A Musical Christmas Carol. Nick Turner and Troy Schuh. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

Transcription

1 A Musical Christmas Carol By Nick Turner and Troy Schuh "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens 2000

2 ACT I SCENE 1 - ENOUGH SONG - ENOUGH WINI Marley was dead: to begin with. Marley was dead, cold and pale. To begin with Marley was dead. Marley was dead as a door- nail. (Spoken) This must be distinctly understood or nothing wonderful will come of the story you re about to see. MISS TALLY Scrooge knew that he was dead? Of course. But he had no time for tears. MISS PENNYWORTH Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course. They were partners for years. ALL THREE Marley s name stayed above the office door. Though we all knew that Marley was no more. Scrooge and Marley. Scrooge and Marley. Above the office door. CHARWOMAN And business is business and it must be done. MISS ABLE Families to feed. Food on the shelf. MISS CAIN Ebenezer Scrooge bravely carried on. ALL THREE Though he labored for no one but himself. ENSEMBLE Business is business and it must be done (x3). When is enough enough? When will he stop collecting? They say that I m cold and gruff. Maybe I m just reflecting. Reflecting. In a thousand coins in a thousand piles. A thousand days and a thousand smiles. That I m saving. That I m saving. ENSEMBLE Thousands of coins in thousands of piles. Thousands of days filled with thousands of smiles. That he s saving. That he s saving. For Ebenezer Scrooge.

3 CONTINUED: 2. MR. TANNER. MR. TANNER Good day, Mister Scrooge. I m afraid I don t have rent this month. The holidays, you know. I suspected as much. If I can t have my rent, Mr. Tanner, I must have something. MR. TANNER Well, I don t have anything of value, Mister Scrooge. This door. MR. TANNER The door, sir? This will cover your payment. MR. TANNER But, it s my front door, Mister Scrooge. (TWO MEN remove the door.) You have no need of it, Tanner. You stand in the open doorway most of the day, anyway. I m merely removing an obstruction to your activity. MR. TANNER It s winter, Mister Scrooge. A little fresh air never hurt anyone. ENSEMBLE When is enough, enough? When will he stop collecting? They say that I m old and tough. Maybe, I m just protecting. Protecting. A thousand coins in a thousand piles. A thousand days and a thousand smiles. That I m saving. And engraving. With Ebenezer Scrooge. ENSEMBLE When is enough, enough? When is enough, enough?

4 CONTINUED: 3. SNITCHER Oh, but he was a tight fisted, hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Enough! SCENE 2 - GOD BLESS NARRATOR #1 Once upon a time. Of all the good days of the year, on Christmas eve, old Scrooge sat busy in his counting house, counting. It was cold, bleak, biting weather. Mister Scrooge, sir, it seems my fire has gone out. Pardon me, Mister Cratchit, you said, you wish to discuss the ending of your employment with me? No, sir. I was just getting back to work. Good. Work is good. Burning expensive coal is not. Yes, sir. enters. S nephew. A Merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you! Bah. Humbug. Christmas a humbug, Uncle? You don t mean that, I m sure. I do. "Merry Christmas"? What reason do you have to be merry? You re poor enough. What right do you have to be gloomy? You re rich enough.

5 CONTINUED: 4. Bah. Humbug. Don t be cross, Uncle. What else can I be when I live in such a world of fools as this? "Merry Christmas"? Out upon "Merry Christmas". If I could work my will every idiot who goes around with "Merry Christmas" on his lips would be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. Uncle! Nephew! Keep Christmas in your way and let me keep it in mine. "Keep it". But, you don t keep it. Let me leave it alone, then. (BEAT.) Much good it has ever done you. There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, Christmas among the rest. I have always thought of Christmas-time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time and I say God bless it. GOD BLESS CHRISTMAS - AND BOB A smile on the street and a kindness known. The way that you greet and the good will shown. A nick on the wall marks a fondness grown. That voice down the hall means you re not alone. A solitary snowflake melting on my chin and I m happier and richer than I ve ever been. It s a good time. A lovely time. A fun time for all of us. It s done me good and will do me good and I say God bless Christmas. I say God bless Christmas. Humbug!

6 CONTINUED: 5. Uncle. You ve said that before. A bug that hums. I hope it s a happy tune. Very funny, sir. Like you said a humming bug. Let me hear another sound from you and you ll keep Christmas unemployed. (Carefully growing to robust.) It s a good time. A lovely time. A fun time for all of us. It s done me good and will do me good and I say God bless Christmas. I say God bless Christmas. A friend from the past and a fond farewell. Sweet friendships that last past the last church bell. A smile on the street and a kindness known. The way that you greet and the goodwill shown. A solitary snowflake melting on my chin and I m happier and richer than I ve ever been. BOTH It s a good time. A lovely time. A fun time for all of us. It s done me good and will do me good so I say God bless Christmas. I say God bless Christmas. SONG ENDS There s another fool. Small salary and a wife and a family, talking about a "Merry Christmas". Humbug. Don t be angry, Uncle. Please, dine with us tomorrow. I ll not dine with you tomorrow or any day. But, why? Why? Why did you get married? Because I fell in love.

7 CONTINUED: 6. Hah! That s as ridiculous as Christmas. Good afternoon. I want nothing from you. I ask nothing of you. Why can t we be friends? Good afternoon. (He places a small gift on S desk during.) I am sorry to find you so resolute. But, I have made the trial in honor of Christmas and I will keep my humor to the last. So, Merry Christmas, Uncle. Good afternoon. And a Happy New Year. Good afternoon! How s your family, Bob? Excited for Christmas? Oh, yes sir. Very excited. Give them my fondest holiday wishes. I will, sir, thank you. Merry Christmas, Bob. Merry Christmas, sir. Bah. leaves, letting in two very earnest young ladies collecting for the poor. MISS TALLY (To BOB.) Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?

