The Christmas Goose

Written by Joshua Powlison

Abigale (eldest orphan)
Joel (elder orphan)
Isabel (middle orphan)
Constance (middle orphan)
Charity (young orphan)
Lucas (young orphan)
Fortune (young orphan)
Jack
Scene 1 (City Streets)
Mid-1800s in London; think A Christmas Carol
LC: Lights U
Abigale runs out from SR to CS
Abigale: (calling) Hullo? Joel? Isabel? Constance? Charity? Lucas? Fortune?
oel! "sabel! and Constan#e #ome in from SL
Joel: (to Isabel) here did the little scamps !ander o"" to this time###
Isabel: Joel$ don%t talk such !ay& Christmas is 'ust around the corner&
Constance: (es Isabel$ but so is dinner# I hope they return soon#
Charity
and Lucas: (o""stage) e%re coming& (run in "rom )*)
Constance: hat### !here did you t!o come "rom?&
Charity: e 'ust "ollo!ed the roo" paths back around&
Lucas: hy did you lose us?
Isabel: It !asn%t on purpose#
Abigale: (to Lucas and Charity) +id you "ind anything?
Charity: ,here !as a little shop selling apples "or a brass "arthing apiece# ,hey
must be o-erstocked#
Constance: (es$ !e sa! that too#
,he Christmas .oose
/0/
Joel: And !e didn%t e-en ha-e to get !ho kno!s ho! many "eet o"" the ground#
Isabel: +on%t be sour&
Constance: (to Lucas and Charity) +id you "ind anything else?
Lucas: Here%s something you !ouldn%t ha-e seen "rom ground le-el# (hands
Abigale some coins)
Abigale: 1eauti"ul& (drops the coins in a small pouch) And I ha-e enough more to
co-er us "or tonight&
Isabel: here%s Fortune?
Fortune: I%m o-er here& (runs out "rom )*)
Constance: hat took you so long$ Fortune?
Fortune: Apologies$ ma%am$ I !as o-er ga!king at old man Jack%s "at goose# He
le"t the !indo! open#
Charity: A goose?& o!### a goose "or Christmas###
Fortune: He !as har-esting its eggs#
Lucas: I !onder i" old man Jack !ould be !illing to sell his goose###
Abigale: +oubt"ul$ but !e%ll be okay#
Joel: (snarky) hy don%t you go ask him?
Charity: .ood idea& (runs o"" )L)
Isabel: 2o$ !ait& Charity& Jack%s dangerous& (turns to Joel) Joel&
oel shrugs his shoulders
Isabel: Charity& (runs o"" )L# Abigale "ollo!s)
!ring out "oor SL to Stage Le#t$ behin" Lucas an" Joel%
Lu#as! $ortune! Constan#e! and oel ste% u%stage&
Fortune: ould old man Jack kill her?
Joel: 2o$ you !ould ha-e to be absolutely heartless to kill Charity#
,he Christmas .oose
/3/
Constance: (ou%re right$ and I think Jack has a heart$ it%s 'ust### a dull one#
Lucas: His heart is boring?
LC: &ront stage lights "own
Charit' #omes out SR! (alks u% to door and kno#ks& "sabel #omes out SR! Abigale
behind! ho%ing to sto% Charit'& a#k #omes from SL to the door&
Isabel: Charity$ !hat are you doing?
Abigale: Isabel$ you%re o-erreacting# Jack can%t be that bad#
a#k o%ens the door&
Jack: (gru"") hat do you !ant?
Charity: Hello$ sir$ I !as !ondering i" you !ould be !illing to sell your goose#
Jack: 4h$ !ere you? And ho! much do you think a goose like mine is !orth?
Charity: I don%t kno!# Is it -ery "at?
Jack: It doesn%t need to be#
Isabel: I%m sorry sir$ !e didn%t mean to bother you#
Jack: It%s 5uite all right# 1ut let me repeat my 5uestion# Ho! much do you think
the goose is !orth?
Charity: (ponders# ,akes the pouch "rom Abigale$ hands it to Jack) ,his much?
