For Seventeen or More Characters.
This can be carried out with children entirely or with part adults.
CHARACTERS.
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Boys.
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Girls.
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| Santa Claus, the King. | |
No stage setting required except throne for the King.
GREETING SONG.
Tune: “A-Roving.”
(New Year enters, bows to children. They curtsey to him. He sings.)
Tune: “Kingdom Comin’.”
(New Year steps to one side. Valentine enters, salutes the children first, then the audience.)
Tune: “She’s Gone; Let Her Go.”
(Valentine retires. Saint Patrick enters, salutes, and sings.)
Tune: “Mush, Mush.”
(Saint Patrick retires, Easter enters, salutes, etc.)
Tune: “Upidee.”
(April Fool dances in, sings joyously, attitudinizing.)
(Music, but no singing. April prances and dances, Children wave hands in time, others move heads in time. At close April bows himself back into a place with the other holidays. May and June enter.)
Tune: “Noah’s Ark.”
(May and June retire, July enters, keeping time with a slight tap of his drum until he reaches his place, and very lightly through the first verse, then louder at the chorus.)
Tune: “Rumsty Ho!”
(Children join. July marches, taps drum, all keep time, softly patting hands, strike hands at second syllable of “Hurrah, hurrah!” and again at last syllable of hip—a—yi and July.)
(July retires, Vacation Twins enter.)
Tune: “McSorley’s Twins.”
(Hallowe’en hurries in.)
Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
(Stage whisper.)
(Quicker.)
(Slower, with earnestness, marks signs in the air.)
(Slower.)
(Very slow and soft.)
(Repeat, with hands over ears, then a third time very softly.)
CHORUS.
(Remove hands from ears, reach out both hands to Hallowe’en.)
to hear such a call as that,
(Softer.)
(Silence, all listen with hand at ear, count ten slowly, then loudly.)
(Thanksgiving sings behind scenes, all start, listen, and as she enters, as indicated, all smile and Children take hold of hands.)
Tune: “Auld Lang Syne.”
(Second verse repeated by all. Raise faces and fold hands during the last lines. Thanksgiving retires.)
(Santa Claus, behind scenes.)
Tune: “Oh, Dem Golden Slippers.”
(Enters. As he sings Children show various degrees of delight.)
(Winks, nods, shows full stockings and bundles in his pack.)
(Clap hands at “merry” wherever it comes in the chorus, surround Santa Claus, taking his hands, etc.)
(Repeat chorus, they all surround Santa Claus, taking him with them as they march around the stage, half the children on either side. If necessary, sing the chorus a second time to prolong the march. They end by leading Santa Claus to the throne and placing him upon it, and as the children sing the next verse they crown him. The holidays stand half on either side.)
(Holidays join.)
CURTAIN.
DIRECTIONS.
As they sing each holiday comes forward in turn and offers Santa Claus an emblem, which he hands to the children, and which they fasten—with pins or otherwise—to the high back of the throne, or to the curtain behind him, except the basket of flowers which May brings, and the roses from June. The basket is placed at his feet, and the wreath on the arm of the chair which forms his throne. The horn of plenty is also placed at his feet.
Each makes a low bow as he presents his offering.
New Year offers a large card.
St. Valentine a huge valentine.
St. Patrick a big green shamrock, cut from green cardboard.
Easter a stalk of lilies.
April his cap and bells which he takes off for the purpose.
May-day her basket.
June her wreath of roses.
July a flag.
Vacation Twins a tennis racket and a butterfly net.
Hallowe’en a witch riding on a broom, cut from black cardboard.
Thanksgiving a horn of plenty, full of grain and fruit.
Each bows, gives offering and retires to place.
DIRECTIONS.
No stage setting is absolutely needful for this little play except the throne for the king, but if there can be a small platform on either side of the throne large enough to accommodate the children, or those personating them, having the holidays on the level, it will give a better effect. The throne can be merely a large upholstered chair, or it may be draped and surrounded with curtains and a canopy overhead.
COSTUMES.
New Year should be quite a small boy (if children take the parts) in full dress suit. This is not difficult to make and may be of cambric. If an adult takes the part, the costume may be the same, or the traditional figure of Father Time may be followed.
Saint Valentine—Shakesperian costume, tights, trunks, cloak, etc. Carries a mandolin.
Saint Patrick—Knee breeches and long frock coat of gray, battered “plug” hat, green vest and stockings, low shoes with buckles.
Easter—Long white dress with gold cord and tassel around the waist, gold band around the head, hair hanging loosely. Carries a stalk of lilies.
Fig. 1.
April Fool—Jester’s suit (can be of cambric), black tights and trunks, jacket reaching half way to knees and belted in, bottom of jacket, and the wide collar cut in long points and trimmed with orange, with tiny bells on points. Hood close fitting to head (see Fig. 1), with three curved horns turning forward. These horns are stuffed with hair. The collar is fastened to the hood, not to the jacket.
May and June—Two little girls. White or light dresses trimmed with flowers, wreaths on head. May’s flowers are delicate spring flowers, those of June are roses, and she carries a wreath of them.
Fourth of July—Boy with drum hung before him, firecrackers around his neck, carries a flag over his shoulder, drumstick in right hand.
Vacation Twins—Sailor or khaki suits; one carries a butterfly net, the other a tennis racket.
Hallowe’en—Long black gown, white cloth over the head, hanging evenly all around the shoulders, places cut for eyes. Carries witch riding on broom cut from black cardboard.
Thanksgiving—Puritan costume; or it may be brown, flowing robe trimmed with autumn leaves. Carries a horn of plenty, full of grain (in the grass form) and fruit. This with either costume.
Santa Claus—The traditional dress.