8 CONTINUED: 7. MISS PENNYWORTH Mr. Scrooge? MISS TALLY Mr. Marley? BOB realizes there s no daunting them and defeated gestures to. CHARITY WORKERS fly to his desk like angels. To. HE ignores them. To. HE ignores them. MISS PENNYWORTH (To TALLY.) Mr. Scrooge? ignores them. MISS TALLY (To PENNYWORTH.) Mr. Marley. MISS PENNYWORTH Mr. Scrooge. MISS TALLY Mr. Marley! ignores them. More convinced. ignores them. (Finally at his limit.) Mr. Marley... has been dead these seven years. He died seven years ago, this very night. MISS PENNYWORTH (Recovering.) We have no doubt his generosity is well represented by his surviving partner. MISS TALLY (Very impressed with he partner.) At this festive time of the year, Mr. Scrooge, it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the holiday season. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of everyday common comforts, sir.

9 CONTINUED: 8. Are there no prisons? MISS TALLY Plenty of prisons. And the Poor Houses? Are they still in operation? MISS PENNYWORTH Both very busy, sir. Oh, I am very glad to hear it. MISS PENNYWORTH (Only a little confused.) Under the impression that prisons and poor houses scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind and body, a few of us are trying to raise a fund to buy the poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, above all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put down as your contribution, sir? Nothing. MISS TALLY (BEAT.) You wish to be anonymous? I wish to be left alone. I don t make merry myself at Christmas, and I can t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the prisons and poor houses, they cost enough, and those who are badly off must go there. MISS TALLY Many can t go there. Many would rather die. Then they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. (BEAT.) Besides, I don t know anything about them. MISS PENNYWORTH But, you might care to know them. It s not my business. (BEAT.) Good afternoon.

10 CONTINUED: 9. They are devastated. PENNYWORTH is motionless in dismay. TALLY comes back for her and takes her hand. BOB stops them at the door and gives them a poor coin but it is enough for them to recover. They hug him. As they leave, DANCING JACK and LITTLE JILL slip in past BOB. JACK Good afternoon, me fine gentlemen, and a lovely afternoon it is for nice bit o oliday cheer. LITTLE JILL ere s one of our fav-rite carols. We ope you enjoy it. And enjoy it enough to see fit to be generous with your appreciation. SONG - HOLIDAY CHEER BOTH God rest ye merry gentlemen! May nothing you dismay! Remember Christ the savior, Was born on Christmas day. JILL holds out a hat and jiggles it. With a roar, charges. THEY flee in terror. Time passes. hums a little and gets a glare. The hour for closing arrives. You ll want all day tomorrow, I suppose? Well, Christmas Day, Sir. If quite convenient, Sir. It s not convenient and it s not fair. If I was to stop half-a-crown for it, you d think yourself ill used. And yet, you don t think me ill-used, when I pay a day s wages for no work? It is only once a year... A poor excuse for picking a man s pocket every twenty-fifth of December. (He finishes his dressing.) Be here all the earlier the next morning. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. grumbles out. dances.

11 10. SCENE 3 - MELANCHOLY/ASK ME OUTSIDE. It s gloomy and foggy. Child wraiths are mere shadows. SONG - MELANCHOLY WRAITH #1 Shadows softly keening. What s that chilling feeling? Churning and turning your warm blood cold? WRAITH #2 Shadows cruelly clinging. Mem ries cruelly bringing. Enduring and burning as you grow old. ALL WRAITHS On a melancholy street. Fate and folly meet. They pass like whispers in the night. On a melancholy street. Fate and sorrow meet. They pass like strangers to the light. WRAITH #3 Darkness does come cheaply, though it s sometimes creepy. Scoffing often you are all alone. WRAITH #4 Darkness comes so freely. Be honest. Does it really? Encasing, racing beats your heart of stone. ALL WRAITHS On a melancholy street. Fate and folly meet. They pass like whispers in the night. On a melancholy street. Fate and sorrow meet. They pass like strangers to the light. NARRATOR #2 Scrooge lived in chambers that had once belonged to his deceased melancholy partner. They were gloomy rooms in a building up a dank, dark courtyard. It was old enough now dreary enough, for nobody lived in it but Scrooge. MARLEY GHOST DOOR sequence. (The FACE emerges.) Marley? Bah! Humbug! (He exits.) In the gloom, we see JACK and LITTLE JILL sitting, huddled against the cold. BOB enters whistling and sees them. He squats next to them and sings-

12 CONTINUED: 11. BOB/JACK/JILL God rest ye... BOB helps them to their feet and takes them home. NARRATOR #3 To say that Scrooge was not startled by Marley s face coming out of the door would be untrue. Who wouldn t be? But, Scrooge was not one to be frightened by echoes and shadows. Through the dark house he went not caring a button for that. Darkness is cheap and Scrooge liked it! Bah. Humbug! enters. HE hears unusual sounds. MARLEY RETURNS SOUND sequence. It s humbug still! I won t believe it! Who are you? MARLEY S GHOST appears in the chair. terrified, pulls off the sheet. MARLEY S GHOST Ask me who I was. Who were you then? MARLEY S GHOST In life, I was your partner, Jacob Marley. Jacob? MARLEY S GHOST You don t believe in me. I don t. MARLEY S GHOST Why do you doubt your senses? I doubt my senses because a little thing affects them. A slight stomach-ache makes them cheats. You may be an (MORE)

13 CONTINUED: 12. (cont d) undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There s more gravy than grave about you, whatever you are. MARLEY S GHOST Gravy? You see this toothpick? MARLEY S GHOST I do. Well, I have but to swallow this, and for the rest of my days be persecuted by a legion of goblins, all of my own creation. Humbug, I say, humbug! MARLEY S JAW sequence. Mercy, dreadful apparition! Why do you trouble me? MARLEY S GHOST Man of the worldly mind! Do you believe in me or not? I have always been a firm believer in "Ask me no questions, I ll tell you no lies." MARLEY wails. I do. I must! But, why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they come to me? SONG - ASK ME MARLEY S GHOST Ask me who I am, again. Ask me where I ve been. During all these long, long years. Ask me how I stand at hand. Ask me while you can. Ask me why you quake with fear. Is Marley standing here in chains? Weighed down with death s dreadful pains. Can you believe your eyes? Ask me and I ll tell you no lies. (He shakes his chains in despair.) Ask me who s my friend in the end. Ask me where they send a man s cold earthly remains. Ask me did I care if you dare. Ask me if you ll share all my latest richly gains.

