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mary051756
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bullet Topic: Christmas play - not too religious
    Posted: 9/08/08 at 3:41pm
I am looking for a Christmas related play to do that does not focus too much on God or Christ. 
 
I really liked the Pat Cook play Scrooge has Left the Building, but it's only 25 minutes long, and I need to do at least a 60 minute one act - while I'd prefer a two act. 
 
I'm thinking no musicals because I don't have a band lined up for this starter program.
 
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 
Thanks...Mary
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON
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SherrieAnne
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bullet Posted: 9/08/08 at 5:15pm
THe Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
There's a little bit of diva in all of us. Some just have a larger helping than others.
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Lazy Bee
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bullet Posted: 9/09/08 at 8:55am
Take a look at Charles Dickens' Christmas Eve by Wendy Feller.  It's a two act play (though really structured as two one-acts with a linking theme) with a run-time of around one hour and 40 minutes.
The first act focuses on Christmas at Bracebridge Hall, adapted from material by Washington Irving, Jane Austen and Wilkie Collins. The second act is an adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
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DWolfman
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bullet Posted: 9/09/08 at 3:04pm

I also agree "Scrooge has left the Building" is a superb bit of comedy (some of the biggest laughs we got were for the offstage voices!).  When I directed it a few years ago, it was used as the act after intermission while for the first part we did

TheChristmasCorral by Dramatic Publishing.
 
A two act you might want to consider is
 
DearSanta by Canadian playwright Norm Foster, which is quickly becoming  a yuletide mainstay.
 
 
 
Hoping you have happy holidays,
 
-DW-
Even a man who is pure of heart...
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pdavis69
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bullet Posted: 9/10/08 at 7:29am
If comedy Dickens is more your bag, I can not recommend this enough:
 
A Dickens' Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty in Two Tumul
[6932]
 $6.50 

Mark Landon Smith

Full Length, Comedy

4 m., 3 f.

Simple sets.

From the author of Faith County and Faith County II comes the funniest Christmas Carol ever. The Styckes Upon Thump Repertory Company embarks on their fifteenth annual tour of the Dickens classic. When the company's diva feigns illness, certain the production will be canceled, this merry troupe of over the hill and upstart actors carry on without her. Roles are shuffled and the sweet understudy suddenly finds herself on stage knowing only one line of dialogue. She has written her part in and on almost everything, including the Christmas pudding! Midway through the doomed performance, the diva rushes in to reclaim her role. Total mayhem ensues as the company scrambles to keep the show going while everything goes hilariously wrong.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
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theatremonkey
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bullet Posted: 4/07/09 at 12:08am
A Christmas Story or Dear Santa
theatre monkey
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SpenceKenzer
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bullet Posted: 4/08/09 at 5:22pm
Ethan Claymore by Norm Foster.
It's a charming romantic comedy set at Christmas.
Picture Its' A Wonderful Life meets A Christmas Carol.
It's written by the same author as Dear Santa.
--------------------<*>
Saludos, my dahlinks, and you know who you are ... !
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WrenCharlie
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bullet Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:10pm
"Christmas Belles" by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten.  It is a sequel to a new community theatre hit, "Dearly Beloved." The show sold extremely well.
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Goforbroke
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bullet Posted: 4/24/09 at 1:42am
I wrote a play for our theater company this past Christmas.  It did very well for us and the word of mouth in the community after the first weekend helped us have two sold out performances the second weekend.  It is based on a little girl's letter to the New York Sun newspaper that resulted in the timeless response "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus".  It is fairly easy to stage, the cast size is flexible and includes adults and children of all ages.  It also has an original song for the children to sing.  Everyone seemed to leave with a warm, fuzzy feeling.  E-mail me at myfacets@sbcglobal.net if you would like additional info.
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Tallsor
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bullet Posted: 4/24/09 at 3:20pm
Depends on how you want to go with it, really. If you want satire, Christopher Durang's "Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge" is a hilarous send-up of "A Christmas Carol".
 
If you want something a bit more serious, "Greetings!", by Tom Dudzick, does touch on Christianity (it's a Catholic home, and the son is bringing home his athiest Jewish girlfriend - and there is a miracle in the end), but it's not 'in your face' religious - and is quite touching (I know - I've directed it Smile).
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