Are there any good Christmas plays?
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Forum Name: Play Suggestions
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Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 5:23am
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Topic: Are there any good Christmas plays?
Posted By: mrlloyd23
Subject: Are there any good Christmas plays?
Date Posted: 11/11/10 at 7:42pm
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I'm not looking for a play that's based on a movie, so no White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story. I don't really want a play based on novel so no Christmas Carol.
So...are there any good Christmas plays written for the stage? I'm thinking about something that would be appropriate for a public high school. So nothing too childish or religious. Anybody have a suggestion? I'd prefer a one act or even a couple of ten mintue plays, but would love to hear about full-length as well.
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Replies:
Posted By: jonplaywright
Date Posted: 11/12/10 at 4:14am
I'd recommend taking a look at several offerings at YouthPLAYS:
http://youthplays.com/plays/view/122 - The Christmas Princess by Arthur M. Jolly is a short full-length (60-80 minutes). A
spoiled princess must find three magical Christmas gifts for her
parents if she is to escape an arranged marriage to the world's
stupidest prince. Lots of clever humor that's fun for adults and teens alike.
On the other end of the spectrum are a pair of ten-minute plays:
http://youthplays.com/plays/view/103 - Midnight Snow Falls Softly by Donna Stuccio
Christmas
Eve, 1971: Amidst the pall cast by the Vietnam war, a pair of young
lovers in a sleepy coal mining town struggle to find hope and common
spiritual ground as they confront news which threatens to alter the
course of their lives.
http://youthplays.com/plays/view/94 - An Old-Fashioned Christmas by Barbara Lindsay
A girl tries to make Christmas for her cynical brother in their elegant, cold New York apartment.
The only Christmas play I have is Twisting Carol, but since that's a crazy send-up of A Christmas Carol and therefore somewhat based on a book, it doesn't sound like it's up your alley. But check out the YouthPLAYS ones.
Cheers,
Jon
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Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights
Resident Playwright, Final Draft
YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences
http://www.youthplays.com - www.youthplays.com
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Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 11/12/10 at 1:02pm
I'm looking at a play right now for next year that I'm very fond of.
It's called "FrUiTCaKeS" by Julian Wiles - Dramatic Publishing.
"Comedy/Drama. Cast: 4m, 4w, 6 boys, 7 girls, extras
Mix together a batch of fruitcakes, three dozen Christmas trees, 10,000 outdoor Christmas lights, a chicken pox epidemic, two southern spinsters, an estranged old man and a Christmas hog named Buster and you've got the recipe for a fun-filled and touching evening filled with holiday cheer. Into this bucolic world comes Jamie, a kid who has run as far away from home as his money would take him. At first he thinks the town's inhabitants are "nuttier than fruitcakes," but soon he comes to admire, appreciate and adore this nutty little town. A moving story of alienation, understanding and reconciliation, "FrUiTCaKeS" provides audiences with a heaping helping of holiday warmth and Christmas cheer."
It's a better story than the blurb indicates. (Who write these blurbs anyway?) Cute "Mayberry-type" characters, an excellent story of "understanding and reconciliation", and a wonderful "smile on your face with a tear in your eye" ending.
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Posted By: MercyTech
Date Posted: 11/13/10 at 1:53pm
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Inspecting Carol. Great Comedy. Needs quite a bit of set building and gags,
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Posted By: Tallsor
Date Posted: 11/15/10 at 11:53am
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Tom Dudzick's Greetings ( http://tomdudzick.com/greetings__32002.htm - http://tomdudzick.com/greetings__32002.htm ) can be a well-done Christmas show that yes, does deal with religion (one of the characters is an athiest Jew), but is a very heartwarming play.
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Posted By: Lazy Bee
Date Posted: 11/16/10 at 6:13am
Short Pieces:-
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?sPa=Behind%20Closed%20Doors - Behind Closed Doors by Iris Winston (about 15 minutes)
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?sPa=Gifts%20 - Gifts by Bob Tucker (10-minute skit based on "The 12 Days of Christmas"
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?sPa=Hi%20Santa - Hi Santa, Remember Me by Trevor Suthers (10 minutes)
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?sPa=Modern%20Santa - Modern Santa by Colin Calvert (10 Minutes)
One-acts:-
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?iSc=505 - A Case of Good Intentions by Peter Stallard
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?iSc=578 - The Little Watch Girl by George Douglas Lee
Full-Length:-
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?iSc=645 - Happy Christmas Shirley by Louise Roche
Some of the above may be unsuitable for reasons of language or themes (you can read them all on-line to find out).
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Stuart
Lazy Bee Scripts
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk - http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk read complete play scripts on-line
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Posted By: donzolidis
Date Posted: 11/16/10 at 10:00am
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For a full-length comedy/drama, have a look at A Tiny Miracle with a Fiberoptic Unicorn. You can read it here online:
http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1426 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1426
And I've got lots of silly Christmas one-act that are done in schools all the time, the newest one is The Trial of Santa (Santa gets dragged onto a Judge Judy type show and is sued for not bringing the right present,)
http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2064 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2064
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www.donzolidis.com
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Posted By: WrenCharlie
Date Posted: 11/16/10 at 11:37pm
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I've seen or directed these; all hits.
"Christmas Belles"
"Sorry! Wrong CHimney!"
"Wooden Snowflakes"
"Twas Another Night Before Christmas"
"Holiday Memories"
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Posted By: LMT Players
Date Posted: 11/23/10 at 9:09am
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Mr. Lloyd,
Early this past spring, our theatre unexpectedly lost a director and his upcoming Christmas show had to be scrubbed, so I wrote a new one to replace it. Sadly, although this new show is now on the roster for next season, I wasn’t able to submit in time for this year.
Meantime, this new show is doing no one any good, just sitting in the can. I’m not particularly interested in money…the show is untested… but it may just be what you’re looking for.
It consists of a rather bittersweet one-act about an unhappy department store Santa (about a half hour’s length I think), and a couple of very silly sketches—one about the Magi getting lost in the Persian desert, and the other about a group of strolling Christmas carolers. Those should run about 20 minutes each, but until I’ve arranged a reading, I won’t know for sure.
If you’re curious, just fire off an email to mailto:smartbabies3@msn.com - and I’ll be happy to send you some excerpts.
Gary
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The whole world acts out a farce, because everyone is afraid to say "I don't know."
-Paraphrased from Isaac Bashevis Singer
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Posted By: VPA1
Date Posted: 11/24/10 at 4:43pm
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BABES IN TOYLAND. I directed the show last year for our CT and we did 12 performances, all sold out. Three pre-solds as well. Musical version, music on cd for ease of use and performances. Pioneer Drama.
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Posted By: ianhornby
Date Posted: 11/26/10 at 3:34am
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Can I offer my play "One Across" for consideration?
This play is set in the days leading up to Christmas, but could be played at any time of the year. David continually annoys wife Emma by suggesting he may be buying her all sorts of unwanted presents - even though her hints have made it plain enough she wants an eternity ring for Christmas. Things are brought to a head when Emma's mother Agnes comes to stay and takes over the cooking. Emma's fury mounts steadily towards the climax of the play at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, when Emma gets her present and David gets a plate of cold baked beans - all over him!
Actors' ages are flexible, provided they are compatible with their relationships.
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I demand a second opinion
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