WHS Theatre Presents: "What Could Go Wrong the Night Before Christmas?" (2025 Winter Play)

probably had a cold, but I just wanted to tell you just a little bit about what you're about to see so that you have a good idea of what's happening. Um, first of all, I always get like a little bit choked up when I'm up here on this stage because this stage was really my first love. This exact one, in fact, when I was a freshman, I was here on this stage and I fell in love with it. And my hope is that we will get many future people to fall in love with it. Just like our freshman this year, we have, I believe, nine freshman and two sophomores in theater this year. They're they're all represented here except for one that's been sick all week. So, she's taking finals and somebody's filling in for her. And that's how good these guys are that they could do that. And I don't think you'll even know who it was. Um, so if you want to laugh, please laugh. Uh, did Mrs. Shrader come? Is Mrs. Shrader here? No, Miss Shrader. Oh, I was going to have her stand up because Miss Shrader did this job that I do now for so so many years and was so so very good at it that I hope that I eventually someday can fill her shoes. But without any further ado, I'm gonna bring out your host for today's program, and she's going to let you know uh what's about to happen. Can I shoot? Hello and welcome to our show. We are so excited to have you. We're doing this play just for you and we sure hope you enjoy. My name is Leah and I will be your host for today. I will be telling a Christmas story, an old favorite that many of you know at least part of. It's about Santa's visit to a house on Christmas Eve. It's called It was the Night Before Christmas. Was the Night Before Christmas and all through the >> Hey, hold it. >> What? What? >> Why are we Why are we stopping? We just got started. >> No, no, no. We can't do the night before Christmas with all you here dressed like this. >> Why not? >> Well, you're dressed for Halloween. She's dressed for Easter. And she she's dressed for the beach. And and not one of you is dressed for Christmas. This isn't the night before Halloween or the night before Easter or the night before spring break. It's the night before Christmas. A great holiday costume. See? Can we do something about this, please? Stage manager. Oh my gosh. Now, let me try this one more time. TW was the night before Christmas all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings. >> Want any sixes, dude? Great. Not buddy. Go fish. Oh, man. That's so cold. I needed some sixes. And it was a real valley, you know, and you just sort of disregarded my earnest. >> Sorry, man. Do you have any queens, Billy? >> Thanks. Do you have any threes? >> Oh, kitty cat. >> Sorry about my potty mouse, guys. That's okay. Just don't do it. >> Here you go. >> Do you have any sixes? Oh, man. That's like the supreme display of uncool. I've had these sixes for a while now and I was getting really attached to them. They're becoming like a part of my heart, a part of my very being. But alas, you did manly love. I hope you know you're wrenching my heart right out of my chest. It's like giving up a beloved pet or a Sorry, ma'am, but I got to do the takes. I mean, this is go fish. There's a lot of steak here. Exactly what may after all you doing here? >> Um, now don't hold me this but it appears to me that we are playing a game of go fish. What do you think normal? Are we playing a game of go fish? Well, Trixie, your assessment of our current situation and engagement is indeed an accurate one. >> But you're not supposed to be here. >> I've often felt that way. A lack of purpose, an ether direction of my life. The big questions about the universe. Why are we here? I struggle with it from time to time. I even went to therapy once, but that didn't work out because my doctor told me I talked to. I don't know what share. I mean, you're not supposed to be here. I don't care about your car game. I don't want to hear about your little journey to self-fululfillment. I'm just trying to tell a Christmas story, a traditional holiday classic to these children. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I need you to vacate the premises. Because as the story reads, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. I'm not stirring, dude. I'm shuffling. Sheesh. >> That's it. I have no choice but to resort to extreme measures. >> Extreme measures, huh? You fight dirty. I respect that. >> Oo, I never knew extreme measures to be so enjoyable. >> Yeah, extreme measures look just like cheese. It was the night before Christmas all through the house. Not a creature was stirring >> or shoveling, >> not even a mouse. The stockings were hung. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled. Hey, the children were nestled on the other bed. That means asleep now. The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads and mama worker chip. Lovely. And mama chip and I and my cat had just settled down for a long winter's night when up on the roof obnoxious ears shattering noise. >> Excuse me. >> What? >> Can you please stop shouting? You're likely to wake the children. >> I'm likely to wake the children. You're shouting. >> What about the horrendous noxious ear shattering noise from a moment ago? >> Oh, you mean the clatter? That was just the clatter. It happens every time we do this poem. It's the clatter. The clatter won't wake the children because it's supposed to happen. A screaming tirade from the narrator. However, that's new to us. >> Papa, I'm going to look at all the children. I'm afraid that the screaming tirade might have frightened them. Now, if you'd like to continue, we'll be ready as soon as Mama has returned from looking at on the children. I hope they're all >> Mama. The screaming tying frightened me. >> I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so loud. It's just it's already been a very difficult experience. This po I've been overrun by wrong holidays, mines, and now hard rock. >> You mean clatter? >> Yeah, sure. Clatter. I give up. >> Goodness, this is a huge group of people and they all look like wonderful people. For their sakes, you should proudly continue. Tell the story. >> Yeah. Come on, Compadre. Pull yourself together and do this for the children. After all, children are our future and our greatest treasures. So for them, today for all humankind, try again. Beginning with the class. >> Yes, madam host. Begin with the clatter. Not that part again. >> Yes, that part again. >> Thank you, dude. Okay, now I think up the road there arose such a clatter. I sprang from my bed to see all of the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash. for under the shutter and threw up the sash. The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow gave the luster of midday to objects below. What >> that simply means it was exceedingly bright outside due to the moonlight shining on the whiteness of the snow. >> Oh, when what to my wondering eye should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver so lively as quick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. Now Ber, now Dancer, now Prancer and Mixer on comment making on D and Bliss to the top of the porch to the top of the wall. Now that's all. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the prancing and pine of each little h again. >> As I drew in my head and was turning around down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bang. He was just all fur from his head to his foot. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. And not my clothes are perfectly clean, not tarnished with anything. Mrs. Claus would have my head if I got my suit tarnished with ashes and soot. One time I got Christmas cookie icing on my collar and I had to find one for hours looking for a stain remover pen so she wouldn't find out. >> Stain remover pen. >> It's a wonderful little applicator stick used for clean clothes and other texts. It can move virtually anytime as well. >> You know, now that you mention it, you are really clean for just coming down a chimney. How do you do it? >> Why? It's Christmas magic, of course. Anti pen. Okay. His eyes how they jingle, his dimples how merry, his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. The stump of a pipe yelled tight in his teeth, and the smoke encircled his head like a wreath. >> Excuse me, Santa. I'm sorry to interrupt your word, but I have to ask. Where is your pipe? And where is your smoke? It's not encircling your head like a wreath, as the poem says. >> Yes, that's right. There's no pipe hold tight in my teeth cuz I finally realized that smoking is bad for you. >> It is? >> Yes, it is. It's terrible for the body and it poisons the lungs. It's okay, Papa. It's not your fault that you didn't know this. The dangers of smoking weren't all known to the 1970s. You live in the 1800s, so you have no way of knowing. >> And now that you told me, I'll tell everyone I know. >> That would be fantastic. If someone in the 1800s had created a quit smoking campaign, just think of how many lives it would have saved and how many lungs would have turned out looking like this. Now, this is going to be a little gross and it's hard to look at, but it's very important to me to spread the word about why I stopped smoking. Tell everyone you know that smoking is bad for you. That would be a great Christmas gift for the world. Dude, one of my cousins worked as a research lab rat and the scientist made me smoke all the time. I never knew that's what happened to him. >> Bummer. I'm sorry to be a father and I know I'm