Chapter XI: Act III

SCENE: _The Wishing Land. Green or dark colored curtains at rear and at sides. Use all the large palms and potted trees available. A trumpet vine is attached to curtains at the rear. This is made of branches pinned on curtain to simulate a vine. Several tin trumpets are tied to the branches and many trumpets of various sizes made of paper. These stick out of the vines like blossoms._

_At rear right is a large tree with buds made of tissue paper and toy drums showing in the buds. See diagram. The leaves forming these buds should be pointed oval in shape and vary in size as they represent buds or open flowers. The drums hang down from the branches and the petals, when open, hang open and partly cover them. Another tree stands at rear L. This is hung with candy or bits of colored paper simulating candy. Candy canes are on this tree and_ JIM DANDY _is sleeping at bottom of tree._

_At R. about half-way back are branches arranged to look as if growing, and about three feet high, hung with balls of various sizes and colors._

_At L. about half-way back are three little girls dressed as French dolls. They stand in a row facing the audience. At either end of the row is a frame to support the cheesecloth curtain that hides them from the audience. They must stand stiffly with arms held out straight in front of them._

_At L. front are several rows of flower pots or boxes containing growing plants with dolls fastened among the leaves. These are branches about eighteen inches high, with green paper buds partly enveloping the dolls._

_At R. front is a large square box (a pasteboard cracker box or breakfast food box covered with red tissue paper will answer) in which is_ KA-ZIN-SKI _concealed by the lid._

_At R. half-way back just in front of the ball-trees stand three little boys dressed as toy soldiers. They stand erect and do not move._

_Curtain rises to mysterious music played by piano. This continues some little time until the audience "takes in" the scene._

_After a pause, enter the_ WISHING MAN, _followed by the three_ BIG CHILDREN.

WISHING MAN. Well, here we are in the Wishing Land. My kingdom and not a soul to welcome me!

BIG D. Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful place.

BIG S. See 'ittie bitsy teeny weeny trumpets gwowing in twees.

BIG T. And the dolls. The lovely, lovely dolls.

WISHING MAN (_clapping his hands_). What, ho! Is there none to welcome me?

_Enter_ TEDDY BEAR _from L._

TEDDY BEAR (_comes to_ WISHING MAN _and bows low_).

BIG D. Oh, see the Teddy Bear.

BIG T. And he's the biggest one I ever saw.

BIG S. Nice pussy, nice, nice pussy! (_Strokes_ TEDDY BEAR.)

TEDDY BEAR (_growls_).

BIG S. (_much frightened_). Oh, naughty, naughty, naughty!

WISHING MAN. Hello, Teddy Bear. Where's your brother?

TEDDY BEAR (_shakes head as if he does not know_).

WISHING MAN. Go out and find him for me. Have you been a very, very good Teddy Bear while I was away?

TEDDY BEAR (_nods his head_).

WISHING MAN. That's good. Now go out and find Jimmy Bear.

TEDDY BEAR (_nods head and ambles out at R._).

WISHING MAN (_looking around_). Everything is growing fine. I think the bicycle trees need a little more water. Well, children, what do you think of the Wishing Land?

BIG D. It's awfully pretty.

BIG T. It's perfectly gorgeous.

BIG S. Wunnerful, simply wunnerful.

WISHING MAN. Here's where I grow my toys. See, there is the trumpet vine, and the candy tree and the dolly flowers. Whenever a little child makes a wish for anything like that, all I have to do is to come in here and pick a toy. See?

BIG D. Oh, lookee at the tin soldiers. They're awful big. Can I have one, Mr. Wishing Man?

WISHING MAN. I don't think they're quite ripe yet.

BIG S. Me want a twumpet. Want a nice, big twumpet to blow.

WISHING MAN (_picks a trumpet_). There you are, my little man.

BIG T. I want one, too. A nice loud one.

WISHING MAN (_picks one_). And there's one for you, Tootsy.

BIG D. Believe I'll take a drum.

WISHING MAN (_picks a drum_). There you are. Right off the tree.

BIG D. Now we'll have a parade. (_They march around stage playing trumpets and drums._)

WISHING MAN. Here, here, wait a minute. You're making enough noise to wake the dead. Hold on, there. Quiet, quiet!