14 CONTINUED: 13. Jacob, I was always your friend. MARLEY S GHOST There were two things I could count on with you, Ebenezer. We d make money and you d try to take it all. Jacob! MARLEY S GHOST Ask me where I go, you ll know. If only I could show how I spend these endless days. Ask me where I rest. You jest. Say I had it best. In my cold and moldy grave. Is Marley standing here in chains. Weighed down with death s dreadful pains. Can you believe your eyes? Ask me and I ll tell you no lies. MARLEY S GHOST Let me ask you a question, Ebenezer. Ah, ah, ah. "Ask me no questions, I ll tell you..." All right. MARLEY S GHOST What did you do today to better mankind? Did you give anyone a helping hand? Did you say a kind word? Did you bring a breath of fresh air to someone s life? Well, in a manner of speaking... MARLEY S GHOST Whom do you call friend, Ebenezer? Who will hold your hand in the end? I ve always thought of you as my friend, Jacob. MARLEY S GHOST Me? I m dead. And mine would be a cold hand indeed to hold in those last moments. Besides, I never really liked you later in life, Ebenezer. Oh. MARLEY S GHOST Is Marley standing here in chains. Weighed down with death s dreadful pains. Can you believe your eyes? Ask me and I ll tell you no lies.

15 CONTINUED: 14. END OF SONG MARLEY S GHOST I am here to warn you, Ebenezer, that you yet have a chance and hope of escaping my fate. You were always kind to me, Jacob. MARLEY S GHOST You will be haunted by Three Spirits. That s my chance? I think I d rather not, Jacob. I m not a selfish person. One spirit s enough for me! MARLEY S GHOST Expect the first tomorrow, when the bell tolls one. The first? Couldn t I take them all at once, and get it over with, Jacob? MARLEY S GHOST Expect the second on the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. (He gathers his chains.) Look to see me no more. And look that you remember what has passed between us. Bah. Humbug. MARLEY S GHOST sits back into his chair and stares. covers him. The chair returns to normal. almost dares to touch where MARLEY was sitting. He returns to his chair. Unholy howl. SCENE 4 - S CHAMBERS BLACK OUT In the dark, we hear soft SNORES. A church BELL chimes. snorts awake. The First Spirit is supposed to visit at the stroke of... (DING DONG) a quarter past. (DING DONG) half past... (DING DONG) quarter to it. (DING DONG) Hah! The hour itself and nothing to it. (DONG.)

16 CONTINUED: 15. APPEARS. Who and what are you? I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. Long past? Your past. What is your business with me, Spirit? Your well being. My well being would be better served by a good night s sleep! Your reclamation, then. You ve been lost, Ebenezer. Watch out! A door bursts open and children rush in. These are but shadows of the things that have been. They cannot see or hear us. It s Betty Bragg. Delilah. Sally Dance and Little Hermia. SALLY DANCE I m getting a silver whistle for Christmas. My father says I earned it! DELILAH Silver, Sally Dance? I m getting a gold one! BETTY BRAGG Well, My father says I m a young lady now and I can drink rum punch and stay up all night. HERMIA Oh, really Betty? Rum punch? And I suppose smoke a New Year s pipe, as well? I ll join you. A pipe and a carriage ride with the queen.

17 CONTINUED: 16. All the children laugh. BETTY BRAGG (Holding up her fist.) Here, Hermia. Put this in your pipe! BETTY chases her as the other children follow. You know these laughing children, Ebenezer. Do you know this quiet one? This small boy who holds in his own laughter so tight they turn into lumps of coal? Do you know this day, Ebenezer Scrooge? I do. My first day at Boarding School. I didn t know if I would ever go home, again. You were frightened? Yes. Your father left you all alone? He thought he was doing the best thing for me. The children sweep through again, swirling around a shy Ebenezer. LITTLE MARLEY walks boldly up to him and sticks out his hand. LITTLE JACOB Hello, there. Welcome to Wellington Academy. I m Jacob Marley. LITTLE EBENEZER Hello. I m Ebenezer Scrooge. LITTLE JACOB (Laughs.) Ebenezer Scrooge?... (He laughs heartily. He sees isn t joking.) Very nice name. The CHILDREN have gathered and notice them. MOLLY Jacob s made a a new friend! Get em!

18 CONTINUED: 17. LITTLE JACOB Run! They all run off. We hear shouts and laughter. "This way, Ebenezer!" Your first friend? Marley. My first and only true friend, though I m starting to question that a little. (He looks at the SPIRIT.) But, being so far from home wasn t as bad when Jacob was around. Every year, at the holidays, he invited me to go home and visit his family. And every year you said "no". LITTLE JACOB (Explaining.) Hanukkah. Never mind. My whole families coming to get me. Father, mother, uncles, aunts. We get to ride on a sled to the train. I m sure there s room. I can show you my whistle collection. LITTLE EBENEZER I really can t. My father may come to get me. LITTLE JACOB All right. But come with me to meet them. They re all very nice (stops) except my sister. (Walks. Stops.) Watch your shins. SCHOOL CHILDREN return. SONG - THREE SHIPS SCHOOL CHILDREN I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day. I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day in the morning. And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day, And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day in the morning. Our Saviour Christ and his lady On Christmas day, on Christmas day, Our Saviour Christ and his lady, On Christmas day in the morning. The CHILDREN leave for break. JACOB and EBENEZER remain.

