Christmas Plays - How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch
Stole Christmas

Christmas Skit & Christmas Dinner Program
By

Jeannette McQueen-Nobbs




Setting:

Gym has absolutely no decorations in the room.
Tables that are set up around the gym with no table cloths or any centerpieces.

The stage has plain undecorated Christmas trees on to look like a forest setting.
White sheets can be draped in front to look like snow.
A few sacks stuffed with newspaper and a few gift wrapped boxes at the open end to look full of gifts and presents.



The Program begins at 5pm or 6pm and Follow with the “Who-Ville Feast” or feast first and then do the skit first. Adjust it or have no food just a play with the Grinch.



Program
Skit:

Narrator 1 and 2 can be on opposite sides of the stage.

Narrator 1:
“You will recall from Dr. Seuss’s holiday “horror” story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas, that the devilish Grinch determined to rob Who-Ville of every treat. In a nefarious scheme in which the Grinch dressed as Santa himself,” (a)


Lights go on the stage to view the Grinch in his Santa suit or the Grinch in his Santa suit enters the stage.

Grinch:
He goes onto the Left side of the Stage. He looks at the sacks of presents and he laughs sincerestly.


Narrator 1:
“he moved through Who-Ville taking every package, tree, ornament, & stocking!” (b)

Grinch takes toys, etc out of his sack of gifts and throws them into the audience while the audience sings the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch".

Narrator 1: Will the audience please sing the song "Your a Mean one Mr. Grinch"

Grinch continues to interact with the audience by throwing toys, rubbing an audience person's hair etc to the end of the song.

Pause….
“Three thousand feet up the Grinch looks down at Who-Ville.” (c)

Grinch:
Grinch- looks down at the audience.
Pause…
He then says laughingly: “Pooh-Pooh to the Who’s!” (1)

Grinch - slowly & expressively says while he paces back and forth across the stage,
“They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming. They’re just waking up!”(2)

Grinch - stops suddenly and points his finger into the air and says,
“I know just what they’ll do!” (3)

Grinch - pauses for a minute like he’s thinking and then says to the audience,
“Their mouths will hang open a minute or two.” (4)

Grinch - then laughs and loudly says, “Then the Who’s down in Who-Ville will all cry Boo-Hoo!” (5)


Noise
Back of the stage a loud noise is made by banging some stick or something to make a loud, “Bang”


Grinch:
He laughs and says: “That’s a noise!” (6)

Grinch - pauses and puts his hand to his ear and then says,
“That I simply Must hear!” (7)


Narrator 2:
(Expressively said) - “So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.” (8)
Grinch - pauses and then puts his hand to his ear.

Narrator 2:
“And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.” (9)


Grinch - acts like he’s hearing a noise.


Narrator 2:
(Softly to louder) - “It started in low. Then it started to grow…” (10)


Narrator 1:
(Expressively) – “But the sound wasn’t sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn’t be so! But it Was merry! Very! (11)


Grinch – Looks down the stage to the audience in the gym.

Narrator 2:
(Expressively) “He stared down at Who-Ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook!” (12)

Grinch:
He starts shaking his body.

Narrator 2:
(With strong emotion) “What he saw was a shocking surprise!” (13)

Narrator 1:
(Slowly) “Every Who down in Who-Ville, the tall and the small, Was singing!”(14)
Pause…and then expressively say:
“Without any presents at all.” (15)


Narrator 2:
“Would the audience please stand, hold hands, sway and sing, “Welcome Christmas.”

Pianist & Chorister:
Song: “Welcome Christmas.” (16)

Narrator 1:
(Expressively) He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same! (17)

Narrator 2:
“And the Grinch with his Grinch – feet ice cold in the snow,” (18)

Grinch:
The Grinch looks down at his feet and shakes his head.

Narrator 2:
“Stood puzzling & puzzling.” (19)

Grinch:
The Grinch shakes his head and points his finger onto the side of his head like he’s thinking and says:
“How could it be so?” (20)

Pause and then slowly continue:
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!” (21)

The Grinch then starts to pace back & forth across the stage and looks like he’s thinking.


Narrator 1:
“And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.” (22)

Grinch:
The Grinch rubs his head while narrator 1 says his line above.

Narrator 1:
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!” (23)

Grinch:
The Grinch puts his finger up into the air while narrator 1 says the line above.

The Grinch looks at the audience and says slowly and expressively:
“Maybe Christmas,” (24)

Narrator 2:
“he thought,” (25)

Grinch:
“doesn’t come from a store.” (26)

Pause…slowly say:
“Maybe Christmas…” (27)

Pause…
“perhaps…” (28)

Grinch cont’d:
“means a little bit more!” (29)


Lights
Stage lights turn off. It goes dark for a min.

Nativity
Below the stage on the right side place a chair and Mary sits on the chair, Joseph standing beside her. The baby Jesus is in a manager in front of them.

Lights
A spot light or lights shine onto Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.

Narrator 1:
“Luke 2: 6-7, ‘And she brought forth her firstborn son & wrapped him swaddling clothes, & she laid him in a manager.”

Narrator 2:
“Will the audience sing the 1st verse of ‘Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains.”

Song: “Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains” 1st verse

Narrator 1:
“But except for Heavenly witnesses, these three were alone: Joseph, Mary, the baby to be named Jesus.” (d)

Enter the nativity scene:
4 Shepherds go to Mary, Joseph & baby on the west side while narrator 2 speaks these words below. Some kneel down and look at baby Jesus.

