The Star

Melanie’s cell was vibrating in her pocket. She took it out and saw Pastor Nike, the children’s pastor at church was calling.

“I wonder what she could be wanting”

“Hello Pastor Niki, What’s up?”

“HI Melanie, I was talking with Pastor Jeff and we were thinking, since you do such a good job at it.

Here it comes.

If you would consider doing the children’s Christmas play this year.”

“When does Pastor Jeff plan Christmas service to be?”

“ December 21”

“That doesn’t give much time.“

“I know it doesn’t, but I have confidence in you.”

“Thanks. Let me think about it tonight and I will tell you tomorrow.If you could give me a list of kids in kids church I can look over it. I will give you my answer in the morning before kid’s church.”

“Alright, thanks Melanie.Talk to you in the morning.”

“Ok. Bye Niki.”

Melanie stared at her cellphone, Call Ended.

“This is the middle of October I did not do a play last year because they asked in the middle of October and I said that was not enough time to write a play, cast it make sure all kids had something to do and everything else.”

“I really would prefer to have heads up no later than the end of September. I now people just think I throw this together but I need ideas, I ned to know what kids are regulars and most likely to be consistent.”

Last year Pastor Niki had a few kids read few scripture verses printed on paper, which is fine but you could tell they hadn’t even practiced what they said.”

“With kids practicing for 20 minutes during kids church and only having seven weeks, six because of Thanksgiving. That means I have a pretty tight deadline. Yes, I am doing it to myself. I could say no, but I like writing plays and I am fairly good at it.”

Melanie went for a walk, taking to herself. “Ok, Mel, you are probably going to do the play, so you might as well figure it out.”

Writing a kids play for general public was one thing. The cast was pulled from the general public at large. But writing a play for a specific group of kids meant she needed an idea of what talent kids had. What kids were going to be there the majority of the time and whose parents were going to be supportive on getting them for dress rehearsal.

I am going to have to come up with a script that incorporates all kids. Which means doing a Christmas play with lots of same characters. I could have extra kids be shepherds so they have a part. But shepherds are always done. Angels? Nah already been done. Sheep? Could be amusing since kids and sheep rarely follow any directions ha

Melanie continued talk our her ideas. “What is something in a Christmas play that I can have several of the same character?”

She did not want to do just the traditional Nativity story. It had ben done so much, that people just tuned it out.

Melanie suddenly exclaimed, “Stars!: Stars are numerous.”

“The wisemen followed the Star of David to the Christ child.

What if I did a play about a contest on who or which star would be the “Bethlehem Star?”

“All the characters could be related to stars or galaxies.”

Melanie ’s mind was racing with ideas She started to put herthoughts in a file.

Melanie walked back home and started to jot down notes. This is kind of fun. I could have:

“Str Bright”

“Str Light”

“Shotting Star”

“Twinkle Star:

“Rock Star”

“The Bethlehem Star”

Ok that is the main characters. Now for extra kids , I could call them The Triangulum Constellation.

I could make this play like a talent search.. with a panel of judges, called, Orion, Moonbeam and Comet.

Each star would present some type of talent, except for the Bethlehem Star named Wink.

We will say God is producer of Star Search and He is looking for the right star to lead the wise men to his son.

Melanie told Pastor Niki her ideas.

“That sounds great!” How can I help?”

“I need to know who is in kids church, who you think would be consistent and responsible and have you tell them that we are doing a Christmas play and everyone who wants to take part can, Some parts will be speaking parts, there will be dance parts and background parts for those who don’t want to be out front.”

“We will have preschool kids act out Nativity scene while one of the children reads the story. It will be incorporated into the story line of Star Search.”

Pastor Niki gave Melanie a list of the kids’ names and said she told them about tryouts.

“They are excited!”

“ That’s great”

“ I will set up in the Red Room and if we can have kids come in groups of 4-6. I think we can get through them all during kids church.”

During the week, Melanie worked on the script, came up with some songs that could be used for the talent potion and had ideas for costumes.

The following Sunday, Melanie waited in the Red Room for the first group of excited children.

The time went by fast. Melanie had each child read a couple lines she had prepared to see how they reacted, if they followed direction. She showed them an 8 count country line dace choreography and an 8 count hip hop beat. To see who could follow counts and who had natural rhythm.

She would work with what she had and she first needed to know what talent they did have.

She wrote down names and what they excelled in: good speaking voice but not read y for dance routines.. great country accent and follows dance steps well. And so forth.

One little boy. Who wanted a part so bad, came dressed up in suit and tie.

“Have to give him a part. He may fit the part of “Wink” The Bethlehem Star”

That afternoon after church Melanie sat down and looked over her notes

Ethney definitely is the Shooting Star, a country star. She could do other parts but no one else does the country twang like she does. I will put Nate and Michael as back up with her for the country line dance.