Jack: (looks into the pouch# )houts) 2o& (thro!s the bag out into the street past
Charity and Abigale$ scatters coins# 6nters the door and slams it behind him#) And don%t
you soil my doorsteps !ith your miserable sel-es again&
a#k e)its SL& *ause& Charit' starts to ba(l&
LC: &ront stage lights u
oel! Constan#e! $ortune! and Lu#as enter SR&
Lucas: hat%s !rong$ Charity?
Charit' #an+t s%eak&
,he Christmas .oose
/7/
Joel: (ashamed) I%ll go get dinner#
Isabel: (ou can start by picking up the coins# (orks to com"ort Charity#)
Joel: Charity### I%m sorry#
Charity: (stops crying) It%s okay$ Joel# (pause# starts ba!ling again)
Abigale: A miserable old man Jack is#
Lucas: hat happened? I didn%t hear any o" it### e8cept "or the 9miserable sel-es:
part#
Isabel: (ou didn%t need to hear any more#
Fortune: ill he gi-e us the goose?
Abigale: 1ut by a miracle$ no#
Fortune: 4r### (thinking) I" !e steal it#
Isabel: Fortune& +on%t talk such !ays& )tealing%s !rong&
Lucas: 1ut he made Charity cry& I say he has it coming#
Isabel: I%ll ha-e no part in it&
Abigale: 2either !ill I# (ou kno! this can only end badly#
Joel: ell$ I%m !ith Lucas and Fortune#
Constance: ;e too&
Charity: ;e too&
Abigale: (to Isabel) Come on$ Isabel$ let%s go buy some apples#
"sabel and Abigale! unim%ressed! e)it SR
Fortune: Here%s !hat !e%ll do###
LC: Light 'ut
(o)e the "oor S*$ #acing S*% Place a table behin" CS$ a chair S* o# the table$ an"
on SL lace a cage with a blan+et o)er it$ hay insi"e$ an" a gol"en egg in the hay
(imortant Scene ,)% Place a two-ste stestool with a gray cloth o)er it behin" the
table$ SL o# it a bit. this is a /win"ow0 #or &ortune to come through%
,he Christmas .oose
/</
Scene 1 (Jac+2s 3ouse)
LC: Lights U% 4ightime
a#k is aslee% in the #hair& $ortune! oel! Constan#e! and Lu#as enter SR and go u% to
the door&
Fortune: ait "or me$ I%ll go through the !indo! and come around#
Charity: All right#
Lucas: e%ll ha-e goose tomorro!&
$ortune goes to (indo(; #limbs u% and gets into the house! as the follo(ing dialogue
goes on&
Constance: (ou sure that%s not today no!?
Lucas: hiche-er day it is$ I%m ready# Let%s 'ust hope that )anta doesn%t come
!hile she%s in there#
Charity: Are you kidding? Jack%s not good enough "or coal#
,he' all sni#ker&
$ortune goes to the door and unlo#ks it& -%ens it&
Joel: .ood 'ob#
Fortune: ,hanks#
Charity: It%s odd to ha-e a goose so near !here one sleeps#
,he' (alk o.er to the #age& $ortune lifts u% a #orner of the blanket&&&
&5: Goose hon+ing
&&/ui#kl' dro%s it& a#k (akes slightl'! falls ba#k aslee%& oel and Lu#as s#o(l at $ortune&
Fortune: It%s still in there#
Joel: (grabs the cage) 4kay$ let%s get out o" here#
,he' all (alk to(ards the door& a#k sniffles! (akes u% slightl'&
Jack: hat### !hat%s happening?
Lucas: e%re stealing your goose#
,he Christmas .oose
/=/
Constance: 2o$ !e%re not&
Fortune: .o back to sleep$ sir# (singing) *ock>a>bye>baby on the tree top###
a#k is snoring in no time& ,he' all e)it the house& ,he' run off SR
&5: Goose hon+ing wil"ly
a#k (akes u%&
Jack: ha### !hat? (looks o-er) ;y goose& It%s gone& .aaaah&
LC: Lights 'ut
Ta+e the "oor$ table$ chair$ an" stestool o##stage
Scene , (City Streets)
LC: Lights U%
oel and Constan#e are CS! sitting on the 0oose #age (ithout the blanket& "sabel #omes
out SL! a little grogg' (ith the blanket from the goose+s #age (ra%%ed around herself&
Isabel: Hullo$ Joel and Constance$ you look a!"ully chipper#
Joel: (ou bet$ I??y#
Constance: e%re looking "or!ard to Christmas dinner&
Isabel: +inner? I didn%t sleep in that long$ did I?
