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61091 TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Rene Gutteridge
GENRE: Comedy
TIME: 5–7 minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 3M, 3F
THEME: Grace; Compassion; Faithfulness; Celebration
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Christmas
SUGGESTED USE: Christmas Service; Youth Service; Family Service
CHARACTERS:
MARVIN and LINDA—married couple
JOEY and STEPHANIE—the children, ages 8 and 16
MARGARET and EARL—Marvin's sister-in-law and brother
SYNOPSIS: Marvin, who simply wants to read the famous Christmas poem about Santa, is assaulted by family members who have their own ideas of what the night before Christmas should be like. In the end, no one quite knows the reason for the season.
PROPS: Eggnog cups, cookies, tray, book
COSTUMES: Casual at-home clothes, possibly holiday attire
SOUND: Six cordless mics
LIGHTING: Natural lighting; Christmas lights and decorations if possible
SETTING: Family living room
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: The Christmas texts; Matthew 20:28
MARVIN walks on stage, holding a book.MARVIN: Gather around, everyone! Hurry up! It's time for the reading of The Night Before Christmas! Come on!
Everyone makes their way in.
STEPHANIE: I can't believe we have to sit and listen to this again. I'm missing the best party of the year, Dad!
LINDA: Honey, this is a family time. It's special. It's very important to your father to have all of us around.
MARVIN: This is so great! We've got the fire going. Packages under the tree. Wasn't the candlelight service great this evening? Why don't we all sing "Silent Night" again…
Everyone mumbles in disgust.
LINDA: Look, I baked some cookies and made some eggnog.
MARGARET: Are the cookies fat free? I'm on a diet, so I can't have anything with fat in it.
EARL: There better not be any funny stuff going on in that eggnog. I'm a religious man, and I'm not about to defile myself the night before Christmas by getting tipsy on eggnog.
LINDA: The eggnog is fine. The cookies are low fat.
EARL and MARGARET mumble. MARGARET grabs a few cookies. LINDA exits.MARVIN: Come on, everyone. Sit down! Snuggle up close!
Everyone sits, but no one is snuggling.
MARVIN: This is great! All of us together in a warm house, reading traditional-
STEPHANIE: Dad, can we just get on with it? I want to get to the party.
MARVIN: Of course, of course. (Chuckles) Okay, everyone listen up. The reading is about to begin. (Clears his throat) "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a-"
LINDA: (Entering) Pumpkin pie anyone? Or I've got fruitcake.
MARVIN: Honey, we've started the story.
LINDA: Oh, I'm sorry. Go right ahead, dear.
MARVIN: "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney—"
MARGARET: Marvin, your fire's about to die out. I better go get another piece of firewood. (Exits)
MARVIN: (Pause, then continuing) "...by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds-"
LINDA: Oh no! I forgot to take the sheets out of the wash! (Exits. MARGARET enters again.)
MARGARET: You've run out of firewood, Marvin. You want me to go chop down a tree or something?
MARVIN: (Trying to stay positive) No, no. Just sit down here and enjoy the story, Margaret. Just relax. (Looking down at his story) Now, where was I? Oh, yes. "While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads."
JOEY: What's a sugarplum, Dad?
MARGARET: It's something with a lot of fat and calories in it, Joey. Stay away from it or you'll have a heart attack by the age of 30.
MARVIN: (Trying to continue) "And Maw in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. (Getting into it again) Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash-"
EARL: When are you getting to Jesus, Marvin?
MARVIN: What?
EARL: When does Jesus come into the story?
MARVIN: He doesn't. This is about Santa.
EARL: (Hateful) It's the night before our dear Savior's birth, Marvin. Don't you think Jesus should be mentioned somewhere in there?
MARVIN: (Confused) Well, uh, this is about Santa and the rein—
EARL: I mean, you got your nativity set up, and we went to the candlelight service, and we sang all the hymns and everything. I was in a real good spiritual mood. But now...now...I've got to hear about SANTA! And another thing. I think this eggnog is spiked!
LINDA: (Re-entering) It's not spiked, Earl. That's cinnamon you're tasting.
MARVIN: Well, Earl, we always end the evening by reading the story of Jesus' birth from Luke. But it's always been tradition to read Twas the Night Before—
MARGARET: Earl, good grief. Just let him finish the stupid story.
MARVIN: "When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer."
