Confusion at the Rehearsal - Conclusion

[Back to Part 2]

The entire cast was standing on stage, jostling for position.

“Okay, places for the Opening Scene, everyone. Places… Places… PLACES!”

The cast stop, turn and face Eric.

“Did you say ‘Coffee break’,” asked Garry. Merril and Fred hold up the thermos and lunch bag.

“NO, I did not,” said Eric, tersely. “I said ‘PLACES.’”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like a real, live llama,” asked the first Wise Man.

“No! Now, one more time, PLACES!”

Just then the stage door opened, and a young man walked in, brushing snow from his shoulders before removing his coat and tossing it on a chair.

“I am SO sorry I am late,” he said.

“LATE?” cried Eric. “I’ll say you’re late. Wait - who are you?”

“I’m Chris, the Narrator,” he said.

“Narrator?” Eric flipped through the script. “Narrator… narrator… Ah! yes, here it is. Narrator. Well, at least you’re here, and we’re JUST getting started… I hope.”

“I’m ready,” said Chris.

“Good. PLACES!”

Once again the cast is jostling each other, trying to find their places and ignoring the Eric’s frantic efforts to impose some sort of order.

“No,” said Garry to the Wise Men, “I think OUR scene comes first.”

The second Wise Man raises an eyebrow and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, he’s sure,” said the third Wise man. “We come in LAST, just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that.”

Meanwhile, the angels are wandering about the stage, looking lost.

“Come on now Angels… this way!” said Angela, leading them to their spot on the left.

Merril and Fred are wandering amongst the cast, placing “sheep.”

“Yo. Sheep.” called Garry. “Yoo-hoo. This-a-way. C’mon now.”

Exasperated, Eric shouts, “PLACES!”

The cast stops their commotion and sits on the floor where they are.

“What is the problem with you people? Don’t you know your parts, yet?” Eric was near to tears with frustration.

The cast silently stared at Eric, shaking their heads.

Angela hesitantly suggested, “Perhaps you could remind us what the plot is, please?”

“Well, of course. It is about… uh, well…, that is to say it… uh… You know what?” Eric looked flustered as he again flipped through the pages of the script. “Uh… I don’t know, either.”

“Perhaps I can help,” offered Chris. “This is a story that took place long ago, in a place called Bethlehem. Some say it was in the winter, and others say it was in the spring. But it really doesn’t matter when. Let’s just say, it happened one night…”

Chris cleared his throat and opened his script, and the cast turned to the first page of their copies.

“And there were in the same country shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks by night.”

The shepherds stood and took their places at stage right.

“And, lo! The Angel of the Lord came upon them…”

Angela stood and took her place in front of the shepherds.

“…and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the Angel said…”

“Fear not,” said Angela, “for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Chris continued, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, singing…”

The rest of the angels stood and gathered around Angela and chanted, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, Peace and Good Will to all Mankind.”

Then the angels walked off into the wings.

“After the Angels had departed, the Shepherds said to one another…”

“Let’s go to Bethlehem,” said Garry, “and see this new-born King.”

Merril and Fred nodded, and the three of them walked across the stage to where the painted manger scene stood.

“They went forth to Bethlehem, and found Mary and Joseph in a stable, and the Babe laying in a manger, and they knelt and gave praise.”

The three shepherds knelt to side of the manger.

“And it came to pass that Wise Men, traveling from the East, came to the stable and presented gifts to Mary and her baby, the Christ Child.”

The first Wise Man stepped forward, placing a gift in front of the manger, saying, “I bring Gold,” then step back.

The second Wise Man presented his gift, saying “I bring Frankincense,” followed by the third Wise Man who said, “I bring Myrrh.”

“And Mary treasured these gifts, and she and Joseph looked in wonder at their young child, amazed that all these people would come to pay him homage.”

The cast was silent, as each reflected on what they had just seen and heard.

“And THAT,” said Chris, “is what this play is all about.”

- The End -

And THAT is what Christmas is all about.

Merry Christmas!