Monday, December 23, 2019

Not Your Typical Christmas Play

I'm sure everyone has been to their children's or grandchildren's Christmas plays, whether at school or at church.  Not having kids or grands, I have not, although I remember them clearly from MY past.  There was nothing worse than getting up there and trying to remember all the words.

I may have mentioned before that our church met at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in town.  Boy that dates me!!  Before long, enough money had been accumulated to buy a large piece of property and begin building.

My dad was one of the major builders of the Methodist church.  Us kids just got in the way by crawling through all the underground pipes, getting stuck and requiring extraction.  Talk about getting in trouble!  I STILL remember THAT spanking and the ensuing claustrophobia that has never left me.

My acting career ended quickly after completely forgetting my ONE line in the church play.  "I just got my hair dyed ... what do you think?"  The ladies at the table finally said the line for me.  It was stage fright at it's best.

So when I was invited to this Christmas play with all the kids, I had to go and cheer them on.  They began with a couple of Christmas songs before beginning the story of an adoption.  Gosh ... that's different, just like they said it would be.

In between each of eight scenes, they all jumped up on stage and sang at least two songs.  Let me tell you they sang at the top of their lungs and screamed those accent words so loud the lady in the audience next to me jumped!!
So here's the story.  Brad was sent from an orphanage to stay with the Baileys over Christmas.  He hated everyone and everything.  Mr. Bailey wanted to adopt him.  Mrs. Bailey didn't really want FIVE kids to raise, but having been adopted herself, she finally relented.  There was a big snowball fight and LOTS more singing before they all lived happily ever after.

In case you were wondering, the two little boys at the right didn't sing a word, but they got up there every single time and stood in line until the break when they sat down.  Too darn cute!!  We clapped between every act of the play and after every song.  You should have seen the smiles on the kids.  Amazingly, they didn't forget not one single line, unlike me!!

Afterwards, they made up a reception line and every person attending shook hands with every single budding actor and actress.  Honestly, I don't know how they remembered their lines, let along the words to the twelve songs they sang, only three of which were ones you often hear.

Miss Stephanie (the pastor's wife) on the far right did an amazing job, even if she was pulling her hair out by the handful the day before.  Just in case you were wondering, the quick five minute sermon after was about how we were all adopted by Jesus.

So there you have it ... the best children's play I've been to.  There was even milk and cookies for everyone.  I'm still smiling thinking about all the songs those kids sang and how well they performed.

By the way, the Pastor and his wife have five kids of their own, several born in the Ukraine where you have to take all your own bedding, medicines and care items with you when you deliver your baby.  They have nothing in their hospital but a metal bed.  Interesting, yeah??







15 comments:

  1. Aah that does bring back memories. I was pretty good at remembering my lines but I had stage fright. All gung ho until I got up there. It only worsened as I got older and focused on the audience. I do remember being Suzie Snowflake though and loved every bit of the beautiful costume. LOL

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    1. ha ha, maybe that's where my love of clothes began?

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    2. Too funny! I tried to pretend there WAS no audience!

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  2. Honestly brought tears to my eyes! Especially the point of the pastor's sermon..that we've all been adopted..What a wonderful, sweet part of Christmas. :)

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    1. It really had a good message and the kids had a ball!!!

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  3. It is amazing how the little ones can remember their lines. Probably from all thee rehearsals.
    Nice seeing something different that has a special meaning.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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    1. They had been working on it for two months ... and they have young brains! LOL

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  4. What a bunch of cute kids. I have always enjoyed every single Children's Christmas play at church and school and we have attended lots of them over the years. They send out such pure joy with their singing and lines it is heartwarming to watch each of them.

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    1. That's exactly how I felt as I watched them belt out those songs. At the end, they were all VERY proud!!

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  5. Just can't imagine you now having words to say..... (lol)

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    1. Isn't that funny? Course I'm not standing in front of an audience either!

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  6. This sounds like so much fun. Children are our hope for mankind.

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    1. With kids like those, we've got a good chance!! I couldn't believe how well behaved they were!!!

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