EARL: (Hateful) You know! That's the problem with Christmas these days. Everything's about Santa. Santa this and Santa that. Hey, Christmas is about Jesus! JESUS!
MARVIN: Earl, of course it's about Jesus. Jesus is the center of our lives. You know that. But I just like to read this story because my dad used to read it to me, and I like reading it to my kids—
STEPHANIE: Dad, are you ever going to finish? I've got to go.
LINDA: Stephanie, pipe down.
STEPHANIE: Don't tell me what to do!
MARGARET: I'm going to go chop down a tree.
EARL: Is there rum in this cookie?
MARVIN: Stop it! Everyone! Look…look, look, look….just a few more minutes, okay? We'll read this story, and then we'll read the Christmas story out of the Bible, and drink some hot chocolate, and maybe even watch It's a Wonderful Life afterward, okay? Now, where was I? "With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick! More rapid than eagles his courses they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name: Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen (Trying to be lighthearted). On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner—"
MARGARET: It's Donder.
LINDA: No, it's not. It's Donner.
MARGARET: Donder. It's Donder.
MARVIN: It says here it's Donner.
MARGARET: Well, that's a misprint. It's Donder.
STEPHANIE: Let's just call him Frank and move on.
MARGARET: I'm quite certain it's Donder.
LINDA: Donner.
MARVIN: It says Donner right here!
EARL: You wouldn't have this problem if you'd been naming off the wise men.
MARVIN: The wise men don't have names in the Bible.
EARL: Exactly! Look, let's stop this nonsense and get on with the Bible story of Christmas.
LINDA: Earl, your brother wants to read this story. It's his house! Let him do what he wants!
EARL: Fine! Be sacrilegious!
JOEY: Dad? What's sacrilegious?
EARL: It's when you put Santa Claus in front of Jesus at Christmastime.
JOEY: What does he mean, Dad?
MARVIN: Nothing, son. Look, I'm almost finished here…"so up to the housetop the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas, too."
EARL: At least Jesus is real. Santa Claus isn't even real!
Everyone gasps, even EARL after he realizes what he's just said. Everyone stares at JOEY, and then they turn away uncomfortably.
LINDA: (Anxious) I'm going to go make some hot tea. Anyone want hot tea? (Exits)
MARGARET: I'm going to go chop down a tree. (Exits)
STEPHANIE: I'm going to go to the party. (Exits)
EARL: Uh…uh…I'm going to go, uh…pray. It's the night before Christmas. I should be doing something, uh, religious. (Exits)
MARVIN looks down at JOEY, who is simply staring at him.
MARVIN: (Continuing, sadly) "He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack…"
JOEY: Dad, is everything okay?
MARVIN: (Shaking his head) This just isn't turning out as I had hoped it would, that's all. I just wanted a nice, traditional Christmas Eve with the family. Now everyone is upset. I'm sorry about what Earl said about Santa.
JOEY: Well, Santa's a nice guy, Dad. I'm sure he'll forgive Earl for what he said. Dad, what's Christmas about, anyway?
MARVIN: You know, son, I'm not even sure anymore.
Lights fade.
DIRECTING TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS:
We have all been Marvin, desperately trying to get our point across while being constantly interrupted. However, although the piece centers around Marvin and his earnest desire to continue a classic family tradition, each character in the piece is just as adamant about getting his or her needs met as Marvin is. For this piece to work and to be funny, the actors must pursue their objectives as seriously as possible. It can be a temptation for an actor to get caught up in the moment and break character if a congregation laughs or applauds. This practice must be avoided at all costs because it breaks the "fourth wall" between the performers and the congregation, which will take away from the meaning of the piece. Remember, none of the characters thinks that he or she is being funny-they're just living their lives. Actors have to remember this or the performance could tumble into chaos.
Another essential aspect of this piece is timing. This piece will fall flat if actors do not pick up their cues. Once actors have memorized their lines, make sure to do a few "speed-throughs" at the beginning of each rehearsal. Speed-throughs are when actors say their lines as quickly as possible, one right after the other. This is an exercise that can be done before a performance even without a director. The point of the speed-through is to help actors pick up their cues and not allow for any dead air between one line ending and the next one beginning. While people should never be interrupting one another, they should also not be allowing excess pauses to make a piece sluggish or indulgent.