imposed on and this is really so informative, but I think that we should get back to the police, right? This beloved Christmas classic. But before we do, I want to mention it one more time. Santa has quit smoking. After all these years, I am very very proud of you, Santa. >> Had a frog face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bull on jelly. He was chubby of plump, a right jolly old. >> Hey, you wait just a north pole minute. You got Santa all wrong, young lady. >> What do you mean? I'm reading straight out of the book. This traditional holiday classic right here. What do I have wrong? >> Well, I think you went a little overboard on the fat comments. I mean, you know there's an obesity epidemic, right? If anything, I'm hardly over the national average. So, I think the way you went on and on was uncalled for. But you have to be fat. You're Santa. The chubby. >> How would you know? I spent several lines of the poem talking about how sad your breath smell or about how annoying your voice was. >> Really? Really? No, your breath was okay. Your voice it's fine, but I just wanted you to see how it feels to have somebody so badly maligning in front of an audience. >> Malign to speak badly of someone. >> I'm sorry, Santa. I was just reading what was written. It's okay. I forgive you for the fat comments. Thank you. He was only slightly chubby and puff in a very pleasing and healthy way. A right jolly old elf and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. He spoke not a word but went straight to his work and filled all his stockings then turned with a jerk. >> Hold on a second. >> Quiet. You're rushing me. I can't fill all these stockings just in your one sentence. He spoke not a word but went straight to his work then filled all stockings. That was only like 5 seconds. Okay, then you just let me know when you're done. I'm just trying to narrate a story here for 100 kids. But don't worry about me. Okay. You sure? >> And filled all his stockings, then turned with that jerk. Did you just call Santa a jerk? >> Girl, I know you didn't. >> Well, well, not exactly. I said he turned with a jerk. >> No, Padre. It's not really always about the exact words you say. Sometimes it's a tone in which you say them. Words are a powerful thing like a sweet wellwax surfboard. But tone tone is like a 25 ft wave that carries forth in the subtleties and nuances. Very well spoken, my island dwelling friend. Thanks dude. You know that's really true what said. I mean sometimes your mom or dad might ask you something and you might say okay. But sometimes you might use the exact same word but say it differently like okay. You see the difference? >> I get told for that all the time. Guess I'm using a sassy tone. >> I noticed that my body notes. >> Oh no. >> It's okay. Don't worry. Overall you're fine. You do need to work on that sassy tone you use with your parents sometimes. >> Okay. Miss host lady. Do you think you can work on your tone, too? >> Yes. I do apologize for letting my patience get the best of me. It's just everyone's trying to put on a great holiday classic for these fine folks to hear. That means we all have to work together. So Santa, I'm very sorry that I used my tongue and kind of called you a jerk. That was a very wrong thing to do. Please forgive me. I forgive you. And children. And to you, too. I'm so sorry you saw me behave that way. >> Even when we try our best, everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to be honest, apologize, and do whatever you can to make it better. >> I'm really very tired. >> Me too, Papa. No wonder it's almost daylight. >> Daylight? I still have four more continents to deliver to. Oh, that must be my cue to finish up. >> Oh, dude. Are we almost through? Major Bman, this has been a blast. And I want you all to know that in our brief time together, my heart has been bought into each of yours in the eternal ways that I cannot venture to explain. So, Madam Hostess, if you allow me, please let me. And laying his finger aside, and giving a knot, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. I just love Christmas. It's such a great time to reflect on the things that really matter in your life. The things that give it meaning and purpose. The things that let you look at yourself every day and say, "I am somebody and I can make a difference." I love you guys. >> I love you, too. Children, back to bed. >> It has been an experience. >> Thank you, I see you next year >> on the night before Christmas. >> And there you have it. Our version of The Night Before Christmas performed just for you today. We enjoyed having you and we sure hope you enjoyed this. Keep making Santa's nice list and remember, merry Christmas to all and you all a good night. Heat up here. Heat up here. Heat up here. Heat. Heat up