There are many obstacles to keep this idea from working, but God works everything out and brings the whole family together. A godly old grandmother shares some spiritual things at the end. A good character part for an actress is the main character who is hosting the party. There is some humor mixed in.
A large cast of 12 males and 14 females plus 6 children. All ages. Play lasts about 50-60 mins. Songs may be added between scenes.
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
PAULA: A woman in her mid fifties who is strongly opinionated, speaks her mind, and can be very funny if played with good expression. She has a nice home, and expects everything to be perfect. By far the largest part.
BO: Paula’s nephew, who she knows as Kyle. He is 21, and is a good Christian.
KATIE JO: Bo’s sister. She is 25 and has the idea for the birthday party. Also a good Christian.
KARLEEN: Bo and Katie’s older sister, 28, and a strong Christian.
EARL: A man in his mid fifties, husband of Paula and second son of Grandma Wilson. Feels guilty about neglecting his mother and wants to make up for it.
SHERI: Earl and Paula’s youngest, 20. Good friend of her cousin, Bo.
GRANDMA WILSON: Also known as Mamo, she is turning 80 on Christmas Day. She is a wise and godly woman, who is thrilled with seeing all of her family.
KAREN: About 50, and mother to Bo and the girls. She does not think the party will work, and doesn’t think a lot of the family will attend. She has faithfully had Grandma over for Christmas for years.
ROBERT: Grandma’s second oldest grandchild, 32, and loves to talk about stories from the past. Son of Maynard and Martha.
CHRISTY: 30-32, wife of Robert and mother of 2. A little nervous about being around the relatives.
CAMILLE: 34, wife of Jerry. Money conscious, outgoing and friendly. Mother of 2.
JERRY: 34, oldest son of Maynard and Martha.
BONNIE: Grandma Wilson’s only daughter. She is about 47 and lives across the country. Her and her husband are wealthy, live in a nice home and have two teenage daughters.
MAYNARD: The oldest son of Grandma Wilson, about 58, and a little on the poor side. Sort of a country bumpkin type, friendly and talkative.
MARTHA: Wife of Maynard, in her mid to late 50’s. A country lady, not too refined, with a sweet spirit.
GARY: Earl and Paula’s 27 year old son. Wanted to keep his wife’s pregnancy a secret from the family.
PAUL: Gary’s 30 year old brother.
CAROL: Paul’s wife, mother of twins.
VERN: Grandma’s youngest, about 45. Single, rather eccentric in looks and dress, and thinks no one in the family likes him. He rarely shows up to anything.
HARLAN: 3rd son of Grandma Wilson, about 50 and husband of Karen.
HEATHER: Bonnie’s oldest daughter, 19.
HANNAH: Bonnie’s youngest daughter, 17
BOB: Bonnie’s husband, 47-50.
SUSAN: Gary’s wife, 25-27, 8 ½ months pregnant in first part. She has just given birth a week ago, in the last scene.
DAKOTA: Child of Robert and Christy.
ALEXIS: One of the great-grandchildren
ASHLEY: Child of Jerry and Camille.
DENNIS: Husband of Karleen. One line.
LARRY: Husband of Katie Jo. No lines. Extra
EXTRA CHILDREN: 3 other children with no lines.
STAGING: The main set can be the living room of Earl and Paula, with a Christmas tree and decorations. The other scenes can be brought on with a simple, small table and a different table cloth to show a different house. Phones for several actors, and other props like a paper, letters, food on trays, a cake, baby carriers (3), sleeping bags (8), pillows, etc. Good lighting with spots will make the early scenes with the tables and phones more believable.
Excerpt:
(The stage is back to the living room setting at Earl and Paula’s house. The stage is all dark accept for the Christmas tree lights. Hopefully, this will give enough light to see what is happening on stage and yet give the appearance of being in the dark and night time. Four adults and 4 children enter carrying sleeping bags.)
CAMILLE: I can’t believe they left their back door unlocked!
JERRY: Sshhh. We don’t want to wake up anybody.
CHRISTY: I can’t believe we are doing this! This just isn’t done! Breaking in… in the middle of the night!