19 CONTINUED: 18. What is it, Ebenezer? Hm? Nothing. I was thinking of some children I saw today. I should of liked to have given them something. But, you didn t. And they will never come to your door again. LITTLE BELLE Ahem! LITTLE BELLE Jacob. LITTLE BELLE walks briskly up to them. JACOB turns to her. LITTLE JACOB Ebenezer Scrooge, my sister Isabel... Belle. LITTLE BELLE Belle! LITTLE JACOB Belle! (Mocking her.) LITTLE EBENEZER (He reaches out to shake hands.) How do you do, Isabel. I m Ebenezer Scrooge. LITTLE JACOB She likes you. LITTLE BELLE looks at him then quickly kicks him in the shin. She turns and strides out. LITTLE EBENEZER (Rubbing his shin.) Likes me!? LITTLE JACOB I did tell to watch out for your shins. They exit.

20 CONTINUED: 19. I like her! You would. That s not the last time she kicked me in the shins. That s why I like her. And maybe she should you kicked you even more. (BEAT.) And so you stayed at school alone for Christmas. Again. I liked being alone. For one thing, it s not so loud. Hmph. (Beat.) The Marley s invited you to their home every year. Did you ever say "yes", Ebenezer? Yes. SCENE 5 - GOOD AND ALL The three friends are now young adults. YOUNG JACOB Well, Christmas break, again. YOUNG Hanukkah break. YOUNG JACOB I suppose there s no reason to ask if you would spend the holidays with us? YOUNG Maybe this year my father...no. YOUNG BELLE What do you do here all alone, Ebenezer? YOUNG (He shrugs.) I walk. I read. And I m not always alone. I have tons of friends, Ali Baba and forty thieves. King Arthur and all the knight s of the round table. They re not as funny as you, or as pretty but... YOUNG JACOB Why, thank you! I am pretty.

21 CONTINUED: 20. YOUNG BELLE Come home with us, Ebenezer. YOUNG JACOB Come with us. Mother has promised we would even decorate a tree just for you. YOUNG I pity the poor tree. It never hurt anyone and now look at it. Foolishness. YOUNG BELLE No tree then, Ebenezer. Please don t spend the holiday alone. Come home with us. I d... We d really like you to. YOUNG (BEAT.) Yes. Yes, I will. I d really like that. LITTLE FAN Ebenezer! LITTLE FAN appears. YOUNG Fan? Little Fan! LITTLE FAN Dear, dear brother. I have come to bring you home. YOUNG Home, Little Fan? LITTLE FAN Yes! Home, for good and all home, forever and ever. Father he sent me in a coach to bring you home. You re never to come back here, but first, we re to be together all the Christmas long, and have the merriest time in the world. FOR GOOD AND ALL LITTLE FAN Every year I ve told Father Christmas how you ve missed us. Every year I said how I missed you. What I wouldn t do to bring you home and that s not all. You s stay home for good and all. We ll be together, Christmas-time. Now and forever Christmas-time. Sister and brother Christmas -time. One after another Christmas-time. (MORE)

22 CONTINUED: 21. LITTLE FAN (cont d) Every year I ve prayed Father test us. Will you bless us? Every year I spoke out loud and clear this is the year to bring you home. And that s not all. That you d stay home for good and all. We ll be together, Christmas-time. Now and forever Christmas-time. Sister and brother Christmas -time. One after another Christmas-time. Now and forever. Sister and brother. Always together. One after another. Whatever I do, I ll never leave you. For good and all. For good and all. Every year I ve told Father Christmas how I missed you. LITTLE FAN Every year how I ve always missed you. What I wouldn t do to come on home. And that s not all. That I d stay home for good and all. ALL We ll be together, Christmas-time. Now and forever, Christmas-time. Sister and brother, Christmastime. One after another, Christmastime. LITTLE FAN Whatever I do, I ll never leave you for good and all. For good and all. LITTLE FAN takes YOUNG by the hand and off. They wave. But, Little Fan did leave you. Yes. Always a delicate creature, whom a breath might have withered. But, she had a large heart. So she had. She had. She also had, I think, children?

23 CONTINUED: 22. One child. Yes. True. Your nephew, Fred. Yes. And did you see your sweet friends Jacob and Isabel, again? Belle... and you know I did, Spirit. Yes, I do. Don t I. YOUNG returns with JACOB and DAN WILKINS. They are now apprentices for FEZZIWIG. They work at their desks anticipating the time. They check their watches and MARLEY opens the door at the exact moment FEZZIWIG is there. FEZZIWIG Yo ho, my boys! No more work to-night. Ah! Christmas Eve, Dan Wilkins. Christmas Eve, Ebenezer! Hanukkah, Young Marley. Marley? (He turns and he s behind him.) Let s have the shutters up, floor cleared before a man can say (Scrooge opens the middle door and out goes Fezziwig.) Jack Robinson! In the street off stage. Merry Christmas, Camden Town! It s time. It s time! Time for Fezziwig s Holiday Party! Everyone is welcome. Everyone invited! One of the lads opens the next door for him. FEZZIWIG Hilli-ho! Clear away, my lads, and let s have lots of room here! Hilli-ho, Dan! Chirrup, Ebenezer! Topsy turvy, Jacob. Out the door. All three go to a door. FEZZIWIG Room cleared. Jacob. Ebenezer. Dan. What have I forgotten? Mrs. Fezziwig! (She enters.) And daughters. One. Two. Three. Four. Five... Six?! Now, we re ready. Looks at his watch.

24 CONTINUED: 23. FEZZIWIG Three, two, one! (Nothing.) Oh, my. Is no one coming? All invited and no one here? On Christmas Eve? MRS. FEZZIWIG Oh, Fezzy. You didn t wind your watch, again. Boys! JACOB Three. EBENEZER Two. DAN One! Surging build of people. Doors! People burst through. Music! DAN WILKINS Hilli ho, boys. Hilli ho! SONG - JACK ROBINSON YOUNG JACOB Our esteemed employer has invited half the district, including every beggar he could lay hands on. YOUNG Old Fezziwig. He ll never learn and he ll never be the worse for it. Is it so easy to make silly folk so full of gratitude? YOUNG JACOB Did you bring the mistletoe? DAN WILKINS holds mistletoe over his head and puckers up. They scuffle and sees BELLE. Fezziwig has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money. Is that enough that he deserves such praise? It isn t that. It isn t money. He had the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our work light or heavy; a pleasure or a toil. As quick as you can say "Jack Robinson"?

