Book & Lyrics by George G. King and Gayanne Ramdsen King
Music & Lyrics by C. Michael Perry
(Perfect for Professional, Community, College/University, and Church groups.)
On the night of the great blizzard of 1953 a young couple find their way to the Herstoller Hotel, a mountain inn. She is pregnant. Their car has broken down just outside. They are looking for a room. The innkeeper’s wife is leaving; she has had it. As her husband enters they begin to air their personal laundry in front of these young strangers. But a busload of entertainers is on their way, and though the inn is all booked up––the beds aren’t made, yet! The wife leaves. The young couple is turned away. The daughter of the innkeeper, and her boyfriend, arrive. The innkeeper’s wife re-enters with the young couple in tow, and she needs a doctor–– right away. What no one in the play seems to realize is that they are all in the process of coming home. A modern and subtle retelling of the Nativity.
PLAY DETAILS
- 6W 9M plus 14ensemble
- MARY ELLEN JOSEPHS – A sweet young lady from the Deep South, in her early twenties. She is expecting a baby, for the first time.
GEORGE JOSEPHS – Mary Ellen’s husband. He is near her age and a very good man, nervously becoming ready to assume the role of fatherhood.
MRS. MYRNA HERSTOLLER – A very active, attractive, outspoken, and feisty woman in her mid-fifties. She is full of spit, spunk, and determination. She and her husband Herbert are the owners of the hotel where the action takes place.
MR. HERBERT HERSTOLLER – A man who is also in his mid fifties, and who sometimes seems to be aging fast. He is slightly older than his wife, decisive, and definite, and very determined to make a go of the Herstoller Hotel business.
MRS. BERTHA BALLOOMER – A matron of impressive size and voice who sometimes serves as a soloist for the group of singers temporarily lodging at the hotel.
MARGARET HERSTOLLER – The twenty-two-year-old daughter of Myrna and Herbert Herstoller. Naïveté and gentle optimism radiate from deep within her. If this were a fairy tale, Margaret would be our eager princess whose dreams are about to come true.
HANLEY JOHNSON – A very well behaved, gentleman slightly older than Margaret and utterly captivated by her.
MR. PINCER – The titular leader of the singing and dancing group that resides at the Herstoller Hotel while the action takes place. A very nervous, very quiet, cowering little man who hates conflict and tries at all cost to avoid it.
DOCTOR SAMUEL SMITHSON – The Doctor who is called in great urgency to the Herstoller Hotel. A man in his mid fifties, he is a practiced medical professional, solid, stately, and very sure of himself.
BARNEY BARNES – A hospital aid who accompanies Doctor Smithson to the hotel.
PETEY STARR – The ambulance driver who brings them both.
EZRA ESKLESON – A local farmer and sheepherder whose wife makes excellent Christmas pudding.
ANGEL MARIE ESKELSON – Ezra’s wife and the best cook in the county
BEN — husband to Judy, around 30ish, one of the 3 dancing couples
JUDY — wife to Ben, around 30ish, one of the 3 dancing couples
3 DANCING COUPLES, 8 SINGERS A singing and dancing group that is staying at the hotel overnight often. - Period costumes 1950s
- 1 interior/exterior
- ORDER# 3204
Available!
PERUSAL MATERIALS
PERUSAL SCRIPT: The PDF of 1/2 of the script is available: ComingHomePERUSAL
SONG LIST:
PROLOGUE — (demoed)
#1 — Down Home (CAST)
SCENE ONE – NO ROOM Late evening one week before Christmas.
#1 — Down Home (continued)
SCENE TWO – A SONG OF CHRISTMAS Shortly thereafter.
#2 — Christmas Time (CHOIR)
SCENE THREE – COMING HOME Shortly thereafter.
#2a — Christmas Time (rep 1) (MARGARET & CHOIR)
#2b — Christmas Time (rep 2) (MARGARET)
#3 — To Find Love (MARGARET)
SCENE FOUR – IN LIMBO
#4 — The Old Spinning Wheel (MYRNA)
INTERMISSION
SCENE FOUR – THE ARRIVAL Shortly thereafter.
#5 — Under The Tree (BEN & JUDY)
#6 — Daddy’s Eyes (MARGARET & HERBERT)
SCENE FIVE – WHEN HE COMES The morning of the next day.
#7 — When He Comes (CHOIR & COMPANY)
#8– Room (MYRNA & HERBERT)
#9 — Now That I’ve Found You (HANLEY & MARGARET)
#10 — Coming Home (Finale) (COMPANY)
DEMO SAMPLES: The DEMO MP3s below are non-vocal. They are made from the FINALE MUSIC NOTATION file with an instrument playing the melody. The lyrics are in the perusal script.
REHEARSAL MATERIALS
Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account), EMAIL us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Before we ship any rehearsal material we will need your performance dates, the name of your organization and the theatre where you will perform.
- Performance License Application: No production rights can be granted until this application is filled out and sent to us. This is a filler form that after you click “SUBMIT” will send directly to our email address. Response averages 2-3 business days.
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- Script in PDF format — Order #3204a : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to print copies for your production)
- Vocal Book in PDF format — Order #3204b : $15.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to print copies for your production)
- Piano-Vocal Score in PDF format — Order #3204c : $30.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to print copies for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3204d : (will be quoted upon application, send email with your info, or use the License Application below)
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3204e : (will be quoted upon application, send email with your info, or use the License Application below)
Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
- Script in PDF format — Order #3204a : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to print copies for your production)
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PRODUCTIONS:
PREMIERE: just waiting for your theatre’s name here (a premiere production will be able to make special royalty arrangements with the authors)
- STAGED READING: The Provo Library Academy Square Ballroom— Dec. 10, 2018
- STAGED READING: Orem LDS Ward — Orem, Utah — December 21, 2017
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
COMING HOME: A Christmas Story
Book and Lyrics by
George G. King and Gayanne Ramsden King
Music and Lyrics by
C. Michael Perry
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play.
“Coming Home: A Christmas Story” is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
from the catalog of
