The Lone Manger
SKU:
$5.00
$5.00 - $150.00
per item
The Lone Manger is the story of Woody, the manger of the nativity, and the inanimate props that surround the telling of a traditional children's Christmas play. The story of Christmas has grown old and the props are fighting the feeling that their best days of telling the Christmas story are behind them. When the manger is inadvertently stored with the Easter props for the season, he meets the cross who tells him everything that happens after Christmas. Feeling so terribly betrayed, Woody decides to leave the ensemble. The rest of the cast is devastated and tries to convince Woody to stay by sharing their personal stories of Christmas. The plan backfires and Woody spills the horrible truth about the Crucifixion. When all seems lost, the hills of Judea burst forth with a revelation she didn't even know she had. Jesus is alive! The Lone Manger is play about the importance of community and the need to share how the story of Christmas changed us all forever. The Director's Digital Resource includes a performance DVD, production DVD with teaching on costumes, props and choreography, and a CD-ROM with production notes, scripts (both director's and technical), administrative support, costuming, and music and lyric sheets! Along with the Split Trax CD, you have everything you need to stage a rousing production of the Lone Manger! Remember...before they can experience the miracle of Easter, someone must tell them the mystery of Christmas.
Cast: 15 players
2 Adults (F, ages 40+)
4 Children’s speaking parts (2M/2F, ages 10-12)
3 Children’s speaking parts (2M/1F, ages 6-10)
5 Youth speaking parts (3F/2M, ages 12-18*)
1 Narrator (Non-descript)
Debbie Franco: F/40: Drama Director of the children’s Christmas pageant. She’s also the mother of Rachel. She is normally quite even-tempered with a long fuse. But the stress of her situation has caused her to be a little more high strung than normal.
Marie Christianson: F/40: Musical Director and coordinator of the children’s Christmas pageant. She is Debbie’s good friend and confidant. They have shared duties directing the children’s Christmas pageant for many years.
Rachel Franco: F/10: Debbie’s daughter with ADHD.
Mary Anderson: F/12: Drama queen. She plays Mary in the play.
Jack Johnson: M/12: Low key, steady. He plays Joseph in the play.
Nathan Daniels: M/12: Cool and contemporary. He plays the innkeeper in the play.
Narrator: (M/F) Narrator for the pageant.
Devon, Bethany, Donita: Children in the choir. These are small speaking. Bethany must be played by a female, but the other two roles are not gender specific.
The Nativity Set Pieces and Props
Gilda: (F) The chest of gold. She is a little eccentric and old-fashioned although she has a heart of gold. She tends to be worrisome and isn’t much given to change and spontaneity. If she were a Bible character, she would be Martha.
Hillary: (F) The hills of Judea. She is maternal and instinctive. She should be larger, even in stature, than the others as if she casts a shadow over the rest of the props. In the floor plan, she is always upstage and center, as if she’s a brooding hen watching over her chicks. More than the others, she feels the strongest burden to see that the nativity story is shared every year. If she were a Bible character, she would be Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Rusty: (M). A simple shepherd’s staff. He can be slightly ornery and a bit cantankerous, a little hard of hearing too. He’s probably more of a loner than Woody. Rejection has caused him to be a little hesitant in relationships. But once, he’s committed, he ‘sticks’ with it. The only Bible character that comes to mind is an old Thomas. He believes, but his trust is hard won and a little reserved.
Stella: (F) Over-the-top, wanna-be thespian. She loves the spotlight and is very self-assured to the extent that it may blind her to some but knows when to step aside and let others take the stage. Although she may seem a little loopy at time, she’s very sincere, warm, and lovable. She’s also probably the youngest of the group. If she were a Bible character, she might be Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.
Woody: (M). The manger of the nativity. He’s the main character in the story. He’s also probably the leader of the group, not because of his personality, but because of his position in the story as the only prop piece that physically connects with Jesus. Think of him as the disciple Peter who must contend with his fickle flesh as the one who denies Jesus in the hour of testing. It is a testimony to his good-heartedness that he wants to spare the others the truth that he has learned. But, when pushed, he can still show signs of a person he once was before he knew Jesus.
Cast: 15 players
2 Adults (F, ages 40+)
4 Children’s speaking parts (2M/2F, ages 10-12)
3 Children’s speaking parts (2M/1F, ages 6-10)
5 Youth speaking parts (3F/2M, ages 12-18*)
1 Narrator (Non-descript)
Debbie Franco: F/40: Drama Director of the children’s Christmas pageant. She’s also the mother of Rachel. She is normally quite even-tempered with a long fuse. But the stress of her situation has caused her to be a little more high strung than normal.
Marie Christianson: F/40: Musical Director and coordinator of the children’s Christmas pageant. She is Debbie’s good friend and confidant. They have shared duties directing the children’s Christmas pageant for many years.
Rachel Franco: F/10: Debbie’s daughter with ADHD.
Mary Anderson: F/12: Drama queen. She plays Mary in the play.
Jack Johnson: M/12: Low key, steady. He plays Joseph in the play.
Nathan Daniels: M/12: Cool and contemporary. He plays the innkeeper in the play.
Narrator: (M/F) Narrator for the pageant.
Devon, Bethany, Donita: Children in the choir. These are small speaking. Bethany must be played by a female, but the other two roles are not gender specific.
The Nativity Set Pieces and Props
Gilda: (F) The chest of gold. She is a little eccentric and old-fashioned although she has a heart of gold. She tends to be worrisome and isn’t much given to change and spontaneity. If she were a Bible character, she would be Martha.
Hillary: (F) The hills of Judea. She is maternal and instinctive. She should be larger, even in stature, than the others as if she casts a shadow over the rest of the props. In the floor plan, she is always upstage and center, as if she’s a brooding hen watching over her chicks. More than the others, she feels the strongest burden to see that the nativity story is shared every year. If she were a Bible character, she would be Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Rusty: (M). A simple shepherd’s staff. He can be slightly ornery and a bit cantankerous, a little hard of hearing too. He’s probably more of a loner than Woody. Rejection has caused him to be a little hesitant in relationships. But once, he’s committed, he ‘sticks’ with it. The only Bible character that comes to mind is an old Thomas. He believes, but his trust is hard won and a little reserved.
Stella: (F) Over-the-top, wanna-be thespian. She loves the spotlight and is very self-assured to the extent that it may blind her to some but knows when to step aside and let others take the stage. Although she may seem a little loopy at time, she’s very sincere, warm, and lovable. She’s also probably the youngest of the group. If she were a Bible character, she might be Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.
Woody: (M). The manger of the nativity. He’s the main character in the story. He’s also probably the leader of the group, not because of his personality, but because of his position in the story as the only prop piece that physically connects with Jesus. Think of him as the disciple Peter who must contend with his fickle flesh as the one who denies Jesus in the hour of testing. It is a testimony to his good-heartedness that he wants to spare the others the truth that he has learned. But, when pushed, he can still show signs of a person he once was before he knew Jesus.