The main character is teenage Amy, who is not getting along with her parents and has slipped into a state of rebellion. Grandma seems to be the only person who can reach out to her. When we next see them on July 4th, Amy is worse, saying that she no longer believes in God, and Grandma is worse, physically. By Thanksgiving, they are having a funeral. Everyone talks about their memories of Grandma, and Amy goes outside to talk to God, and asks Jesus into her heart. The final scene is Christmas again, with Grandpa making adjustments in life, and just before they read the Christmas Story, Amy announces to everyone about her big change and her grandmother’s influence.
Cast of 7 males and 7 females (all adults) one teenage girl and 3 children. Play lasts about an hour. Only one set with very little set changes.
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
AMY: A teenage girl who is not getting along with her parents. She likes to talk to her grandma, and that has had a great influence on her. She prays and asks Jesus to come into her heart after her grandma dies. A real genuine change occurs in her life. She is transformed. The largest part.
GRANDPA: A kind and loving old gentleman, with a good sense of humor and godliness. He’s energetic for his age. He undergoes a change as he loses his mate of many years, and still tries to be the patriarch and godly example.
GRANDMA: She knows that she is going to die before Christmas of next year. She loves all her family, and a hard worker who starts slowing down as her days get shorter. Her heart goes out to Amy and she wants to see Amy get saved.
JIM: He is engaged to Gretchen, in his early to mid 20’s, and is the only one besides Grandma who tries to reach out to Amy.
POLLY: Daughter of Grandpa and Grandma, and wife of Phil. An interesting character to play, in her 50’s, and she has two grown children, Gretchen and Gary.
JEAN: Polly’s older and quieter sister. Mother of Susan and Linda.
LINDA: Oldest daughter of Jean. Wife of Stan and mother of (?) number of children.
GRETCHEN: Polly’s daughter. Close to her brother, Gary. Engaged to marry Jim.
ART: Grandpa and Grandma’s only son. Having difficulty knowing how to talk to his daughter, Amy. Some of his own problems sort of reach the surface.
ALICE: Art’s wife and Amy’s mother. She is reacting to her daughter, and not really helping the situation. Not knowing what to do about Amy.
GARY: Gretchen’s brother and Jim’s best friend. College age, and good natured. Loves his grandparents, and loves being the only grandson.
SUSAN: Linda’s sister and wife of Mark. She and Mark have not been married all that long.
MARK: Susan’s husband.
STAN: Linda’s husband. Fun-loving guy who finds the humor in things. Does fun things with his kids.
PHIL: Polly’s husband. Likes to garden.
EXTRAS: Some kids, and they have a few lines to be assigned.
A scene from the play:
AMY: I wish my parents were more like you, Grandma. I can talk to you. You don’t start in on me all the time.
GRANDMA: Well, that’s because I’m your grandmother, not your mother. But I think I understand a little bit. I went through some similar times when I was kid. There were times when I just didn’t get along with my folks.
AMY: Did you have someone to talk to?
GRANDMA: Not really. I just talked to the Lord a lot. He is always there.
AMY: I dunno, Grandma. Praying just didn’t seem to work for me.
GRANDMA: You need to keep trying. He’ll be there for you. I know He will. He promised that if you seek after Him, you will find Him. Don’t give up on God, because He will never give up on you. If I were you, I wouldn’t be so worried about how your parents don’t like you, or don’t like stuff you like. You have to try to think about it from their point of view. Parents seem to have a certain dream or plan for their children, and when the child doesn’t seem to be going in that direction, they get very frustrated and don’t know how to fix it. You probably don’t feel like you need to be fixed.
AMY: Do YOU think I need to be fixed? Do YOU think I am a problem? That’s how I feel. I feel like I am nothing but a big problem in their lives; this thing that they don’t know what to do with. If they are not complaining about one thing, it’s something else. (Mimicking them) You’re not going to wear that are you? Turn down that garbage! What are you listening to, anyway? You’re going to rot your brain with that noise! Look at yourself; you used to be an attractive girl! Can’t you make better friends?
GRANDMA: It’s not you they don’t like. They are just not happy about your choices in life. Actually, if I heard your music, I probably wouldn’t like it either. I am not real excited about the way you dress, and I may not like your friends all the much. But I like you, Amy. And more importantly, God likes you. In fact, He loves you. He loves you very much, more than any human being ever could. He loves you so much, that He sent His only Son to the earth to die on the cross and take away your sin.
AMY: I know all about that, Grandma. You don’t have to preach to me….believe me; I’ve heard it all before.
GRANDMA: I’m not trying to preach to you, Dear. I just want you to understand.
AMY: Maybe you should try talking to my Mom. She is the one who doesn’t understand anything.
GRANDMA: If I get a chance to. You know, your father and I didn’t always see eye to eye on things. But we survived each other. Sometimes you just have to meet the person half way. The problem is that you keep waiting for them to do their half first, and so no one does anything.