ACTING EXERCISE:
Twas the Night Before Christmas is the story of Marvin trying to read his favorite Christmas tale, but no one will let him. What if the story were about Linda, who needs to have the house look spotless for the holidays? Or Stephanie, who has to get to the best party of the year? As an improvisation, have each actor play the starring role and deliver a monologue as if he or she were the focus of the piece. The other actors, using their dialogue from the piece, should constantly interrupt that character before that person is able to finish what he or she is trying to say. Actors should try to be sensitive to the other actors around them-this is not a shouting match. Actors should listen to one another and work at effectively interrupting and confusing the lead character in an effort to throw off that character's concentration.
The point of this exercise is for actors to see how important their characters' agendas are to them. If actors can keep the emotional intensity of trying to pursue their objectives from this concentration exercise when they perform the piece, think of how active all six characters will be!
STAGING NOTES:
Timing in this sketch also has to do with movement. Your director will need to choreograph all of the characters' movements so that stage action is not distracting. Some people like to do this organically, that is, to have the actors run through the sketch a few times and see what movement comes naturally. If that action doesn't seem distracting, make that your official blocking. Other directors plot out the course of their actors on a piece of paper before rehearsal as if choreographing a dance. Use whichever approach works best for you, but make sure to have an outside party (not the director or other actors) observe a run-through. If your observer thinks that the action is clean and not distracting, you're headed in the right direction. If the observer becomes confused and is not sure what side of the stage to watch, you'll have to go back to the drawing board and rechart your actors' movements.
NOTES from the Pastor:
For as long as I can remember, I have seen the church struggle with the question of how our acceptance of secular culture might undermine our biblical doctrine. From church architecture, to church music, to church holidays, the church attempts to properly handle the tension between remaining biblically sound and being culturally relevant. And as individual Christians grow and mature in their faith, their customs are placed under greater and greater scrutiny-especially at times such as Christmas.Is a Christmas tree—-a benign decoration in our living rooms—befitting a church sanctuary? If Santa Claus is unacceptable in our churches, is he appropriate in our homes? Are these questions hard for us to answer? Is that good? If my beliefs and traditions lead me to certain practices, how do I properly engage my unbelieving brother or my Christian brother whose practices are different?
This sketch can provide an opportunity to discuss ways to respect those who are different while avoiding causing someone to stumble as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
STUDY/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Is there a character from the sketch with whom you most identify? In what way?
2) In what ways do you find your traditions challenged?
3) Discuss both the positive and negative impacts of traditions.
4) As you have matured in your relationship with God, have your Christmas traditions changed? How?
WORSHIP LINKS
Performance Songs
"Heirlooms"
(Family/Love)
As performed by Amy Grant, from the recording
A Christmas Album on A&M Records
Style: Medium waltz"My Heart Belongs to You"
(Adoration)
As performed by Larnelle Harris & Wintley Phipps,
from the recording Saviour on Warner Alliance
Style: Stirring ballad"Christmas Is All in the Heart"
(Family/Love)
As performed by Steven Curtis Chapman,
from the recording The Music of Christmas on Sparrow Recorcds
Style:Choruses
"Jesus, What a Wonder You Are"
(Worship)
By Dave Bolton, Songs For Worship, Volume 5-8
Integrity Music
Style: Slow"Agnus Dei"
(Worship)
As performed by Michael W. Smith, from the recording Worship on
Reunion Records
Style: Slow to buildingHymns
"Silent Night, Holy Night"
(Adoration)
Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber
Style: Slow"The First Noel"
(Jesus Our Savior)
Traditional English Carol
Style: Medium"Go Tell It on the Mountain"
(Jesus Our Saviour)
Afro-American Spiritual/adapt. By John W. Work, Jr.
Style: Upbeat
WORSHIP THEME:
Finding Peace in JesusWORSHIP IDEA:
Since this sketch involves a family, consider having a young child come to the stage at its conclusion and sing a verse of "Silent Night, Holy Night" as a solo. The rest of the congregation can join in for the remaining verses and choruses.
Performance and photocopying rights:
Your purchase of this script grants your church unlimited use of these sketches within your programs and worship services. You may photocopy the script for each cast member in your church. Scripts and performance rights are not transferable between churches and cannot be resold. You may not use the sketches for any commercial or fundraising purpose, and usage rights do not extend to video, radio, television or film.Copyright © 2002 by Rene Gutteridge
