OUR FAVORITE (Silas ae ae HOLIDAY TALE Ua yeaa e pout ONS BY 4 10 scuorasme score + vecenoet 1, 012oo Circle the character you wit play. *NARRATORS 1 & 2 (NA, N2) *BOB CRATCHIT, Scrooge’s clerk *EBENEZER SCROOGE, a rich old accountant FRED, Scrooge’sinephew: S JACOB MARLEY, the ghost of _Seroges dead business partnes PRET What does it mean to tive MEADS 2 fulhting tite? Naz It's Christmas Eve in London, 1843, Jacob Marley is dead asa doomail. N2t This is not recent news. Marley has been dead for ‘eats. Butit is important that you understand this point—that Jacob Marley is deadl—or nothing ‘wonderful can come from the story we are about io tell! Naz As [was saying, itis Christmas Eve in London. Our story begins in the offices of fbenezer Scrooge and bis long-dead business partner, Jacob Marley. BOB CRATCHIT: Mr. Scrooge, sit, might Tadd some coal tothe fire? EBENEZER SCROOGE: Absolutely not! Coal costs money. Dooin’tyour coat keep you warm? CRATCHIT: Not really, sir. then I suggest you get a new one. SCROOGE: That's enough, Mr. Cratchit. I suppose you'll want the day off tommorrow foo. eRATCHIT (hanging his heacl): Yes, sit ‘ Christmas comes but once a year. ‘SCROOGE: You want me to pay you fora day ‘when you're not working? Then you'd better behere even earlier the next morning, 1N2: Scrdoge’s nephew, Fred, arrives in hopes of spreading cheer. Charles Dickens is sometimes called “the men who invented Christmas.” In Engana, christmas wasn't 3 big hotiday—but this famous story made Rone. { Readers Theater Play ] MR, FEZZIWIG, Scrooge’s first employer GHOST 2, the Ghost of Christmas Present ‘TINY THM CRATCHIT, the Cratchits’ sickly son, CAROLINE CRATCHIT, Bob Er FRED: Merry Christmas, Uncle! SCRODGE: Bah! Humbug! FRED: For Christmas? Humbug? You don’t mean it. SCROOGE: do! What reason have you ta be merry? You're not wealthy, FRED: Come, dear Uncle. What reason have you to be 0 gldomy—you, with all your riches? ‘SCROOGE: Bah! Humbug What is Christmas but a time for wasting money on things you don'tneed? if fiad my way, every idiot who goes about saying “Merry Christmas!” would be boiled in his own pudding. FRED: Uncle! ‘SCROOGE: Nephew! You celebrate the holiday in your way, let me celebrate itn mine. FRED: But you don't celebrate it. SCROOGE: Then let me not celebrate It What good wil Christinas ever do for you? What good has itever done? FRED: Many things do us good without ‘aking us rich, Uncle. Though holidays have never puta scrap of gold in my pocket, 1 believe I am all the better for having ‘celebrated them. CRATCHIT: Yes, Lagree. SCROOGE: Quiet, Mr. Cratchit, or you'll celebrate Christmas by looking for a niew job. FRED: Don’t be angry, Uncle. Have Christmas dinner with jis tomorrow. Scrooge: Humbug. FRED: But why not? ‘SCROOGE: That's enough Good day, Nephew. Www.scHoLasTic.com/score + pecenaen xo, 0:2 11.‘FRED: So be it. But I shall Keep my Christmas spirit. ‘Merry Christmas, Uncle! Merry Christmas, Mr. Cravchit! CRATCHIT: And ahappy New Year! ‘SCROOGE: There's a preposterous notion: My clerk, with barely enough to feed his family, and a sickty child too, talking about a happy new year. Tmust be mad! Wi: That evening, Scrooge sits alone by his fireplace. GHOST CHORUS: Owwooodht {Nas Fle hears a door fly open and the rattling of chains. SCROOGE: What's that noise? Wiz assing through the heavy door, a ghost with. death-cold eyes enters Scrooge’s chamber. Its head, is wrapped in bandages; chains are wound around its body. ‘SCROOGE: You don’t scare me! I'm not aman to be frightened by shadows. JACOB MARLEY: You don’t believe in me? SCROOGE: | do not. 1N2: The ghost shrieks and shakes its chains. Scrooge ops to his knees and covers his face. SCROOGE: Mercy, dreadful spirit! What is tyou want? MARLEY: There is much that 1 want! Lam the ghost of your partner, Jacob Marley. must drag this chain and. ey Certo of the many een Seer ne (ight). The ae oer pened road, 12. scnorasreescore - pecenses 10,2012 wander the world forever. Woe is me! ScRo0GE: But why are you chained? MARLEY: Each link of this chain is a punishment for some kind deed | failed to do. Oh, why did Inot show charity? ‘SCROOGE: But Jacob, you were always such a good businessman. You made so much money! HARLEY: I should have been kinder. Ebenezer,do you know the weight of the chain you're