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Yuletide entertainments

Chapter 18: DIRECTIONS FOR MARCH.
By Ellen M. Willard
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Plays/Films/DramasPoetry

About This Book

The collection assembles recitations, monologues, drills, motion songs, tableaux, exercises, dialogues, and short plays intended for Christmas entertainments, with material adaptable for children and family audiences. Selections vary from playful sketches about gift-giving and holiday excess to wistful reminiscences and pantomime numbers, and include practical staging directions, suggested tunes drawn from familiar airs, and choreography notes emphasizing precise movement. Short musical pieces and grouped drills provide simple, teachable performances suited to schoolrooms, parlor gatherings, and community programs.

CRANBERRY MARCH.

For Sixteen Children, Boys or Girls, or Both.

Costume all of scarlet, the boys in blouse waists, and knickerbockers, the girls’ dresses with long or short sleeves as desired. All wear scarlet stockings and slippers and pointed scarlet caps.

SONG.

Tune: “The Drum-Major of Schneider’s Band.”

When the Christmas time is here with all its cheer and frolic dear,
Then we come to help the fun at merry Christmas time.
Other things may welcome be, but only we can bring such glee,
Nothing else can fill the place of ripe red cranberries
Christmas! Oh, jolly Christmas!
We come to you in Christmas pies.
So fine the stringing,
Our gay beads bringing,
Each child is singing
Of cranberries.
And on the Christmas tree we glow,
In festoons gay we grow.
In every part of Christmas time we share,
We help to drive away all pain and care,
For we grace the glorious Christmas tree,
Pies and tarts we fill right juicily.
Yes, with the Christmas light
We gleam like blossoms bright.
And on the Christmas tree is gay red cranberry
A-shining and a-twining on the tree.

DIRECTIONS FOR MARCH.

1. Enter at left rear in couples—march across rear.

2. Front face—march to front of stage in two rows.

3. Retreat to rear in same order.

4. Left face—march to rear right corner, turn to right, march diagonally to left front corner, in single file, alternating from each row in turn.

5. Turn to left—march across front of stage, changing at the turn to couples.

6. Retreat to rear in same order.

7. March to front of stage.

8. Divide—four couples at each side swing back to sides, the right and left end couples serving as pivots.

9. Both sides march to center—when they meet, halt; mark time vigorously.

10. Retreat to sides.

11. Swing to front.

12. Separate, facing right and left, march in couples to sides, take single file, march to rear, across rear to rear center.

13. As they meet at center each faces front and the lines march down center to front of stage; repeat 12 and 13, then march in couples around the stage.

14. As the couples reach the rear center they march in single file until a ring is formed, and when the end of the stanza is reached all, as suddenly as possible, step into the circle and stoop down in a solid, circular figure, thus forming the “pie.” Remain still until the curtain is drawn.