BIG T. Oh, dear! Just as we were having such a lovely time.

BIG S. Oh, whee! See the funny box. (_Goes to_ KA-ZIN-SKI'S _box._) What is in it, Mr. Wishing Man?

WISHING MAN. You'd better let it alone. That's Ka-zin-ski, and Ka-zin-ski doesn't like babies.

BIG S. But I wish to see him.

WISHING MAN. Is it a wish?

BIG S. Yes, sir; it's a wish.

WISHING MAN. Then pull the string.

(BIG S. _leans over the box, pulls a spring, the lid flies up and_ KA-ZIN-SKI _pops out almost in the baby's face._ BIG S. _screams and falls flat down on the stage._)

BIG S. Oh, whee! Take him away! I'm fwightened, I am. Vill he come after me?

WISHING MAN. No, no. Get up, 'ittie Snookie Ookums, he won't hurt you.

BIG D. Say, Mr. Wishing Man?

WISHING MAN. What is it, my little boy?

BIG D. Can we have anything we wish for here in the Wishing Land?

WISHING MAN. Of course you can. That's what the Wishing Land is for.

BIG D. Then I wish I was a little boy again. I'm too big to enjoy myself.

BIG T. And I wish I was a little girl again. Everybody laughs at me, 'cause I'm so big.

BIG S. And I wish I was a 'ittie, teeny, weeny baby again. Being so big fwightens me so.

WISHING MAN. Oh, ho! So you all want to be little again?

THE THREE. Yes, sir, if you please.

BIG T. Why, I'm so big that I can't get all of me into bed. I'll have to let my feet hang outside.

BIG S. And if I get in my baby buggy, I'll bweak it all down.

BIG D. And my mamma won't recognize me at all, 'cause I'm grown so big.

WISHING MAN. That's all very well, but it will be quite a job to make you all little again. It will take three magic fern seeds, and I don't think I have any ripe yet.

(_Music, a march._ TEDDY BEAR _dances in in time to the music. He goes up to the_ WISHING MAN, _pulls his head down and whispers something in his ear. Then hands him a little box._)

BIG D. Oh, what is it, Mr. Wishing Man? Is it the fern seed?

WISHING MAN (_looks in the little pill box_). Yes, but it's only one fern seed. Only one of you can be made little again.

BIG D. Give it to my sister, Tootsy. She's a girl.

BIG T. No, give it to Dumpling. He's the oldest.

WISHING MAN. I think I'll give it to 'ittie Snookie Ookums. Here, Snookums, take that little seed and go down by the pump and get a drink of water. Put the seed in the water and swallow it and you'll be the original 'ittie Snookums again.

BIG S. Oh, goody, goody, goody! (_Takes box and skips out at R._)

(_Music again, a march._ JIMMY BEAR _dances in, whispers to the_ WISHING MAN _and gives him a pill box._)

WISHING MAN. Here's another fern seed. Ladies first, Dumpling. I'll give it to Tootsy.

BIG T. Oh, you dear, good Wishing Man. I'll give you a nice hug and kiss for that. (_Does so, takes box, skips out at R._)

(_Music again. Enter_ BABY JUMBO, _dancing in time to the music._ WISHING MAN _bends down and whispers to the elephant._ JUMBO _raises one foot, a front one, and gives him a pill box._)

WISHING MAN. And here's the third magical fern seed. Here you are, Master Dumpling. Hurry along and grow little again.

BIG D. Oh, thank you, sir. (_Takes box and skips out at R._)

JUMBO _and the_ TWO BEARS _dance out at L. in time to the music._

WISHING MAN (_goes to the doll bushes_). The dolly plants don't seem to be doing very well. (_Picks a doll._) Here's a ripe one. I'm going to give that to (_insert some little girl's name_) for a Christmas present. And here's another for ----. I wonder how my big French dolls are doing. They're dreadfully hard to raise. They require so much attention. I have to keep them under cover to protect them from the sun. The wax melts so easily and the pretty red cheeks are apt to run down over their pretty French dresses. (_Removes cover._) How nice they look. There's Annette, Olivette and Babette. Three as pretty little French ladies as ever came out of Paris. I think they're just about ready to pick. They're such pretty dollies that I think I'll give them to little boys instead of little girls. I'll give Annette to (_insert little boy's name_) and I'll give Olivette to ----, and little Babette I'll give to ----. My, my, I was forgetting all about the children and the mysterious fern seed. I wonder if it has changed them back into real little children again. (_Looks out at R._) Yes, here they come.