Narrator 2:
“Shepherds would soon arrive & later…” (e)

Pause while shepherds go to the nativity and then say:

“Please sing the 1st verse of “What Child is This.”

Song: 1st verse of “What Child is This”


Enter:
3 Wise men come from the EAST side of the Room to Mary, Joseph & Baby Jesus while Narrator 2 speaks the words below. Each wise man takes his turn and places a gift in front of Jesus.

Narrator 2:
“wise men from the East,” (f)
Pause while wise men place gifts in front of Jesus.

“We will now sing the 1st verse of ‘We Three Kings’”

Song:
Audience sings, “We Three Kings”

Narrator 1:
“Later yet the memory of that night would bring Santa Claus & Frosty & Rudolph - & all would be welcome.” (g)
(slowly)
“But first & forever there was just a little family; without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby – that’s how Christmas began.” (h)

Narrator 2:
“Would the audience now sing all the verses of "Hark the Herald". It’s for this baby that we shout!”

Song: all verses of “Hark the Herald”


Narrator 1:
(slowly) “Perhaps recalling the circumstances of that gift, of his birth, of his own childhood, perhaps remembering that purity & fait & genuine humility will be required of every celestial soul, Jesus must have said many times as he looked into the little eyes that loved him (eyes that always best saw what & who he really was), ‘Except ye be converted, & become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Matt 18:3’” (i)

Narrator 2:
(expressively) “Christmas, then, is for children – of all ages! (j) We will now sing all 3 verses of ‘Away in a Manager.’”


Song: 3 verses of “Away In A Manager”


Grinch:
He goes back onto the left side of the stage near the undecorated trees.

Lights:
The lights also shine upon the Grinch and the Nativity scene.

Narrator 1:
(slowly & expressively) “And what happened then…? Well… (pause) in Who-Ville they say That the Grinch’s small heart” (30)

Grinch:
The Grinch moves his hand back and forth to his heart while narrator 1 speaks about his heart in words above.

Narrator 1:
“Grew three sizes that day!” (31)

Narrator 2:
(slowly) “Welcome Christmas! Bring your cheer!
Cheer to all who’s far & near!
Christmas Day is in our grasp!
So long as we have hands to clasp!
Christmas Day will always be!
Just as long as we have we! (32)
(Pause)
We will now sing all 3 verses of ‘Oh, Come All ye Faithful’”

Narrator 1:
“Would you please sit down and we’ll have a closing prayer by ___________.”

Closing Prayer

THE END!!!


(a-j) is from a talk “Maybe Christmas Doesn’t Come from a Store” by Jeffrey R. Holland Dec 1977 Ensign
(1-32) if from the Book “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” by Dr. Seuss





Characters:

Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Grinch
Mary
Joseph
4 Shepherds
3 Wiremen


Props:

Manager with doll for baby Jesus
Artificial trees o look like a small forest
White sheets on stage draped to look like snow.
Sticks for a few shepherds
3 boxes gift wrapped to look like gifts
Chair for Mary to sit on.

Costumes
Shepherds – housecoats with ties
Wise men & Crowns
Mary
Joseph
Grinch

Music
Piano
Chorister
Christmas carols at the tables
Sheets of songs not in the Christmas carols





Songs in order:

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (can purchase the music online)
Welcome Christmas (can purchase the music online)
Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
What Child is This
We three Kings
Hark the Herald
Away In a Manager
O Come all Ye Faithful





No offence was intended by writing this script and taking parts of Dr. Seuss's book nor Jefferey R. Holland's talk. It was written as a script to bring people back to Christ and the true meaning of Christmas. No money can be charged for this play, skit as of Copyright laws you can't use this for money . I'm not responsible for any damages occurred by doing this skit.

Queenie 1
or
Jeannette McQueen-Nobbs



Other Suggestions you could do are:
1. Families could dress up like “Who-Ville” characters if they want and could win a prize for the best costumes. Best Cindy-Lou Who, Grinch, Max etc.

2. Please feed your family some light snacks before they come so they can sit through the Program and still have room to eat our “Who-Ville Feast” following the Program.

3. We could follow dinner with some Grinch crafts for the children. In the Primary Room set up several “Who-Ville” table stations. Parents and the other couples can socialize in the gym while children are doing their crafts.

4. At 5pm upon arrival you have on the empty tables with The Grinch Quiz (online the Grinch site) with pencils on for people to answer the questions.

5. After the program ends you could have the members “Table Decorating Contest.” Each group at the table will go to the kitchen or assigned room to pick up a table cloth, plastic forks, cups, plates, etc and they have to decorate their own tables. They bring from home a box of centerpieces, etc. to make their table festive.

A couple can judge the tables and a small prize is given to each person at the table example a box of chocolates to be passed around to the people at the table.

Prizes are for “The Best overall Table”
“The Most original Table”
“Most festive Table”
“The Most “Who-Ville looking Table,” Etc.

Suggestion for the invitation and poster board could be:

The LDS church invites you to our “Who-liday Christmas Party” “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”

Date:
Time:
Place:
Program begins at 5pm. “Who-Ville” feast follows the program. Costume contest for best “Who-Ville” character, Grinch crafts for the children to follow.

Assignments- Sunday School take care of the Crafts in the Children's Room
Women to cook and prepare the “Who-Ville Feast”
The Youth to serve the food
The Men to do the clean-up