Christmas Is

As they begin to talk and get to know each other, they learn that Sully does not believe in Christmas. They all take turns sharing and trying to convince him that Christmas and Jesus are real. This can be used as a musical and many songs added throughout the play. You have to suspend belief a bit with the songs and with the fact that Sully’s heart can be changed so quickly and easily.

11 speaking parts. (3 males, 6 females, 2 children) Runs 17-20 mins without songs.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:
SULLY: (Speaks 556 words) A hardened, rich man who doesn’t believe in Christmas.
ROSE: (Speaks 399 words) Young girl with terminal cancer traveling alone.
DENISE: (Speaks 341 words) Outspoken and friendly woman (almost annoyingly so)
JACK: (Speaks 338 words) Strong Christian and grandfather type.
BRIDGET: (Speaks 218 words) Missionary missing her family.
LOUISE: (Speaks 189 words) Christian woman traveling with her daughter.
ANITA: (Speaks 180 words) The airport hostess/flight attendant
GRADY: (Speaks 150 words) Traveling musician
MARTHA: (Speaks 137 words) Jack’s wife, friendly grandmother type.
CYNDI: (Speaks 120 words) Louise’s daughter.
ESTHER: (Speaks 57 words) Jewish Christian woman.
SLEEPY PERSON: No lines, but used as a comic relief. Falling asleep and doing funny things to bring humor. Perhaps eating something or other things that you might think of. A good time to add the funny bits would be if you are doing songs and between the ending of the song and the dialog starting up again, something happens in that transition. You don’t want to distract from the story or songs themselves with comedy bits. In the introduction part, the person is asleep so no one wakes them to learn their name.

The set looks like an airport waiting area or lounge.

The hostess/flight attendant stands behind a podium or desk/counter of some kind with a mic for making announcements. The seats all face toward the audience or only slightly angled. The front of the stage is a large invisible window to the outdoors and weather.

A clip from later in the script:

JACK
So, it looks like we might have lots of time to discuss the meaning of Christmas with our friend Scully.
DENISE
It’s Sully.
SULLY
Oh, please… you don’t want to do that.
JACK
I imagine you have questions.
SULLY
Not really. Look… I went to church as a kid and I’ve heard all the stories. I know what you all believe. It just doesn’t mean anything to me, anymore.
JACK
Just because you went to church, it doesn’t mean that you understood the truth and took it into your heart. Christmas is so much more than just the birth of a baby in a manger. God sent his Son to earth in the form of a baby, to become a man and die for the sins of everyone. It was God’s plan from the very beginning. It’s a mystery. I will admit that it is not always easy to comprehend it.

Sully was really listening and taking it in.

ROSE
Mister?
SULLY
Yeah?
ROSE
Wanna know what I want the most this Christmas?
SULLY
Not really.
ROSE
I think I’m going to tell you anyway.
SULLY
Lucky me. (Pause) Look kid, you’re a cute kid and I don’t want to hurt your feelings…
ROSE
You won’t hurt my feelings.
SULLY
What’s your name, kid?
ROSE
Rose. My parents named me Rose because I was born on Christmas Day. They called me their Christmas Rose.
SULLY
So your birthday is on Christmas Day?
ROSE
Yeah… isn’t that great?
SULLY
Uh… no. I can’t imagine worse luck than that for a birthday. Poor kid.
ROSE
I like sharing my birthday with Jesus.
SULLY
You know of course that the date of his birth is just made up, right? I mean, no one knows the date that a man was born over 2000 years ago. The Christians wanted a reason to celebrate the Winter Solstice or something like that, so they decided they would make it the birth of Jesus Christ. It was all set up a long time ago. I may not believe much, but I believe that to be true.
ROSE
Whatever. I don’t care about that. Now, can I tell you what I want most for Christmas?
SULLY
To get home… that should be your answer.
ROSE
Well, of course I want that. After all, it will be the last Christmas that I spend with my family.

Everyone responds almost simultaneously

SULLY
What are you talking about?
GRADY
Are you serious?
LOUISE
What do you mean?
ROSE
The doctors say that I won’t last even six months. I have terminal cancer. That’s why I am traveling. I went to see my grandparents.

Everyone is stunned. No one knows what to say.

SULLY
You wouldn’t joke about something like that…
ROSE
It’s true. But I am totally at peace with it. Because I know that I am going to be with Jesus. And the thing I want the most for Christmas this year…. Is for you to believe.
SULLY
What? Why would you say that?
ROSE
I know you’ve got this grumpy man thing going on… and you act like you’re a lost cause, but I see something in you. I see a sad, lonely man who just needs to know that someone loves him.
SULLY
Don’t tell me that’s you, because you don’t know me, kid.
ROSE
No… it’s Jesus. The man whose birth we celebrate. He loves you and He wants you to know that.
SULLY
And what… He told you that?
ROSE
In a way. He tells me every day. It’s all in His Word. He proved His love for you and me by dying on the cross in our place. Christmas was just the beginning. God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son and whoever believes in Him will not die but have everlasting life.
SULLY
You’re amazing. You don’t fear death, do you?
ROSE
No. Because of God’s promise. Because I believe. I don’t know God’s reasons for taking me now… but He surely has some good ones. So what if my life was shorter than most. Maybe He just wanted me to meet you.
SULLY
You suppose that’s true? You know, I’ve been anti-Christmas for a long time. Deep down inside, I think I was always hoping someone would come along and convince me that I was wrong. I never thought it would be a little girl.
ROSE
So, it worked? You believe in Christmas now? I mean, the real Christmas… Jesus’ birth and everything?
SULLY
Yeah… I think I do.
JACK
And a child shall lead them!
CYNDI
Way to go, Rose! I think God was really leading you!
SULLY
But I have to do more than just say I believe, don’t I?
JACK
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
SULLY
It’s that heart thing again. You know how hard mine is. A heart of stone… right, Denise?
DENISE
Well…