JERRY: We aren’t really breaking in. The door was unlocked.
ROBERT: Besides, they’re family.
CHRISTY: They won’t be after this! We will never be invited back!
JERRY: Mom said that they had plenty of room.
CAMILLE: Are you sure your mom and dad are staying here?
CHRISTY: Are you sure we are in the right house?
JERRY: I checked the address. This is it. Besides, that’s Dad and Mom’s camper parked out there.
CHRISTY: What if they don’t have beds for all of us.
ROBERT: That’s why the sleeping bags… so lets get them rolled out on the floor in here and crawl into them. Honey, help the kids get into theirs. (They roll out all the bags)
DAKOTA: Should I take off my clothes?
CHRISTY: No, just sleep in your clothes for tonight. We are all going to do that. Take off your shoes, and your jacket.
DAKOTA: Are we going to say our prayers?
CHRISTY: Honey, it is the middle of the night. We will have to skip that for one night. God understands.
ASHLEY: It’s dark. I can’t see what I’m doing. (They all crawl into their bags)
CAMILLE: Ssshhh. Just try to go to sleep.
CHRISTY: I’ll never get to sleep with those Christmas tree lights on all night.
ROBERT: Do you want me to try to unplug them?
CAMILLE: Do you suppose that they leave them on all night all the time?
JERRY: That would sure make one big electric bill!
CHRISTY: I think they can afford it.
ROBERT: So, do you want me to unplug them or not?
CAMILLE: You better leave them on. It might be too dark for the kids if we unplug it.
DAKOTA: Mom?
CHRISTY: Sshh. Go to sleep.
DAKOTA: I gotta go to the bathroom.
CHRISTY: You do? But honey, we don’t even know where it is?
DAKOTA: But I gotta go just the same.
ROBERT: It’s a pretty big house, I’m sure they have a few of them.
CHRISTY: But we’ll wake up somebody.
JERRY: We came past a closed door when we were sneaking in the back. Maybe it was a bathroom.
CAMILLE: Maybe it was a closet.
CHRISTY: Maybe it was somebody’s bedroom.
JERRY: I’ll bet it was a bathroom. It would be worth checking out. I don’t think there are any bedrooms in that part of the house. If no one has heard us yet, they won’t hear that either.
CHRISTY: Robert. You take him/her.
ROBERT: Let me go check it out first. (He crawls out of his bag and starts to climb over other bags and head back the way they came in. Paula enters from the opposite side and sees the movement.)
PAULA: (She screams and they all scream. The lights come up revealing Earl standing near the edge of the stage as well and Paula in her robe and slippers standing there totally horrified.)
ROBERT: Merry Christmas, Aunt Paula. We sorta let ourselves in.
EARL: That’s fine. I left the backdoor unlocked and the tree lights on just in case.
PAULA: What?
EARL: I’m sorry dear, I forgot to tell you. Maynard said that they might be driving in late, so I thought just in case…
PAULA: You’re sleeping on the floor?
CAMILLE: We didn’t want to wake anybody.
EARL: We have beds for you. Come follow me and I’ll show you where.
DAKOTA: Daddy?
ROBERT: Oh! Could you show us where the nearest bathroom is first?
EARL: Oh, right back there. The way you came in. Everyone else follow me. (They all get out of the bags and follow him as the others head the other way to the bathroom. Paula is left alone with all the sleeping bags on the floor. She sits down in a chair and just stares at the stuff on the floor. Maynard enters in his robe.)
MAYNARD: Oh, Hi Paula. I see everyone made it.
PAULA: Yeah. They made it.
MAYNARD: It seems all the bathrooms are occupied back that way. Do you have another one some place?
PAULA: (Points offstage) I think Robert and Nevada are back there.
MAYNARD: You mean Dakota?
PAULA: I’m sorry; I don’t remember names of states very well in the middle of the night. Yeah, it was Dakota.
DAKOTA: (Entering) Grandpa!! (Runs up and hugs his/her grandpa)
MAYNARD: Hey there, punkin/sport!
ROBERT: (Entering) Dakota, off to bed, now. You can see grandpa in the morning. (Dakota exits)
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