making? Seven. Christmas Eves ago, your chain was aé heavy and long, as mine is now, And you have been adding to it swith each passing year. ScROOGE: Jacob, what can I do? MARLEY: Hear me, Seroogel You will be haunted by three spirits. Listen to what each tells you! Expect the rst when the clock strikes one. GHOST CHORUS: Owwooooh! Nis At 1:00 a.m.,, Scrooge awakens to see the first ghost; a gentle spirit in along white gown. GHOST 4s ain the Ghost of Christmas Past, Twill show you your life as it used to be. Rise and walk with me, 'N2: They pass magically into Scrooge's past. The ghost ‘and Scrooge are suddenly standing inside an old warehouse, GHOST 1:Do you know this place? SCROOGE: [held my first job here. Why, there's old Mr. Fezziwig, He was decent man. 1: Scrooge sees himself as a cheerful young man. FEZZIWIG: It's Christmas Eve! Yo hho, everyone! No more work tonight. Clear the floor for daneing and fiddling and celebrating!12: Food is brought in. ‘The music begins, Everyone starts dancing, including young Serooge. (GHOST 1: Look at this waste of money. SCROOGE: Waste of money? Look how happy everyone is, Ferziwig was always making people happy. Itwas the little things mastly—the way he looked at you or patted you on the back GHOST 4: With whom are you dancing? You look so happy. ‘SCROOGE! It’s Belle. Ab, young Belle ‘GHOST 43 You loved her, but you didn'tmarry her, ‘SCROOGE: I needed to seek my fortune first. GHOST 1: You mean, you could eam no money simply by loving her. You chose wealth instead of love. ‘SCROOGE: Spirit, why do you torture me? Show me 10 ‘more. I don't wish to see it. Na: The spicit disappears. Scrooge is suddenly back in his zoom, alone: 2s The clock strikes two. ‘GHOST CHORUS: Owwooooh! {GHOST 2: Iam the Ghost of Christmas Present You have never seen the likes of me before! Na: The second spistis gigantic, and as grand and joyful as the Christinas season. Its eyes are clear and kind, yet they frighten Scrooge. SCROOGE: Sprit, take me where you wil, Let me learn froxn you. GHOST 2: Look upon me! Yourand Iwill go and see ‘things as they are now, Off with us, then! 12s The ghost and Scrooge appearin the doorway ofa small housé. They see a table and a small fire burning, ScROOGE: Where are we? (GHOST 2: You don'tnow the house of your own clerk, Bob Cratchit? Come inside, The family is sitting dowm to Christmas dinner. 1: Cratchits son, Tiny'Tim, hobbles to the table using an old wooden crutch, TINY TIM: Mother, there never was such a ‘grand goose as this! ‘CRATCHTT: This is splendid, my dear, triumph. : ‘SCROOGESSo excited overa small goose! You'd thinkit was a prize turkey. GHOST 2:Icisall they ean afford, They are nota well-off family, ‘SCROOGE: Tie, but they're a happy one. Look how pleased they are—especialy that litle Tim, (CRATCHIT: A toast! To Mr Serooge, the founder of our feast ‘CAROLINE (angrily The founder of our feast? The founder of our Feast, indeed! [wish Mr. Serooge were here right now. Why, Yd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon! y ‘RATCHET: Miy deat, ers notbe bitter ‘CAROLINE: 'l ‘oust his health bevause i's Christmas, ut that’s all. Merry Christmas to the unfeeling, ‘unkind, miserly founder of this feast, Mr. Scrooge. ALL CRATCHITS: Merry Christinas! TINY Ti And God bless us, every one! ‘SCROOGE: Tell me, Spivit—will Tiny Tita live? GHOST 2:T see an empty seat. see tiny crutch with no owner SCROOGE: Oh, no! Say he will be alright. 8 (GHOST 2: If there is no change in his surroundings, the child will soon die, GHOST CHORUS: Owwoo00h! 2+ Scrooge stands horrified as the ghost vanishes. Again, Scrooge finds himself backin his bedroom, worw.scuotasric.con/score - occenssr 10,2012 13Nir At3:00 am, another ghost appears. ‘This third phantom is cloaked in a black robe, Nothing can be seen of it except one outstretched hand. ‘SCROOGE: Are you the Ghost of Christmas + Yet to Come? Nat The ghost does not answer. It points its long, bony finger into the night. SCROOGE: Ghost of the Future; [fear you most. Nis "The spirit takes Scrooge to a lonely cemetery covered in weeds. coffin is being lowered into a grave. SCROOGE: Whose fimeral is thist Why is no one here to moun? Tell me, Spitit, is there anyone in this town ‘who cared for this person? PASSERBY 4: When did he die? PASSERBY 2: Last week. PASSERBY 4: What was the matter with him? PASSERBY 2: An empty heart, I suppose. PASSERBY 1: Little good his money did him. PASSERBY 2: Not a single person to mourn him! PASSERBY 12 Bur think of all the money he saved with, such a cheap funeralt PASSERBY 2: Haba haba ha he haba! 