25 CONTINUED: 24. His power lies in words and looks. The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it costs a fortune... What is it, Scrooge? I should like to be able to say a word or two to Bob Cratchit just now. That s all. Too late for that. Always, too late. Come. My time grows short. Quickly. The stage is cleared leaving YOUNG AND BELLE. SCENE 6 - CHANGE YOUNG BELLE It matters little, Ebenezer. To you, very little. Another love has replaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, I have no right to be sad. YOUNG What love has replaced you? YOUNG BELLE A love of money. YOUNG Isn t this is the way of the world. Hates poverty, condemns wealth. Never enough and then too much. YOUNG BELLE You fear the world too much. I have seen your noble passions disappear one by one, until one passion, wealth, engrosses you. Have I not? YOUNG What then? Even if I have grown so much wiser, what then? I have not changed towards you! YOUNG BELLE Our marriage contract is an old one. It was made when were both poor and content to be so, until, in good time, we could improve our life with patient work. You are changed. When it was made, you were a different man.

26 CONTINUED: 25. YOUNG Belle, I was a boy. YOUNG BELLE Your own feelings show that you are not the same. I am. I can release you from the contract. YOUNG Have I ever wanted release? YOUNG BELLE In words, no. Never. YOUNG In what, then? YOUNG BELLE In a changed nature. In everything that made my love of any worth or value in your sight. If this arrangement had never been between us, tell me, would you seek me out and try to win me now? No. YOUNG You think so little of me? YOUNG BELLE I would gladly think otherwise, if I could. Heaven knows. Can I really believe that you would choose a poor, penniless girl to be your wife? Even one who was your friend for so long? (She waits but he has no answer.) May you be happy in the life you have chosen, Ebenezer Scrooge. I hope it s enough. SHE leaves. YOUNG has an impulse to follow and then steels himself and leaves. BELLE returns to disappointment. SONG - CHANGE YOUNG BELLE I know you said you hadn t changed. At least to me. That this has happened seems rather strange. At least to me. You made your choice, Ebenezer. You made your choice very clear. I heard your voice, Ebenezer. What I heard is what I feared, Ebenezer. Time did what it s supposed to do, I know it s true. Time did what it s expected to and so did you. You made your choice, Ebenezer. You made your choice very clear. I heard your voice, Ebenezer. What I heard is what I feared, Ebenezer.

27 CONTINUED: 26. Caring more is a change. Loving more is a change. It seems time has arranged some changes. You made your choice, Ebenezer. You made your choice very clear. I heard your voice, Ebenezer. What I heard is what I feared, Ebenezer. May you be happy in the life you have chosen. Ebenezer. SHE leaves. Spirit. Enough. Show me no more of the past. Please. No more. I can see no more...no more. SCENE 7 - PASS IT ON Darkness. A clock chimes. The SECOND SPIRIT appears. SECOND SPIRIT Come! Come, man. Come and know me better, man. I am the Ghost of Christmas Present. Look upon me. You have never seen the like of me before? Never. SECOND SPIRIT Have never walked with my older brothers and sisters in all these passing years? I am afraid I have not. Do you have many brothers and sisters, Spirit? SECOND SPIRIT More than eighteen hundred. A tremendous family to provide for, Spirit. She laughs and even smiles. Spirit, take me where you will. Last night, I learnt a lesson which is working now. Tonight, if you have ought to teach me... SECOND SPIRIT Ring this bell. (He does weakly.) Put some life into it!

28 CONTINUED: 27. Scrooge rings the bell with gusto. The street fills with people. The SPIRIT moves among them. Is there a peculiar flavor in what you sprinkle from your horn. SECOND SPIRIT There is. My own. Would it apply to any kind of dinner this day? SECOND SPIRIT To any kindly given. To a poor one most. Why to a poor one most? SECOND SPIRIT Because it needs it most. SONG - PASS IT ON SECOND SPIRIT If you have something sweet that you re saving. Something to eat. Something sweet to say. This is the day to pass it on. If you have something nice that you re saving. Let s be concise. Something nice to say. This is the day to pass it on. It s not too late. Don t hesitate. A passing glance and a second chance. A helping hand as often as you can. So pass it on. If you have something kind you ve been saving for just the right time. Something kind to say. This is the day. To pass it on. It s not too late. Don t hesitate. A passing glance and a second chance. A helping hand as often as you can. So just pass it on. What you say and what you do has a way of reflecting on you. What will they remember? A cold day in December. Someone kind or someone good who did more than they should and passed it on. ALL PASS IT ON SINGERS If you have something good you ve been saving. Much as you could. Something good to give. To really live you pass it on. As often as you can. Just pass it on.

29 28. SCENE 8 - THE CRATCHIT HOME AT RISE: MRS. CRATCHIT places the tablecloth. CHILDREN run in. EVE Mama, mama, we smelled the goose outside the baker s, mama. OLIVE It has to be our goose, mama. LITTLE EM It s our goose, mama! EVE It smelled scrumptious with sage... OLIVE and onion. LITTLE EM So scrumptious! EMILY All right, all right now. What is keeping your father and Tiny Tim. And Martha was not this late last year. MARTHA Here I am, mother. EVE AND OLIVE Here s Martha. Martha, you should smell the goose. LITTLE EM It s scrumptious with sage and onion! EMILY Bless your heart, my dear, how late you are. MARTHA We had so much work to finish up, mother. EMILY Well. Never mind. So long as you are here, now. Sit and warm yourself. They hear BOB and several voices singing. They quickly hide MARTHA behind them. BOB enters with time on his shoulder. DANCING JACK AND JILL hold back shyly.

