Title of the play: “Martin’s Christmas”
Author: Leslye Rivera Casanoba
13 Characters:
- Mary (Calm and kind. Always with a smile).
- Joseph (Strong, serious but kind)
- Star (Cheerful, restless, smiling, tender)
- Angel 1 (Cheerful, smiling, affectionate)
- Angel 2 (Cheerful, humorous, ironic but kind)
- Gaspar (Calm, carries a gift)
- Melchior (Nervous, always worried about the time)
- Balthazar (Calm, carries a gift)
- Shepherdess 1 (Half-angry, worried about arriving)
- Shepherdess 2 (Clueless, good, cheerful)
- Little lost girl (Sweet, tender)
- Martin (Kind, hard-working, cheerful)
- Sir (bad attitude)
Stage: The stage is decorated with silver garlands, letters forming “Merry Christmas” and a shooting star stuck in the center of the curtain.
In the center is a bench. Christmas Eve. In a city like so many others, everyone comes and goes shopping. In the center of the stage stands a boy selling Christmas cards. The boy looks very poor and tired. A few people buy him a few cards and pass quickly.
Act 1
MARTIN: Cards! Christmas cards! Little cards to write messages! Take your little card… Cards!
A man rushes past Martin, throwing all his cards on the floor.
SIR: Oh boy, get out of my way… Can’t you see I’m in a hurry?
MARTÍN: Excuse me, sir… excuse me.
The people disappear and Martin is left alone on the scene…
MARTIN: Cards! Christmas cards!… (He puts the box of cards on the floor) I’m so tired, my feet hurt… (He sits down on a bench and touches his feet, then counts the coins in his pocket) Hi, I’m Martin and I work as a card salesman.
I’m 8 years old and I’m the oldest of my brothers. My mom tells me I’m the boss of the house.
Last year I had great sorrow. My daddy went to heaven and I had to work to help my mom and my brothers.
Now she is very sick and I don’t know how to cure her… I don’t know how. (Sighs, shakes himself, takes his box with cards and continues hawking) Cards!…Christmas cards!
GIRL: (enters crying) Buaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… Buaaaaaaaaaaaa….
MARTIN: What’s wrong?
GIRL: I got lost… I can’t find my mom… Buaaaaaaaaaaaa…
MARTÍN: Don’t worry… I’ll help you look for her (Martín takes the little girl by the hand and they go out to look for her mother while a Christmas song plays in the background… then they return to the stage a bit tired).
GIRL: I got hungry.
MARTIN: (Takes a small piece of bread from his pocket and looks at it) This bread is for lunch but I give it to you… it’s a Christmas present.
GIRL: Thank you very much! You are very good…
MARTIN: Shall we keep looking?
GIRL: Yeah… (The two of them run off stage while the song continues to play in the background).
GIRL: There he is! …. thank you so much for helping me! …. (She takes him by the hands) God will reward you for being so good to me… I bet you’ll have a beautiful Christmas… you’ll see… bye!!!!
MARTIN: Bye! (looks at her, says goodbye, sighs) Well, I’ll keep on selling… Cards! Christmas cards! (Two angels appear in a corner giving the impression that they are looking for something).
ANGEL 1: Friend, there it is!
ANGEL 2: We found it!
BOTH: Heheheheheheheheh!!!! (They run up to Martin who looks at them in amazement. The angels begin to dance around him).
MARTIN: Who are you? And why do you have wings?
BOTH: We found him, we found him!
ANGEL 1: You are just like God told us.
ANGEL 2: Yes, skinny, light-haired and half-dirty (laughs shyly).
ANGEL 1: He also told us your name was Martin.
ANGEL 2: Yes… Martin… or is your name Mateo?… or Mark? Or Mathias? Or Mar… (She is interrupted).
MARTIN: My name is Martin… and who are you?
ANGEL 1: We are the angels of the heavenly court.
ANGEL 2: And God, our father, whom we love very much…
ANGEL 1: Yes, very, very much… (They throw kisses to heaven).
ANGEL 2: He has sent us on a mission (they both take military positions with their hands on their heads).
MARTIN: (Rubs his eyes as if he was just waking up) Am I dreaming?… Angels sent by God?… No… I’m dreaming, right?
ANGEL 1: No… you are not dreaming, we are real angels.
ANGEL 2: (with a mischievous attitude pinches Martin who screams in pain).
MARTIN: HAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!… That hurts!!!
ANGEL 2: So you can see it’s not a dream… (Laughs shyly).
ANGEL 1: We’ve come to give you a Christmas present.
ANGEL 2: Yes, Martin… you are a very good boy. You help your mommy at work and you just helped a little girl find her family… so….
BOTH: We’ll give you a Christmas present! Hehehehehhhe! (they dance happily).
MARTIN: And what do I have to do?
ANGEL 1: First you should know that your mommy is already recovering at home because she has prayed a lot to God.
MARTIN: Really? How happy that makes me!!!!! (The three of them jump for joy).
ANGEL 2: Now your present will be… (Drum roll) We will travel back in time and show you the birth of Jesus, the most important moment of all!