_Enter from R._ DUMPLING, TOOTSY _and_ SNOOKUMS.

DUMPLING. Oh, thank you, Mr. Wishing Man. I feel ever so much better now.

TOOTSY. Yes, indeed. My clothes are a perfect fit and nobody will laugh at me now.

SNOOKUMS. I feel perfectly fan-tas-a-ma-gor-ious.

TOOTSY. Oh, see the pretty French dollies. I wish they would talk to me.

WISHING MAN. If that's your wish, they can.

TOOTSY (_presses_ ANNETTE). Can you talk?

ANNETTE (_imitates talking doll_). Pa-pa, pa-pa, pa-pa!

TOOTSY (_presses_ OLIVETTE). And what can you say?

OLIVETTE. Ma-ma, ma-ma, ma-ma!

SNOOKUMS (_presses_ BABETTE). Go on and talk to me.

BABETTE. Mer-ry Christ-mas! Mer-ry Christ-mas!

TOOTSY. I wish you could wind them up so they could walk around and play with us.

WISHING MAN. Is that your wish?

TOOTSY. Oh, yes. Do you think you can do it?

WISHING MAN. I can try. (_Takes large clock key and winds each doll. The sound of winding should be imitated by a rattle behind the scenes._)

ANNETTE. Pa-pa, pa-pa, pa-pa! (_Walks forward without bending knees._)

DUMPLING. Here, stop her. She'll fall down. (_Grabs her._) Here, turn around. Walk this way. (_Walks with her._)

OLIVETTE. Ma-ma, ma-ma, ma-ma; (_Starts to walk._)

TOOTSY (_catches her_). Oh, I think you are a darling. (_Walks with her._)

BABETTE. Mer-ry Christ-mas! Mer-ry Christmas. (_Starts to walk._)

WISHING MAN. Here, wait for me. (_Takes her arm and they walk together._)

DUMPLING. Wind up the soldiers. Then each dolly can have a partner.

WISHING MAN. Just a minute. (_Winds up the soldiers._)

(_The dolls continue walking around with jerky steps._)

PRIVATE BLACK (_as_ BABETTE _passes him_). Allow me. (_Offers her his arm._)

PRIVATE JACK (_as_ ANNETTE _passes him_). Allow me. (_They promenade._)

PRIVATE MACK (_as_ OLIVETTE _passes him_). Allow me. (_They promenade._)

TOOTSY (_very much excited, runs to_ WISHING MAN.) Oh, I wish they were all alive.

WISHING MAN. You do? Is that your wish? (_She nods._) Then I'll make them all alive.

Hickety, kickety, bees in a hive,
Witchery, twichery, you're alive.

(_The dolls and soldiers twirl around and chatter merrily in pantomime. Their actions from now on are as natural as possible._)

SNOOKUMS (_suddenly sees the candy tree_). Oh, lookee! Candy!

WISHING MAN. That's alive, too. (JIM DANDY _marches down._) Mr. Snookie Ookums, let me introduce you to Mr. Jim Dandy, a stick of candy.

SNOOKUMS. Would he mind if I'd take a bite out of his leg?

JIM DANDY. You bet he would. I'm alive now.

WISHING MAN (_looks off at L._). And here comes Teddy Bear and Jimmy Bear. They're alive, too. And look at the Baby Elephant.

_Enter_ TEDDY BEAR, JIMMY BEAR and BABY JUMBO. _The piano plays a march. All march around the stage, first the_ WISHING MAN, _then_ BLACK _and_ BABETTE, JACK _and_ ANNETTE, MACK _and_ OLIVETTE, JIM DANDY _and_ TOOTSIE, TEDDY BEAR _and_ DUMPLING, _then_ BABY JUMBO _with_ SNOOKUMS _riding on his back, then_ JIMMY BEAR _capering in the rear. March around several times. A simple folk dance may be introduced at this point. All sing two verses of "Follow Me, Full of Glee."_

CURTAIN.