30 CONTINUED: 29. Hello, hello, my little family. (BEAT.) Where s Martha? EMILY Not coming this year, my dear. Not coming? On Christmas Eve? ALL Here s //Martha! MARTHA //Here I am, //Father. //Martha, you re home. MARTHA Just, papa. Hello, //Tiny Tim. (To JACK and JILL.) Hello. TINY TIM //Martha. EMILY Whose this then? May I introduce Dancing Jack and Little Jill. They re in show business. I invited them to share our Christmas dinner. I hope you approve? DANCING JACK Evening, mum. We d be appy to sing for our supper. LITTLE JILL Even a bit of bread? EMILY Nonsense. You ll share all the supper we have to offer and then we ll all sing. EVE Come on, Tim. Come hear the pudding singing in the copper. TINY TIM Yes, please. MILLICENT (To JACK and JILL.) You come, too. We might need the help.

31 CONTINUED: 30. ROBERTA But, you re our guest. You won t lift a finger. MILLICENT No, you won t. ROBERTA And you ll need a scarf. You may keep that. MILLICENT That s my scarf! You may keep it. ROBERTA Take my hand, Little Jill. The CHILDREN LEAVE. EMILY And how did little Tim behave, Robert? As good as gold and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much. He told me that he hoped people saw him in church because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see. Oh, Martha, he s growing so much stronger everyday, isn t he Emily? TINY TIM Mother, Father, Martha, the pudding is singing. The pudding is singing. It is? I hope it s a pleasant tune. EVE Very pleasant. EMILY Where s Millicent and our guests? OLIVE They went to fetch the goose, mother. MARTHA How was church, Tim? TINY TIM We said many prayers. Afterward, some boys threw snow at us, but papa decided I d better watch my strength, so I didn t throw any back.

32 CONTINUED: 31. EMILY That s probably for the best. TINY TIM But, papa did. EMILY Robert. At your age. They started it. MILLICENT, JACK and JILL have returned. MILLICENT Here s the goose! CHILDREN The goose! The goose! TINY TIM Hurray! The goose is placed. BOB gives JACK his chair at the head of table and JILL sits with the littlest. BOB stand by TINY TIM while EMILY stands next to MARTHA. BOB gets their attention. Dear Lord, upon this day above all others we thank you for all the great blessings you grace us with each day. Good food, a warm home and a loving family - and our new friends. And we thank you each day for the baby Jesus being born on Christmas day. Amen. ALL Amen. They go to dive in. Ah! (He gets their attention.) A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God Bless us. ALL God Bless us! TINY TIM God Bless us every one! The family enjoys their meal.

33 CONTINUED: 32. Spirit. Tell me, will Tiny Tim live? SECOND SPIRIT I see an empty seat in the chimney corner and a crutch carefully preserved, if these shadows remain unaltered by the future. No. No. Oh, no kind spirit, say he will be spared. SECOND SPIRIT If he dies what then? If he s like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. (BEAT.) Man, if you be man at heart, will you decide what men shall live and die? It may be in heaven s eyes that you are more worthless and less fit to live than million s like this poor man s child. Mr. Scrooge! I give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the feast. EMILY (With a loud noise.) The founder of the feast indeed. I wish I had him here. I d give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I d hope he had a good appetite for it. My dear, the children, Christmas Day. EMILY It should be Christmas Day, when we drink the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert. Nobody knows it better than you, poor fella. My dear, our guests. Christmas Day. EMILY (BEAT.) I ll drink his health for your sake and the Day s not for his. Long life to him, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mr. Scrooge. ALL (Subdued and scattered.) Mr. Scrooge. Pause.

34 CONTINUED: 33. LITTLE JILL Ain t he the bloke who tried to kill us? Both DANCING JACK and BOB shake their heads as EMILY glares. How about a song, Tim? EVE Yes, a song. OLIVE A song, Tiny Tim! MILLICENT The Twelve Days of Christmas! TINY TIM sings the "Twelve Days of Christmas". The family joins in. S PARTY GUESTS join on "Five Golden Rings" and rush in from all directions. It ends in laughter. As the settle down- SCENE 9 - HE S MY UNCLE He said Christmas was a humbug, as I live. He believed it, too! AMANDA More shame for him, Fred. Well, Amanda, my dear. He is a comical old fellow that s the truth and not so pleasant as he could be. AMANDA Ha! The GUESTS laugh. However! His behavior carries enough of a punishment and I have nothing to say against him. AMANDA I am sure he is very rich. What of that, my dear? His wealth is of no use to him. He spends little. He don t do any good with it. He hasn t the satisfaction of thinking that he is ever going to benefit us with it.

35 CONTINUED: 34. AMANDA Well, I have no patience with him. They smile. She s never met me! SECOND SPIRIT Shh. Oh, I have. And my mother adored him and never said an ill word. I am sorry for him. I couldn t be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers? Himself. He won t come to dine with us. What s the consequences? (BEAT.) He doesn t lose much of a dinner. AMANDA Indeed! I think he misses a fine dinner. Well, I am very glad to hear it. I don t have much faith in these young house keepers. Do you, Thomas? THOMAS As a bachelor, I have learned that a gentleman refrains from commenting on the career of a husband. Except to observe that he is so very luck to have such a lovely and charming bride. And her many friends of equal quality. Cherished guests - Lord Thomas! AMANDA Do go on, Fred. He never finishes what he begins to say. I was only going to say, I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not. My mother loved him and so I love him. And I think I shook him yesterday. SONG - HE S MY UNCLE He rails at the holidays shaking his fist at Christmas. Why he s mad, it s tough to say and very hard to admit this..