ANGEL 1: Yes… as it happened many, many, many years ago. You deserve it for being such a good little boy.
MARTIN: Will we travel back in time? will I meet Mary, Joseph and Jesus? (thinks) Am I dreaming?
ANGEL 2: (with a mischievous attitude returns to pinch Martin who screams in pain).
MARTIN: HAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!… It hurts!!! !!!!
ANGEL 1: Yes Martin, are you ready to travel in time with us, the prettiest angels of God’s kingdom?
MARTIN: Yes, ready, but I’m not dreaming, am I?
ANGEL 2: If you want, I’ll pinch you again so that…
MARTIN: No, no, no… (The angels laugh).
THE THREE: (they hold hands and count to three, then leave the scene, a carol is heard in the background).
Act 2
A stable appears on the stage. In the background appears Mary with a baby in her arms and Joseph walking slowly. They stand in the stable.
JOSEPH: Mary, here in this stable we will be safe and sound.
MARY: Don’t worry Joseph, trust in God… he will take care of us and will not let anything happen to us.
STAR: (She comes singing a carol) Hello everyone… I am the star that will guide the way of the shepherdesses and the wise men… oh and it seems that the shepherdesses are coming (she joyfully signals to the shepherdesses who are approaching the stable).
SHEPHERD GIRL 1: Hurry up, we’re too late!
SHEPHERD GIRL 2: Wait for me, I’m tired!
SHEPHERD GIRL 1: Hurry up, we have to deliver the gifts to the baby Jesus!
SHEPHERD 2: Look!… The little star that guides us!… There it is!…
SHEPHERD GIRL 1: (exalted) Where, where!
SHEPHERD 2: There… we are very close! Let’s go!
The little star keeps waving… she’s always waving her hands.
SHEPHERD 1: We have arrived.
SHEPHERD 2: This is where the baby Jesus was born (they bend down to see the newborn and sit next to Mary).
STAR: The shepherdesses have arrived… now the wise men are missing and I think they are coming.
(She makes signs).
MELCHIOR: It’s a long way.
GASPAR: Yes, but it’s worth it. We must deliver the presents to the baby Jesus.
BALTHAZAR: How much longer?
MELCHIOR: The star has stopped… it must be there.
GASPAR: Over there you can see a clear path.
BALTHAZAR: Let’s ask the star.
MELCHIOR: Look, it seems to be giving us signs.
GASPAR: What does it want to tell us?
BALTHAZAR: It’s pointing to the end of the road, that’s where the baby Jesus should be.
MELCHIOR: Come on, there’s not much left, let’s not wait any longer.
STAR: The three wise men from the East have arrived.
(The three wise men bow to Mary and take their places next to Joseph).
STAR: (To the audience) Now we are missing our last visitor… Does anyone know who it is? (Then she continues to beckon Martin and the approaching angels).
ANGEL 1: Martin, we have arrived.
ANGEL 2: It’s about time. …. I’m more tired.
(Angel 1 and Martin look at her with some anger).
ANGEL 2: But it’s true… we walked a lot… (Martin and Angel 1 make a gesture of silence).
STAR: Welcome angels, welcome Martin, we have been waiting for you.
MARTIN: I can’t believe it… I’m in the stable with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus… I’m sure I’m dreaming… (Angel 2 makes a pinch gesture) Ah no, no, no… I’m not dreaming (stroking his arm) that’s true…
JOSEPH: Shepherd girls, Magi, God’s little angels, Martin. Next to the little star that illuminates us, I present to you Jesus, our savior.
MARY: He will be the one who will guide us on the path of God. (All contemplate the newborn).
SHEPHERD 1: We have humbly brought our offerings.
SHEPHERD 2: They are the fruit of our work and effort.
MARY: Blessed are you, little shepherdesses, for you are the first to arrive. You are hard-working, humble and good at heart… (The little shepherdesses lower their heads while Mary caresses them).
SHEPHERD GIRL 1: Baby Jesus: Here I bring you this little blanket and these socks, to keep you warm during these cold nights.
SHEPHERD 2: And I bring you freshly milked milk and fresh bread, so that you can feed yourself and be a healthy and happy baby.
JOSEPH: Thank you very much for your offerings.
MELCHIOR: I, King Melchior, have come from the East, and I come to offer you gold, worthy of the great kings.
GASPAR: I am King Gaspar, from the East I have come and I bring incense, to praise our Lord Jesus.
BALTHAZAR: I am King Balthazar, from the East I have come with beautiful cloths… so that you may dress like a king.
MARY: Blessed are you wise men who have come from so far away to be with us.
JOSEPH: Thank you very much for your gifts, Magi (looking at Martin) and who are you, little one?
MARTIN: I am Martin and the only gift I can give you and all of us here today is that Christmas is to remember the birth of our Lord Jesus. Gifts are superfluous… the important thing is to be with the family and to give love, peace and happiness.
EVERYONE SINGS A CAROL
Final Greeting: Everyone holds hands and says in chorus: MERRY CHRISTMAS!
End