REMARKS ON THE PRODUCTION.

The room was all in shimmering white with a background of small pine trees in large wooden pots. The floor was covered with white muslin and scattered with leaves, pine needles and cones.

In one corner was a giant snow pile, made of a frame covered with cotton. This was presided over by the Snow Queen and her Maids and white-wrapped bundles were on sale for five cents.

Jack Frost and his boys presided over a large tree in another corner. Small toys wrapped in white tissue paper were attached to this tree and sold for five cents. Or Santa Claus may preside at the sale.

Snowballs of white popcorn and snowballs filled with candy were on sale at another booth, presided over by red and white Striped Candy Girls. Candy canes were also sold here.

In the fourth corner a snow scene in the woods was depicted. A local acrobat, dressed as a Snow-man, did stunts, assisted by several boys dressed as clowns. They pelted the Snow-man with snowballs and then sold bags of white confetti. The Snow-man also ran a game where snowballs were thrown at a target. The target was a circle of black cambric, the snowballs were rubber balls covered with raw cotton and rolled in flour. Balls sold three for five cents.

A postoffice in charge of Mrs. Santa Claus is recommended, where each pays five cents postage due for packages and postcards.

If snowballing the target is too "mussy," a large holly wreath with a cluster of sleighbells in the center may be suspended from the ceiling with red and green streamers. Three balls of soft rubber are provided and the contestants try to throw the balls through the wreath and ring the bells.

Stuffed stockings on a clothesline may be offered for sale. This should be presided over by Moll Pitcher and her colonial wash-maids.

A rummage sale of toys added quite a large sum to the general fund. There was a 5-cent table, a 10-cent table and a 25-cent table.

THE SCENERY FOR THE PLAY.

The rear of the stage should be hung with dark curtains. Arrange the trumpet vine and the trees in place before the play begins. Then hide them with screens, these screens serving as the "scenery" for Act I.

During the progress of Act II, in front of the front curtain, remove the screens and furniture of Act I and arrange the stage for Act III as described in the text.

For the thunder effect in Act I rattle a large sheet of sheet-iron and explode several large fire-crackers.

The arrangement of the stage in Acts I and III is fully described in the text.

PROPERTIES.

Table with long cover completely hiding the Wishing Man.

Lighted lamp on table. Chairs and sofa.

Window at rear. Two curtains can simulate a window.

Trumpet vine with tin and paper trumpets.

Drum tree with tissue paper buds and toy drums.

Candy tree.

Ball plants.

Frame to hide the French dolls.

Doll plants.

Pasteboard box with cover for Ka-zin-ski.

Three small pill boxes.

COSTUMES.

THE WISHING MAN--Dressed as a clown, white suit with red horseshoes on it. Red ruffles around arms, ankles and neck. Long, pointed, white clown cap. Face and neck should be covered with white grease paint and when it is dry apply white powder. Then blacken the nose and lips with hot black grease paint. Make tiny high eyebrows of this black paint and paint round black circles on cheek bones.

GRANDPA, GRANDMA, FATHER and MOTHER should be dressed in modern costume, but they must be made up and costumed to look the part.

NURSE MAID--Black dress, long. White apron, collar, cap and cuffs.

DUMPLING, TOOTSY and SNOOKUMS--Pretty dresses suitable for Christmas.

THE BIG DUMPLING, TOOTSY and SNOOKUMS--Dressed exactly like their little counterparts. Wigs, etc.

KA-ZIN-SKI--Tall boy dressed as a clown. False face. Bushy whiskers and wig. A regular jack-in-the-box make-up.

THE TIN SOLDIERS--Long trousers of shiny blue cambric with red stripes at the sides. Shiny red jackets with yellow bands and buttons across front and on sleeves. Toy guns. The cheeks and lips should be very red to imitate toy soldiers.

THE FRENCH DOLLS--Fancy dresses and bonnets. Hair in curls. Faces painted to represent wax dollies, red cheeks, eyebrows black, eyelashes beaded with black hot grease paint.