Ella and Lilly will be Star Bright and Star Light and do a Hip Hop routine with London.

Jaxon will be the Rock Star, he can mimic guitar solo

Twinkle Star can be Rory, She along with Hannah and Layna will do a Ribbon routine

Adam will be the Bethlehem Star. He won’t have any formal talent to show, he just will want to shine bright for God.

I can use sixth graders from youth, Elisha, Christian and Teegan for the host and judges of Star Search, use the names of: Orion, Comet and Moon beam

Rest of the kids can be backup singes insole hand choreography called

Triangulum Constellation. Since they are back up it does not matter how many I have.

Satisfied with how she casted the play she wrote, Melanie kept busy with costume ideas, easy set design and choreographing simple 4 8 count routines.

Melanie was not a pro dancer but was a pretty good study and had some experience in choreographing routines for kids musicals.

Melanie had a hard time finding the right kids songs, especially ones that would relate to the story of finding the star to be the Bethlehem Star.

She decided to concentrated on costumes. She decided on tutu style costumes out of netting for the girls. , Yellow for Lilly and Ella with London in orange. , Red with white bandanas for Ethney, the boys for her back up dancers could wear Jens and plaid shirts. Rory would wear pink, while it would be blue for Hannah and green for Layna.

For the Bethlehem Star Melanie found a battery operated bow tie, that lit up.

She could make a simple celestial head dress for Teegan, “Moonbeam” one of the judges.

Melanie found a song for a country line dance to a country version of”This Little Light of Mine”, she kept it simple with side steps and only used 2 walls instead of four.

She was still working on finding an hip hop song. Her deadline of when all was to be done and they were in rehearsals was fast approaching

“Not sure why I keep saying I will do these things, when I would prefer that some practices begin ing first Sunday in October Not the first week of November. So why do I do this? Why submit myself of dealing with the stress that I place my self.? Because I enjoy seeing everything come together. And actually I excel when I have a tight deadline.

Kids did pretty good in practice, Ethney picked up the line dance fairly easy, Nate and Micah struggled a bit but it will be fine.

Melanie found the same song: “This Little Light of Mine” to a hip hop routine. So the next Sunday she went over the routine with Ella, Lilly and London. Told them about the costumes and that she was adding a net glove for one hand, (Idea from Michael Jackson days haha)

Melanie found an easy version of the Christmas story and asked Pastor Niki which child int he back ip chorus would be ok with reading the Christmas Story.

“Peyton would do nicely”

“ Sounds good. Here is the script for that part. She does not have to memorize it just be comfortable with it.

“We will not have practice the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I am sure a lot of people are gone or have company . Practice will continue the following Sunday and will continue for each Sunday up to performance. w we will have mandatory dress rehearsal on Saturday, December 20th We will need at least 11/2 to 2 hours, know it seems lie a lot but they need to go through it a couple times.

“Can the children’s department finish snacks and drinks for them?”

“We can do that, thanks for all your hard work Melanie”

Melanie had completed the script. She had made all the costumes and had choreographed routines for Hip Hop, Country Line dance, both to variation of song “This Little Light of Mine”, Lyrical ribbon routine to the song “Made to Glow” for Rory, Hannah, and Layna.

She choreographed hand movements for the back up group, “Triangulum Constellation’

Adam, who would be the Bethlehem Star just had to “shine” that is why he wins the “Star Search”, he just simply shone the brightest among all the stars.

Aft he is chosen, Peyton reads the Christmas story and as each pat is mentioned the preschoolers will walk up the center mile in their Nativity costumes as Mary carrying “baby Jesus” and Joseph, shepherds and angels Wink with his lit bow tie will shine behind them . The cast will sing children’s song “Away in aManger.”

I think it will be a cute play”

Saturday’s dress rehearsal was chaotic, but wt do you expect with 35 kids from ages 3 to 12?

But honestly the kids did a great job. Did they listen? Sometimes Did they mess up? Yeah sure. Was Melanie upset that she said yes to such an endeavor in such short time? No.

Melanie just needed to learn that what ever happened on Sunday, parents and relatives would love the kids’ performance the older saints would smile and probably be thinking cute but bring back the traditional, many will say, “Great job Melanie!” And Pastors Niki and Jeff will say “We knew you would do a great job.

The Christmas program was a success. Was it perfect? No. But the kids did their best, had fun, everyone seemed to enjoy hearing the Christmas Story in a new light. And just as Melanie thought, Pastor Niki approached her and said “ you doo such a great job, if we decide to do a play next year we will ask you.”

Melanie smiled, “I should say no to such a tight deadline, but you know what? I will probably do this again.”