A musical by Andie Browne and Anne Davies. Duration: 60 minutes. 10 principals. Provision for a variety of choruses.

Written to suit performers from middle primary to early secondary.

Rock, gospel, blues, swing, soul, ballad, calypso, rap & even country & western styles feature in this unique Nativity, as the members of a modern day family gather for Christmas dinner, & each tells a part of the Christmas story in their own way.

ROYALTY PAYMENTS: Purchase price includes royalties for internal performances within schools.
Detailed description

SYNOPSIS

MUM is preparing Christmas dinner, but the oven has gone out and the turkey isn’t done, the salads are getting warm, the gravy’s getting cold, the pudding’s too thin and, to top it off, there are lumps in the custard. A disaster of a Christmas lunch and the family all starving. MUM wonders if Christmas is more trouble than it’s worth.

EMILY and SIMON feel bad for her. She tells them not to be too concerned, because Christmas is always worth the effort. But, she reminds them, it’s about more than just presents and too much eating and drinking. It’s also about the greatest story ever told.

UNCLE PETER wanders into the kitchen and hears them all talking about the first Christmas. They ask how it all started and UNCLE says that it began with the announcement to Mary that she was to be the Mother of Christ.

GABRIEL and a chorus of ANGELS enter and sing a soul-styled I Bring Good News, exiting after the song.

AUNTIE CASSIE (a keen aerobics/ fitness fan) enters from her morning jog and continues the story, telling them that Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth with the news. A chorus of BIBLICAL FOLK (including MARY, ELIZABETH, JOSEPH & DONKEY) enter and sing the disco-styled And Mary Said, while dancing The Nutbush. They Exit.

GRANNY now takes up the story, telling the kids about the trip to Bethlehem. A chorus of TRAVELLERS appears and sings the reflective We Are All Travellers.

DAD imagines that the INNKEEPER might have been a bit like Elvis (his hero). The INNKEEPER and FAMILY & GUESTS enter and sing to MARY, JOSEPH & DONKEY, a rock ‘n’ roll No Room Here.

Older brother MATT, a reggae fan, arrives with his friend MARTY, a rap fan. MARTY is unable to have Christmas dinner with his parents, who are stranded in the country with a broken-down car and are unable to find plane or train tickets. He is welcomed in to the family. MATT tells the next part of the story. A chorus of STABLE ANIMALS perform the calypso/reggae flavoured Show Us the Way.

MARTY continues the story and a chorus of SHEPHERDS perform the SHEPHERD’S RAP.

Older sister KIMBERLY (country & western fan), who has been practising her guitar, enters the kitchen. She picks up the story where the three Wise Men come in. The family reluctantly agree to hear her sing a C & W song about the star. A chorus of BIBLICAL COUNTRY & WESTERN CHARACTERS enter and join her in The Guiding Star.

Finally, lunch is ready and all sing Come and See.

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