JIM DANDY--Red and white striped stockings. From the knee to under the arms the suit is a cylindrical roll of white pasteboard striped with red. Sleeves and collar white striped with red. Pointed white cap striped with red.

THE BEARS--Costumes of brown canton flannel, fuzzy side out. Get a pattern for a child's nightdress with feet. Allow it rather loose in front, so that a folded knit shawl can be securely fastened (with safety pins) to the shoulders in front, beneath it, thus making the round body of the bear. For the back of the suit do not cut the waist part separate from the legs, as is usual in the pattern, but allow the waist to be as wide as the seat of the drawers.

Then lay a pleat from A to B on either side, tapering to form a loose fit below the waist. Sew thumbless mittens to the ends of the sleeves, padding them a little on the back and sewing on palms of a light tan, to represent paws.

Fit the seat of the drawers at the back loose enough to give freedom of motion, but no more.

For the heads, cut hoods like Fig. 3, taking a straight piece of cloth and fitting it with pleats around the face, etc. Make ears of two thicknesses of the cloth, stitched and turned like Fig. 4. Lay a box-pleat at A-B and sew them to the hood at C-D, so that they will stand out and forward. See Fig. 5. Sew this hood to the neck of the suit, so that all goes on together. Bear false faces.

BABY JUMBO--Two medium sized boys form the elephant. Two four-foot sticks are fastened together with twenty-inch crosspieces, thus: Forming a rack which two boys carry on their shoulders. Cut two pieces from gray cambric like Fig. 6 to form the head, having the trunk about a yard long; sew them together and stuff with rags; sew on white pasteboard tusks, large buttons for eyes and big ears cut out of cambric and lined with one thickness of paper. Attach strings at A and tie to the first crosspiece of the rack. Pad the rack with an old comfort sewed fast with cord to hold it in place.

Set the rack on the boy's shoulders, then standing with heads bent forward, the foremost boy supporting the elephant's head with his head and slipping his right hand into the upper part of the trunk so as to swing it. Throw over them a large, dark-colored shawl, reaching to their knees, fasten it together in the back and pin on a tail made of cambric and stuffed. Legs covered with brown burlap.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL OR THE MISER'S YULETIDE DREAM

SCROOGE BOB CRATCHIT MARLEY'S GHOST SECOND SPIRIT

THIRD SPIRIT WAIT MISSION LASS FRED FIRST SPIRIT

COSTUME OF
MRS. FEZZIWIG FEZZIWIG BELLA EBENEZER & DICK FIDDLER

PETER, BETTY, BELINDA and MRS. CRATCHIT MARTHA BOB TINY TIM

THE CRATCHIT FAMILY]

A CHRISTMAS CAROL OR THE MISER'S YULETIDE DREAM

ADAPTED FROM CHARLES DICKENS' IMMORTAL STORY.

CHARACTERS.

EBENEZER SCROOGE _A Middle-aged Merchant_ "Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire."

BOB CRATCHIT _Scrooge's Clerk_ "With the Christmas spirit in his heart."

FRED _Scrooge's Nephew_ "A whole-souled, merry-hearted young married man."

TWO MISSION LASSIES

THE GHOST OF JACOB MARLEY _Scrooge's Partner_ "Dead these seven years."

FIRST SPIRIT (Little Girl) _The Ghost of Christmas Past_

SECOND SPIRIT _The Ghost of Christmas Present_

THIRD SPIRIT _The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be_

A CHORUS OF YOUNG BOYS _Carol Singers_

FIRST WAIT _The Leader of the Singers_

MR. FEZZIWIG _A Jolly Old Merchant_

MRS. FEZZIWIG _One Vast Substantial Smile_

EBENEZER _Scrooge as a Young Man_

DICK _His Fellow Clerk_

THE OLD FIDDLER

BELLA _Scrooge's First and Only Love_

MRS. CRATCHIT _Bob's Wife_

BELINDA, _Aged Eighteen_ } MARTHA, _Aged Seventeen_ } PETER, _Aged Fourteen_ } BOB, _Aged Eleven_ } _Bob Cratchit's Family_ BETTY, _Aged Nine_ } TINY TIM, _Aged Four_ }

_Five Ladies, Five Gentlemen and a Little Boy for the Fezziwig Tableau_