson) (Note: a royalty is required for this script. For conditions, see details at the foot of the script.) Summary This is the story of Christmas told in a unique fashion! This is the story of Christmas as told through the perspective of each of the pieces of the nativity. It's a Christmas party like you've never seen before! Characters Script 6 puppet Speakers Mary & Joseph (Human) Innkeeper (Human) 4 puppet animals (2 sheep, cow, hen) 2 Human Shepherd 3 Human Wise Men 6 puppeteers need to get in place before song starts and get ready. Pastor Don welcomes audience Little Kids come on stage and starts us off with a song Song #1 Friendly Beast (2:32) 2/3 Room with audience while kids play instruments Scene 1 (Scene 1: "Manger Mania" Six puppets pop up on stage from inside the Inn- not in the doorway thoughand face the audience. The recording will start off with intro music and then the speaking parts will begin.) Speaker 3: "Good Evening!" Speaker 4: "And Merry Christmas!" Speaker 1: "We re glad you re here." (Puppet 2 looks at puppet one for a couple of seconds, then asks: ) Speaker 2: "Why?"

2 Speaker 5: "Why?" Why it s because of our Manger story." Speaker 6: "Manger story? Is that why there is a barn looking thing over there?" Speaker 5: "Yes! Speaker 3: The manager story is a story that everyone needs to hear." (Puppet 2, pointing to the audience) Speaker 2: "Even them?" Speaker 5: "Especially them! This is a story that will change their lives! We can t let them leave here until they ve heard it!" Speaker 2: "Why?" (Puppet 4, looking at puppet 2) Speaker 4: "You sure ask a lot of questions!" Speaker 5: "No, that s OK, it s good to ask questions. I ll tell you why they need to hear this story. It s because it s a story of hope, and joy, and especially God s love. It s a story that never grows old. It s a story about miracles and babies, shepherds and sheep, and wise men with cool gifts and funny-looking transportation." Speaker 6: "Tonight we bring you this story entitled Manger Mania. Sit back, listen, and we hope you enjoy the show. Just remember, no one leaves here tonight without knowing the real story of Christmas. (Mary and Joseph appear and begin to walk "in place" toward Bethlehem.) Speaker 3: "Hey, look at that! Speaker 1: "Who is it?" Speaker 2: "It s Mary and Joseph!" Speaker 4: "Mary and Joseph?!" Speaker 6: "Mary and Joseph?! Speaker 1: "Where are they going?" Speaker 3: "She looks tired!" Speaker 5: "That s because she s going to have a baby"

3 Speaker 4: "A Baby?" Speaker 5: "Yes, of course, the baby Jesus." (Mary and Joseph appear to be stopping at the Inn door and pretend to knock...) Speaker 4: "Why are they stopping at that door?" Speaker 5: "That s the Inn where they want to stay." (The Innkeeper appears and shakes his head "no.) Speaker 2: "How come the innkeeper didn t let Mary and Joseph in? Speaker 5: "It s been so busy lately. Ever since the census began the Inn has been filled up with travelers." Speaker 3: "Yes, but doesn t he know about the baby? Doesn t he know that Mary is about to give birth to the son of God?" Speaker 5: "I m afraid not..." (The Innkeeper looks like he is thinking for a moment and then points the couple to the stable (nativity)... Mary and Joseph look at each other, shrug and reluctantly turn to go toward the stable.) Speaker 1: "Hey look! I think the innkeeper s found a room for them!" Speaker 3: "I wouldn t exactly call it a room..." Speaker 2: "He s sending them to that stable..." Speaker 5: "If he only knew..." Speaker 3: "If he only knew what?" Speaker 5: "I was just thinking, if he only knew what was going to happen there in his stable, he would ve given Mary and Joseph the king s suite! Speaker 6: "You ve got to be kidding! I m sure Mary and Joseph don t want to sleep around those smelly barn animals!" Speaker 5: "That s true, but just think how honored those animals are... they re going to be in the same place where baby Jesus is going to be born!" I wonder what they re thinking." (The 6 puppeteers will move puppets slowly down while transition music plays. While kids sing song change to 6 new puppeteers VERY QUIETLY!)

4 Song #2 Away in a Manger (2:22) K-2 Scene Two (Once the song is over Shilly the Sheep, Shoney the Sheep, Cahly the Cow, and Haly the Hen pop up on stage while intro music is being played. They begin to discuss their new neighbors...) (Mary and Joseph put Baby Jesus in manger.) Shilly: "Hey, get a load of this! Look at our new neighbors!" Shoney: "But they re humans" Cahly: "Oh yuk, the smell!" Shoney: Why can t they find a place of their own! Shilly: "She can t put him there... no... NO... NO! Not in my food! Why did she have to put it on my food! That s my food! Shoney, are you looking at this?!!! Shoney: "Now, Shilly, try not to get upset... Cahly: I hope she doesn t expect me to feed Him! Haly: "Do you not know who this is! Are you not aware that this is not just any human family! That little one over there is the one who made us. He is our creator. Shilly: Haly, you ve been clucking too hard lately! The little one was just born a few minutes ago! Haly: Yes, but born as a human. As God He has always been, and always will be. Stop and sniff the air for a moment.. (Everyone sniffs around) Haly: It s the air of a king. That little baby is the king of all creation. And he has chosen to come here, to our little stable beside the inn, to be born as a man. (Puppets pop down while transition music is playing; change to speaker puppets and add two more puppeteers who are SILENT during the song waiting to speak again. Kids will come up on stage and sing/sign song then go off stage again.) Song #3 Sing for Joy (4/5 room) without speaker changes (The 6 puppets return to center stage while transition music plays.)