Constance: 4h$ no# 1ut it%ll take a !hile to prepare#
Isabel: (shocked) (ou didn%t& (ou little###
Joel: +on%t talk such !ay$ Isabel& It%s Christmas&
Abigale enters SL
Isabel: It%s the season o" gi-ing$ not o" taking& ("eeling the blanket around her
shoulders) here did you get this blanket?
Constance: From the cage that the goose !as in#
oel gets off the #age! begins to e)amine it
Abigale: hat& (ou stole the###
,he Christmas .oose
/@/
Joel: I" !e clean it out$ maybe !e could use it to store some o" our "ood# Aren%t
I a city man$ Abigale? (opens the cage)
Abigale: +espicable$ yes#
Joel: I !as thinking economical# (takes a golden egg out o" the cage) 4h$ look$
an egg# Constance$ do you recall !hat the bro!n ones are?
Constance: +ouble yoke#
Joel: Ah$ enough "or an omellete&
Constance: (takes the egg "rom Joel) Joel### this isn%t an ordinary egg#
Joel: (es$ because it came "rom a goose$ not a chicken$ Constance#
Isabel: It glitters&
Constance: It does& (bites it$ pondering) Joel### I kno! it%s cra?y maybe$ but I do
belie-e this egg is made o"###
Joel: (takes it and looks at it himsel"$ bites it$ shocked) 2o### (calls) Charity&
Lucas& Fortune& 1ring the goose in here right a!ay&
Charit'! $ortune! and Lu#as bring in the goose! no( #ooked and on a %latter! singing
1e 1ish 2ou a Merr' Christmas
Joel: ,he goose laid golden eggs&
Charit'! $ortune! and Lu#as sto% singing& Sho#ked&
Fortune: (happy$ runs up) Let me see it&
Joel: 2o& +o you reali?e !hat this means?&
Lucas: ;ust ha-e been a sick goose#
Joel: 2o&
Charity: e can buy ten more geese&
Joel: (es$ but no# ,hink about it&
Charit'! $ortune! and Lu#as sto%& ,heir #ountenan#es fall&
Charity: 4h#
,he Christmas .oose
/A/
Lucas: 4h#
Fortune: 4h#
Charity: 4ught !e###
Abigale: Apologi?e?
Isabel: (ou bet#
Fortune: 1ut he%ll kill us&
Lucas: (eah$ his heart is boring&
Abigale: +o !e ha-e any other choice?
Constance: (ou don%t kno! !hat he%ll do to you&
Fortune: ;a%am### !e can%t let you go&
Isabel: hy don%t I go ask him then? (grabs the cage and runs o"" )L)
Joel: I??y&
oel runs off after "sabel SL! Abigale follo(s! and Constan#e follo(s her& Charit'!
$ortune! and Lu#as sta' behind&
!ring out "oor SL to Stage Le#t$ behin" Charity an" Lucas%
Charit'! $ortune! and Lu#as ste% u%stage&
Fortune: (ou guys hungry?
Charit' and Lu#as shake their heads&
LC: &ront stage lights "own
"sabel runs out SR! goes to a#k+s door and kno#ks& a#k #omes o.er to the door& oel
runs out SR and goes o.er to "sabel& Abigale and Constan#e #ome in and go o.er&
Joel: Isabel$ !hat are you doing?