'N2: The phantom points toward the gravestone. SCROOGE: Before Ilook, Spitit, tell me one thing. Can this future be changed? Naz The spirit gives no reply. Scrooge trembles. He ooks upon the gravestone and reads the words “Bbenezer Scrooge.” Host cHorU: ‘SCROOGE: No, Spirit! Hear me! Can I erase the name ‘upon this stone? I am no longer the person Thave beeri, From this hight on, Iwill be a kind and generous man. [will honor Christmas with all my heart! N2s When Scrooge awakens the next moming, he is so happy to see daylight that he laughs out loud. For @ man who has been out of practice for so long, itis & splendid laugh. He opens his window and calls to a boy wwoaooht i 14 senotastc score - vzcenoen 10, 2012 charles Dickens's stories were the Herry Potter books of his day. Dickens. published fis novels in parts, and his eager readers would walt anxiously for een Instalment to come out, passing by. SCROOGE: What day is today, my fine follow? ‘BOY: Today? Why, it's Christmas Dayt ‘SCROOGE: I haven't missed it—thank goodness! Do you know the prize turkey hanging in the butchor's window?» BOY! The one that’s as big as I am? ‘SCROOGE: Yes, that one. 'llpayyou to g6 Duy it and have it brought to Bob: Cratehit's house. BOY: Yes, sir! Merry Christmas, sit ‘SCROOGES The Cratchits won't know who sent it. And then I niust join my nephew for dinner. Oh, joy! Ni: Scrooge spends the rest of the day spreading Christmas cheer, joyfully sharing his wealth with, neighbors and strangers. 'N2: The next day, Scrooge arrives at the office early. ‘Cratchit enters, shivering from the cold, ‘SCROOGE: You're 18-and-a-haif minutes lat CRATCHITs It's only once a year, sir. We had quite a celebration last night, A kind stranger sent us a prize turkey, and we had a merry time into the wee hours. It won't happen again. SSCROOGE: I'l tell you what: I'm not going to stand for this any longer. Ni: Poor Cratchit. He is certain heis about to be fired. ScROOGE: Therefore; Mr. Cratcht...m doubling your salary! N23 rate is stunned. SCROOGE: Merry Christmas, Mr. Cratchit Christmas than I've ever given before, And your salary {sjusta start. 1 assist your struggling family any way can, And Tim—whatever he needs he'l/have it. Now, Jet's warm up this place. Put some more coal oi the fice. Before you dot another i lets have more coal! INA: Scrooge is even better than his word, He becomes 2s good a man and as good a friend as the city has ever. ‘known. Itis said from this point forward that any ‘man knows how to celebrate Christmas, itis Bbenezer Amerrier Scrooge. ©nyfine Day! rank turkey ‘outo go > titand aitea aprize hours. It tand for be fired. bling rerrier wrsalary any way T it. Now, onthe coal! becomes ghas ever. ifany Ebenezer reer rire ranreoterromerieer itor Cae How Charles Dickens Changed the World oung Chasies Dickens ves Living fo siblingsaent with his da to ‘a nightmare. rom sunup to. °* suncown, be anorea ina ark, ratinfesten warshouge, saoniping labels to. tote. And tbe end of the workday broughs 20 reli. He lived in a Aiapidated boarding ‘house, To escape, ho ‘woud wander the streets of Landon. ‘At only, 12 years old, (nares was ot his own ~ How had.tinta. 7 <7: append? chats fater had gone! og sep into debs 1a Ts By Kathy Satterfield stay together; Charles's mom and, language: “Dickensian.” It means “resembling the conditions desorbed in Jall. Chriss, however, had to quit ‘achool andio 0 work lo nay as family dobta. "Those dark days wouidt es ‘inpdvenahed living and ‘woking condions, Diokene's trasioyet one : aes ees Write About Fulfillment chsries viccens once wrote, “No one is useless in ‘this world who lightans the burdens of another.” What do you think'that means? How does ‘his quotation relate to A Christmas Carol and “How Charles Dickens Changed the World”? Use evidence from both texts in your answer. Send it fo DICKENS CONTEST. Five ‘winners will get Andrea Warjen’s Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London. Cau : ACTIVITY. cong Worw.scwovastic.com/scorE » oecenaeR 10,2012 15