5 Speaker 1: "Who are these guys with the big sticks?" Speaker 2: They are shepherds?" Speaker 6: "The shepherds were the first people to hear about the savior being born." Speaker 4: "Oh yeah? Who told them?" Speaker 5: "The angels." Speaker 3: "Can you imagine? If you ve never seen an angel how would you know what they look like? Do you think the shepherds were scared?" Speaker 2: "I know I D be shaking in my boots! Speaker 5: The Bible tells us that the shepherds saw them in the foothills where they were tending their sheep. The angels were praising God and singing about the birth of Jesus. (Two human shepherds begin to walk across the stage).. Speaker 1: Hey, gentlemen! Can you come over here?" Shepherd 1: "Are you talking to us?" Speaker 5: "Yes sir, we need to talk to you!" Speaker 3: "Were you there when the angels came with the good news of Jesus birth?" (The shepherds reluctantly comes a little closer... ) Shepherd 2: "Yes, we were." Speaker 5: "So you can tell us what it was like." Shepherd 1: I can tell you this; I never shook so much in my whole life. Speaker 3: "Boy, I bet everyone must have been shocked to see the angels in the sky that night!" Speaker 5: "Well, that s not the only thing in the night sky that would have surprised them." (Two shepherds slowly walk toward the nativity.) Speaker 4: "What do you mean?" Speaker 6: "Yeah, what are you talking about?"

6 Speaker 2: "I know! I know! He s talking about the star." Speaker 1: "The star?" Speaker 2: "Yes, the star over the manger." Speaker 6: "Big deal... there must of been hundreds of stars out that night!" Speaker 2: "Yes, but not like this one. This star was special." Speaker 5: "He s (or she s) right. This star was special. It was a star that shone brighter in the sky than any other star. This star would lead men from far away to leave their homes and travel to Bethlehem. (Puppets will move down slowly while transition music plays. During the song, new puppeteers change places VERY QUIETLY.) Song #4- We Three Kings (2:29) K-6 (During transition music two shepherds kneel or sit by the nativity with Mary- who is holding baby Jesus now-, and Joseph. Puppets will slowly come up while three wise kings with gifts begin to walk toward the nativity and when arrive will kneel before baby Jesus and present their gifts.) Speaker 2: "Hey, who are they?" Speaker 3: "You mean those three guys?" Speaker 2: "Yeah!" Speaker 5: "They re the ones that came to see baby Jesus." Speaker 1: "They look mysterious." Speaker 3: "They look fierce!" Speaker 4: "They look determined!" Speaker 5: "That s because they re on a mission from God. They ve come to see baby Jesus and worship him." Speaker 3: "So what s their story?" Speaker 1: "What s the deal? Speaker 4: "What are we talking about!!!?"

7 Speaker 6: "The three wise men followed the star to Bethlehem. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves; they were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! When they saw the child in Mary s arms they were overcome, they kneeled and worshipped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11 MSG) Speaker 3: "What a story!" Speaker 4: "What a celebration!" Speaker 6: This calls for a party!" Speaker 3: "A manger party!" Speaker 1: "It will be awesome!" Speaker 2: "It will be fantastic!" Speaker 3: "It will be as noisy as Jerusalem s market!" Speaker 4: "It will be more fun than two camels at a watering hole! (Everyone looks at puppet 4 and shake their heads as if he were from Mars.) Speaker 6: "Anyway, let s celebrate the birth of Christ. Speaker 5: "That s right, we must celebrate! For the birthday of Christ is the greatest story on earth! It is a story that can be told over and over again, and it will never lose its meaning, or excitement or hope. It s a story that will be told for all eternity - how JESUS came to this earth to save sinners like you and me. If you want to know that your sins are forgiven and that you are bound for heaven, you must believe in the manger story. If you already have, then you re ready to join the Manger party! We ll see you at the MANGER! (Puppets come down while transition music plays and ALL kids come up on stage to sing the last song together!) Song #5 Joy To The World (1:23) ALL KIDS Pastor Don closes the service by thanking the audience and reinforcing the need for Christ. (5 min.) Copyright Raymond J Lombardi. All rights reserved. A Royalty is payable for use of this script. Sheet music and backing CD's are available from the Author. To pay Royalties and obtain copies of the music, visit the Author's Website at for details.