Isabel: hat should ha-e been your "irst thought&
a#k o%ens the door! freaking out&
,he Christmas .oose
/B/
Jack: Ha-e either o" you seen my goose?& (sees Isabel holding the cage) 4h$
thank goodness& (takes the cage$ closes the door# Cause# 4pens it back up
and shouts) ,his cage doesn%t ha-e my goose in it&
Isabel: ("urious) ,hat%s right$ old man Jack$ !e stole your goose last night#
Jack: hat?&
Abigale: I" you need "urther proo"### (holds the golden egg up to Jack)
a#k is stunned&
Jack: 1ut### !hy? All I e-er !anted to do !as li-e at peace !ith my neighbors###
Isabel: ,hen e8plain !hy you screamed yesterday at Charity& (ou don%t !ant to
li-e at peace$ you !ant to li-e alone& ith your crotchety old sel"&
Jack: ("urious) here is the goose no!?
LC: &ront stage lights u
Charit'! $ortune! and Lu#as #ome u% (ith the #ooked goose& a#k sees it! freaks out&
Lucas: +id !e come too soon?
Jack: hat?& ,he goose that laid the golden eggs### is Christmas dinner?
Constance: (es$ !ould you tell us !hy you look like that? Just !hat !ere you doing
!ith the eggs?
Fortune: 2ot much$ 'udging "rom the inside o" your house#
Jack: hat are you all here "or$ then? ,o mock this 9crotchety old man:?
Abigale: ,o apologi?e&
Charity: Apologi?e? He yelled at me&
Constance: (to Charity) ,!o !rongs don%t make a right#
Jack: (shocked) (ou%re here to apologi?e?
Abigale: (es$ and to return to you !hat is right"ully yours#
Abigale hands a#k the golden egg! then takes the #ooked goose from Charit' and Lu#as
and hands it to a#k&
,he Christmas .oose
/D/
Lucas: Hey&
Isabel: Jack### (takes the blanket "rom around her shoulders and hands it to Jack)
!e are truly sorry#
Lucas: e promise ne-er to steal again#
oel! Charit'! and Constan#e agree& $ortune %auses a bit! then agrees too&
Abigale: And !e%ll be taking our lea-e no!#
Abigale #urtsies! the' all (alk SR
a#k #loses the door! then! fighting (ith himself! /ui#kl' re-o%ens the door&
Jack: ait& (all stop) It%s been years since I%-e had Christmas dinner !ith
anybody### !ould you all like to 'oin me? 6-en though$ it !as a goose that laid golden
eggs### and it meant a lot to me### and### !ell###
Lucas: ould !e?&
Lu#as runs to the door& a#k sto%s him&
Jack: I%m Jack# (e8tends hand)
Lucas: (shakes Jack%s hand) Lucas# (runs through the door$ o"" )L)
Charity: I%m Charity#
Jack: Cleasure to meet you# (they shake hands)
Charit' e)its SL
Fortune: I%m Fortune# ,his !as kind o" my idea# I%m sorry$ sir#
Jack: ,hank you "or your apology# I%m Jack# (they shake hands)
Lu#as e)its SL
Constance: I%m Constance#
Joel: I%m Joel$ !e sa! you last night !hile you !ere sleeping#
Jack: ay too much in"ormation# I%m Jack#
Joel: (es$ good to meet you#
,he Christmas .oose
/0E/
Constance: Indeed#
Jack: (ou too#
oel e)its SL
Jack: And !ho are you t!o young ladies?
Isabel: I%m Isabel#
Abigale: I%m Abigale#
Jack: Abigale? I belie-e that means a 'oy"ul "ather#
Abigale: I !ouldn%t kno!$ sir# I ne-er met my "ather#
Jack: ;e neither# ,he goose !as a bit o" a "amily heirloom$ but I don%t think
I%-e been honoring my late "ather%s !ishes !ith it# Are there many other children like you
t!o and your "riends?
Isabel: (ou ha-en%t been out much sir$ ha-e you?
Jack: 2o#
Isabel: (es$ yes there are#
Jack: ;aybe I%d best !ork to change that#
Abigale: (touched) ;erry Christmas$ Jack# (e8its )L)
Isabel: (touched as !ell) ;erry Christmas& (e8its )L)
Jack: (es$ ;erry Christmas# (!alks )L)
LC: Lights 'ut
Curtain Call
,he Christmas .oose
/00/