AMY: What are you suggesting Grandma? That I give in and wear the clothes that they want me to wear, and stop listening to my music?
GRANDMA: No. Those things make you who you are…if that is really who you are. You are probably still trying to figure that out. You could try giving them one thing. Say, you won’t listen to your music
at any time when they would hear it. Or you set the radio on a station that you know they like to listen to.
AMY: Oh man! Grandma! Do you know what you are saying?
GRANDMA: No, not really. I guess what I want to tell you is that what is happening between you and your parents, or you and your mother, is nothing new. This has always happened, Amy Sweetie.
Teenagers seem to always go against whatever their parents like, and parents hate the latest sound. When I was a teenager, it was big band!
AMY: Big band, really?
GRANDMA: Yep. I would turn on our family radio and play Glen Miller and Tommy Dorsey and all those bands. My mom would have a fit! She thought it was the devil’s music. The way some of the kids
acted… I think the devil probably was really using it. But you see; it divided the families. Not the music, but the people not knowing how to get along with each other. We just liked it because it was new and different and mostly because it seemed to be our music, and not our parents’. What would you do if your mom suddenly said, “Hey I love that sound! Play it louder!”?
AMY: (Laughs at the thought) I would think she had finally flipped out.
GRANDMA: Don’t you think that the reason you like that music so much, is because it is different from theirs, and you can call it your own? If they liked it too (which probably would not happen) then it
wouldn’t be just yours anymore.
AMY: That’s an interesting theory, Grandma.
GRANDMA: Well, I’ll think about it some more and maybe I’ll be able to come up with something better. But I’ll tell you one thing…I am going to be praying for you every day. I believe God can do wondrous
things in your life.
AMY: I dunno, Grandma. I guess if you want to. (Sounds at the front door)
GRANDPA: (Entering) Here you both are, looking all cozy and warm! Well, you sure missed a good program tonight. (Others are entering behind him)
GRANDMA: As good as last year?
GRANDPA: Well, I don’t rightly recall last year’s. But this one was especially good.
MARK: Stan and Gary were sure enjoying it.
LINDA: That was down right embarrassing! You two were laughing way too loud!
STAN: What!? That was really funny stuff.
LINDA: It wasn’t supposed to be funny. Those kids tried really hard to do that nativity scene right. I thought it was very sweet.
STAN: Well, you thought it was sweet and Gary and I thought it was funny.
GARY: I was just cracking up at your laughing. The more you laughed, the more it made me laugh.
JEAN: That one little shepherd boy was so sweet. Did you see him?
STAN: You could tell he didn’t want to be wearing that costume. I thought he was going to take the whole thing off right there on the stage!
PHIL: Hey, is there any pie left? I feel like eating another piece.
SUSAN: I guess it’s time to raid the kitchen!
GRANDPA: Before we all start stuffing our faces again, I would like us to sit down and read the Christmas story.
ART: Isn’t that what we just heard at church, Pop?
GRANDPA: Well, yes. But that was different. I always like to end Christmas day with a reading of the Luke story. It’s sort of a tradition.
ART: I know…you always do. (Sarcastic) Guess we can’t break a tradition can we?
JEAN: What’s the matter, Art? You got something against Dad’s traditions?
ART: Now, don’t put words in my mouth. You’re going to get me in trouble.
LINDA: Well, let’s not wait too long, because it is about time for some of my kids to go to bed.
ALICE: Well, I’m going to go to bed now. Good night everyone. (She exits)
LINDA: Good night, Aunt Alice. (Others say good night.)
GRANDPA: Let’s all sit down. I’ll read it this year. (Opens bible and reads Luke 2: 1-20)
JEAN: (Breaks the silence) I thought that little kid playing the angel was so cute. She knew her line really well, too.
GARY: Why do they always have a girl play the angel? Angels in the bible are always men!
GRETCHEN: Because the only girl in the story is Mary, and there has to be parts for all those other girls. And little boys don’t want to play angels.
GARY: Well, it ain’t right.
GRANDMA: Before we all adjourn into the kitchen for more pie, I just wanted to say something to everyone.
GRETCHEN: Go ahead, Grandma, we’re listening.
GRANDMA: I have really enjoyed having everyone home for Christmas this year. It has been a wonderful day that I have looked forward to for most of the year. I also really enjoyed having a little chat with Amy tonight, while you were all out. This was a very special Christmas for me. And I just wanted to tell all of you, that next year, I will miss all of you very much, but I am going home for
Christmas. (Everyone is very quiet… a long silent pause) Well, let’s see about that pie… (She exits toward the kitchen… followed by Jean and Polly and Susan) (Several whisper to each other as they walk toward the kitchen)
wesage –
This will be our fourth production of one of your scripts by my church. The first was “Home for Christmas” which really hit home for older adults and the girl who played Amy did a wonderful job with the part and bringing out the message of salvation.
David Fahrner, Faith Bible Chapel, Pine Plains, New York