This play "Christmas Spirit - The Conversion of Mrs Scrooge" can be used either as a class performance or for an entire year group - of two to three classes. The Spirit of Christmas Past Present and Future sets out to 'convert' the miserable Mrs Scrooge, a school teacher, via her students but is eventually defeated .. by them! If you are looking for some unusual twists and some extremely bad jokes - look no further! This is the Christmas play for you!

For other curricular and non-curricular based plays, check out Sue Russell’s website www.plays-r-ussell.com  The collection expands by the day!

Extract

Christmas Spirit – The Conversion of Mrs Scrooge!

Cast (27 speaking parts – with addition of non-speaking parts this play could be used for either a class or a year group i.e. two to three classes)

Narrator (alias Spirit of Christmas Past, Present and Future)

Mrs Scrooge

Child 1 – 23

Santa Claus (alias Ebenezer Scrooge)

Santa’s wife

(For alternative cast numbers, see Production Notes at the end)

Music 1: So here it is, Merry Xmas – Slade

(Whole cast file in, dancing and singing to song. Narrator leads them in, joining in celebrations but with a little more restraint as he is the only ‘adult’ present. Singing and dancing continues until arrival of Mrs Scrooge, their teacher who marches in last and promptly turns music off)

Mrs Scrooge:     (Angrily glaring at children) What’s going on here?  What do you think you’re doing? Anyone would think ..

Whole cast:        (All stand and yell) It’s Christmas!

Mrs Scrooge:     Sit down, this minute!

(All slump back onto their benches, muttering dissent)

Mrs Scrooge:     (Spluttering) Well, I never! What a show of .. of …

(Narrator steps forward)

Narrator:             Of festive cheer, would that be?

Mrs Scrooge:     (Indignantly) And who are you? And what are you doing in my classroom?

Narrator:             I am the Spirit of Christmas – Past, Present and Future!

Mrs Scrooge:     (Staggers back, gasping) But ….. there’s only one of you!

Narrator:             (Apologetically) Hmm. Sorry about that. The other two got flu – so this assembly will just have to make do with me, I’m afraid!

Mrs Scrooge:     So, which one are you? Past, Present or Future?

Narrator:             Oh don’t you worry about that! Today I’m all three and ..

Mrs Scrooge:     (Interrupting) Well, you needn’t think I’m the pushover my husband was!

Narrator:             And he would be?

Mrs Scrooge:     Why! Ebenezer Scrooge, of course! As if you didn’t know! Don’t go thinking I don’t know what you’re up to!

(Mrs Scrooge sits, scowling heavily as each child steps forward in turn, returning to ‘seat’ after speaking)

Child 1:                 (To Narrator) You’re not seriously going to try and convert Mrs Scrooge?

Narrator:             With a little help from you, boys and girls – that is exactly what I intend to do!

(Whole cast shake their heads, despondently)

Child 2:                 You cannot be serious!

Child 3:                 Have you any idea what you are taking on?

Narrator:             (Hesitantly) Er, perhaps I’m beginning to!

Child 4:                 Mrs Scrooge is

Whole cast:        (Together) MISERABLE!

Child 5:                 She doesn’t have an ounce of Christmas spirit in her!

Child 6:                 I’d quit now! You really don’t stand a chance!

Narrator:             Well. We’ll see about that! I love challenges!

Child 7:                 Mrs Scrooge will be that, all right! Five minutes in her classroom, and any joy you might have felt, evaporates!

Narrator:             Even at Christmas?

Child 8:                 Oh! She’s ten times worse at Christmas!

(Mrs Scrooge stands up, stamping her feet, and shaking her fists)

Mrs Scrooge:     I HATE Christmas!

Narrator:             (Incredulously) You hate Christmas?

Mrs Scrooge:     (Spitting the words) Christmas? Bah! Humbug!

(Sits down again)

Narrator:             (To children) Oh dear! I can see what you mean! Just like her husband! Maybe worse! But don’t despair. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

(Mrs Scrooge, jumping to her feet)

Mrs Scrooge:     Will? Will? Did someone say something about me coming into some money? About time too!

Narrator:             (Patting Mrs Scrooge on the shoulder) Rest assured, dear lady. You will soon be enjoying riches beyond your wildest dreams!

Mrs Scrooge:     At last! I knew teaching all these years would eventually pay off!

                                (Confronting Narrator) So. Where’s my money?!

Narrator:             Not so fast, dear lady. The children and I have first to open your eyes to what you have been missing all these years!

Mrs Scrooge:     What? The money?

Narrator:             No! No! All those wonderful Christmases you could have enjoyed with your students, here!

Mrs Scrooge:     Oh please! You know what I think of Christmas! Humbug!

Narrator:             Well. Here’s the deal. You sit and listen to what we love about Christmas and then we’ll talk riches!

Mrs Scrooge:     (Sitting down) Very well. But make it short! I can only take so much drivel!

Narrator:             (Turning to children) So. Take it away!

Child 9:                 Well, first there’s all the love, hope and joy encapsulated in the birth of the baby Jesus.

Music 2 – Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (or Away in a Manger, Once in Royal David’s City or other ‘nativity scene’ carol)

(Whilst whole cast is singing this, a nativity scene – with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus – can be acted out, with accompanying shepherds, kings etc)

Narrator:             That was beautiful. Thank you so much.

                                (Looking at Mrs Scrooge) Enough to melt the hearts of even the likes of Mrs Scrooge?

(Mrs Scrooge scowling and refusing to make eye contact)

Narrator:             Hmm. Perhaps not! Next!

Child 10:               Then there’s all the excitement leading up to Christmas!

Child 11:               Putting up all the Christmas decorations.

Mrs Scrooge:     All that awful mess and clutter!