36 CONTINUED: 35. AMANDA I saw him angrily throwing coal at Father Christmas. Why he s mean, don t ask me. It s so very hard to admit this... He s my uncle. A comical fellow, it s true. He s my uncle. I don t know what else to do, but love him. CATHERINE He yells as carolers. Softly they sing at twilight. He calls them trespassers. Demands they pay for the right. AMANDA He hates that you married me, calling you a silly fool. He may not know he may not see he s being very cruel. He s your uncle. A comical fellow it s true. He s your uncle. I don t know what else to do but love him. I am sorry for him I can t help it. Who suffers but him, not I. I m not angry with him. He can t help it. I ll see him next year and try. And I think I shook him. GUESTS He s your uncle. A comical fellow it s true. He s your uncle. I don t know what else to do but love him. AMANDA But love him. BOTH But love him. END OF SONG EMMA Enough talking. Time for a game. CATHERINE Let s play "Yes and No". AMANDA Yes, Fred s it. Go on, Fred. walks around thinking.

37 CONTINUED: 36. WINI "Yes and No"? EMMA We question him for clues. WINI Ah, clues. I like clues. All right, all right, I have it. ABAGAIL Is it a food? No, no, I ve had quite enough, thank you. EMMA Mineral? No. WINI Animal? Yes, quite. ABAGAIL Alive? Yes. I think. WINI Does it make a sound? Yes, most do. AMANDA It growls? It s a bear. So it does!

38 CONTINUED: 37. EMMA Is it a bear? No. CATHERINE Lives in the city? Yes. EMMA On a leash? No. Never. CATHERINE Is it a pig!? No. WINI Is it a disagreeable animal? Yes. Quite. CATHERINE You know, I swear I heard a pigeon growl once. AMANDA I know! EMMA I know! I have found it out! I know what it is! I know! All right. What is it? EMMA It s your Uncle Scrooge! Yes! They cheer and laugh. WINI Well, now. You should have said "yes" when we asked if it was a bear.

39 CONTINUED: 38. They laugh. He has given us more than enough merriment and it wouldn t be fair not to wish his good health. So, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to him. Uncle Scrooge. ALL Uncle Scrooge! It becomes ominous as the GUESTS disperse chatting and laughing. The Second Spirit is wilting. Are spirit s lives so short? SECOND SPIRIT My life upon earth is brief, very brief indeed. It ends tonight. At midnight. Tonight? Two ragged CHILDREN appear and clutch at the SECOND SPIRIT S robes. Spirit, are they your children? SECOND SPIRIT They are Man s. They cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This one is Ignorance. This one is Want. Beware them both. But especially beware this boy, for on his brow, doom is written, unless the writing be erased. But why? Have they no refuge, no resource? SECOND SPIRIT Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? SCENE 10 - SUM OF A MAN S LIFE It is now dark and foggy. The THIRD SPIRIT has appeared. Silent as a tomb. You are the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come? You are to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen? Is that so Spirit? (The PHANTOM inclines its head slightly.) Ghost of the Future, I (MORE)

40 CONTINUED: 39. (cont d) fear you more than any Specter I have seen. But, I know your promise is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear your company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me? (The PHANTOM points out into the blackness.) Lead on, Spirit. The night is passing quickly and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on. A group of STREET THIEVES gather like rats. DIGGER Well? CHOPPER Well what? DIGGER Don t start with that. Not with that. We know. We saw. Now come on. Come clean. SCRAPPER Come clean. Don t make us get nasty. Time of year and all. Good will. All that. CHOPPER Don t know what you re talking about. Your gobs are full of dribble. SCRAPPER Dribble is it. SNITCHER Last night. Dark night. Good for sneaking around. Sneaking in. A certain gentleman s, if you want to call him that, a certain gentleman s gloomy rooms. All quiet since he just gave up the ghost. DIGGER First thing he ever gave in his life. SNITCHER Not willingly, lads. Not willingly. Though I d consider it for a hot meal right now. SCRAPPER If only we had some jingle. DIGGER If only. Don t look at me. I m tapped. You know me. Good in a pinch. But, sadly, not today.

41 CONTINUED: 40. SCRAPPER If only. SNITCHER Sneaking around. Sneaking in. They look menacingly at CHOPPER. CHOPPER Well, how do you like that, mates? Found a watch in me pocket. Good for some broth, that eh? Maybe a couple of crusts of bread? DIGGER Just maybe. (Taking it.) Now, there s a good mate. SCRAPPER Say, you got in there awfully fast and first. Sure he wasn t still drawing breath? CHOPPER I m sure. SCRAPPER This is it? Fast and first? CHOPPER Me oath. SNITCHER Sneaking around. Sneaking in. But, he ran out. CHOPPER Maybe he drew one or two more breaths. DIGGER Off to dinner, mates. Full belly today. Empty again tomorrow. SCRAPPER Until the next bedside visit, eh, Chopper? CHOPPER You snitch. SNITCHER That s me. The STREET THIEVES have gathered at the door of OLD JOE.

42 CONTINUED: 41. Yes, I see Spirit. These children driven without remorse. The man they stole from, not a friend in the world. That could be me. Yes. Just children, though. I don t blame them. They don t know any better. OLD JOE chases them off. OLD JOE I remember that age. Not a care in the world. (Sound of a rat). Oh, that s a plump one. Come on, Lucifer, that s a good girl. Ew. The CHARWOMAN, MISS DILBER and others have come to sell items they scavenged from. CHARWOMAN Let the Charwoman alone to be the first. Let the laundress alone to be the second; and the undertaker s girl alone to be the third. Look here, Old Joe, here s a chance. Us all met here without meaning it. OLD JOE You couldn t have met in a better place. We re all suitable to our calling, we re well matched. Kith and kin. CHARWOMAN You re wise beyond your years, Old Joe. OLD JOE Ain t we all. Come in to the parlor. CHARWOMAN What odds then. What odds, Miss Dilber. Every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did. MISS DILBER That s true, indeed. No man more so. CHARWOMAN Why, then, don t stand there staring as if you were afraid. We re not about to pick each others pockets, I suppose? MISS DILBER No, indeed. We should hope not. CHARWOMAN Well, then. That s enough. Who s the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Not a dead man, I suppose. (They LAUGH) If he wanted to keep em after he was dead, the wicked old screw, why wasn t he natural in (MORE)

43 CONTINUED: 42. CHARWOMAN (cont d) his lifetime? If he had been he d had someone to look after him when he died instead of gasping out his last all alone. MISS DILBER It s the truest word ever spoke. It s a judgment on him. CHARWOMAN Open that bundle, Joe, eh? Let me know the value off it. Speak out. I m not afraid to be the first. We knew well that we were helping ourselves, before we met here, I believe. It s no sin. Careful with those blankets now. OLD JOE is blankets? CHARWOMAN Who else s. He isn t likely to take cold without em, I dare say. OLD JOE He didn t die of anything catching? CHARWOMAN Don t be afraid of that. I ain t so fond of his company that I d loiter about his body for such things, if he did. You may look through that shirt till your eyes ache and you won t find a hole in it. It s the best he had. They d have wasted it if it weren t for me. OLD JOE Wasted it? CHARWOMAN Buried him in it, to be sure. Somebody was fool enough to put it on him, but I took it off, again. (THEY LAUGH as OLD JOE brings out a bag of coins and pays her.) This is the end of it! He frightened everyone away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead. SONG - THE SUM OF A MAN S LIFE OLD JOE You live out your short life. You maybe even take a wife. Oh, all the sweet dreams that you ll spend. You love her oh so dear. You hold your darling near. She s like to pick your pocket in the end.

44 CONTINUED: 43. CHARWOMAN You slog out daily toil like an oxen plows the soil. Happy with some shelter and some hay. But, it s your job to provide. The rats all run and hide. They know that they could be the main entree. ALL The sum of a man s life fits in this old sack. The crumbs of a man s life slips right through the cracks and that s the sum of a man s life. OLD JOE You gasp out your last breath. Your only friend is Mr. Death. He took the only thing of any worth. Your families on the street. Freezing cold, nothing to eat. Soon you ll have the warm embrace of Mother Earth. CHARWOMAN They sack up all your stuff. But, will it be enough to plant it in a hole in Beggar s field? Who will gather near to water with their tears? But, what can that parched ground hope to yield? ALL The sum of a man s life right here and on sale. The crumbs of a man s life go down easier with ale and that is the sum of a man s life. OLD JOE Maybe we re not right. It pays to be quite light. Like feathers in the breeze up through the clouds. The poorer then, is best. I m poorer than the rest. I ll float right in a waving at the crowds. CHARWOMAN This one is all weighed down. Wealth drags him to the ground. But, I m so kind I wave and wish him well. His riches never spent. Though he always got my rent. I hope his money comforts him in hell. ALL The sum of a man s life here in this old sack. If this is a man s life I d like to give it back. The sum of a man s life fits in this old sack. The crumbs of a man s life slips right through the cracks. And that is the sum of a man s life.

45 CONTINUED: 44. OLD JOE grabs the bags and runs with the thieves chasing him. Spirit. I see. I see. The case of that unhappy man may be my own. Spirit, if there be any person in this town, who feels any sorrow caused by this man s death, show that person to me. Please! SCENE 11 - THE CRATCHIT S EMILY I wonder where your father s got to. It must be near his time. MARTHA Past it rather. I think he s walked a little slower these days than he used to. EMILY I have known him walk very fast indeed with Tiny Tim upon his shoulders. He was so light to carry and father loved him so, that it was no bother. There s your father. They all go to BOB. Hello, loves. Emily, my dear. (They hold each other.) Oh, I saw Mr. Scrooge s nephew Fred today. A very kind man. He noticed I was a little down and I told him of our loss and he said he was heartily sorry for it and heartily sorry for my good wife. How he ever knew that... EMILY Knew what, my dear? Why, that you were a good wife. EVE Everybody knows that! Yes. Very well observed. I hope they do. He gave me his card and said if he could be of service to ring him up. Now it wasn t for what he could do for us, so much as his kind way, that this was quite enough. It really seemed he knew our Tiny Tim and felt with us.

46 CONTINUED: 45. EMILY I m sure he is a kind soul. You would be surer of it if you met him. I am sure we shall none of us forget Tiny Tim, shall we, or this parting that there was among us? ALL Never. And I know, my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how kind he was; although he was a little child, we shall not quarrel and forget Tim in doing it. ALL Never, Father. I am very happy. Very happy. Spirit. Oh, Spirit. Spirit, something informs me that our parting moment is at hand. Please. Tell me what man that was whom they spoke of? (The PHANTOM points.) Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point, answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of the things that May be? Can I change what is to happen! Answer me. The SPIRIT points. crosses slowly forward and then, in a FLASH of winter lightning, he reads his own name - EBENEZER. I m that man they spoke of? No! NO! Spirit. Oh, no. Spirit, hear me. I am not the man I was. I will not be that man again. Why show me this if I am past all hope? Good Spirit, assure me that I may alter these shadows you have shown me. I will honor Christmas in my heart, and keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, Present, and Future. The spirits of all Three shall strive in me. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone. Please tell me I can change the future. Please, Spirit, please tell me. Please... He crumples to the ground.

47 46. SCENE 12 - BREATH OF FRESH AIR AT RISE: rises from the ground to the sound of morning birds and church bells. My room. It s day! (BEAT.) I will live in the Past, Present and Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley. My dear friend! Heaven and the Christmas Time be praised for this. I say it on my knees, Jacob. On my knees! I am here. The shadows of things that might have been can be changed. They will. I know they will. I don t know what to do. I am as light as feather, I am as happy as an angel, merry as a school-boy. It s all true. It all happened. I don t know what day it is. I don t how long I was with the spirits. I am quite a baby. I don t care. I d rather be a baby. He says DANCING JACK and JILL. Wait, my friends. What s today? The date? JACK Today? It s Christmas Day! Christmas Day. I haven t missed it. Hello, again. JACK Hello. Do you know the Poultry Shop at the corner? JACK I should hope we did. Do you know whether they have sold the prize goose that was hanging in the window. The big one? LITTLE JILL What, the one as big as me? What a delightful child. Yes, my dears! JACK It s hanging there now.