I’ve been writing for my drama group The RLT Players since 2011, so we are approaching our fifth original show. That in itself seems amazing. It’s been an awesome ride as we’ve performed before hundreds if not thousands of individuals, bringing our unique brand of drama to the stage. We perform short dramatic sketches, centered around a theme, usually with some sort of morale. It’s drama with a purpose, and in the middle of so much modern drama which seems to have no purpose whatsoever, the response to what we produce has been overwhelming. We focus on all kinds of topics from family, to social issues, to economic theory, to religion, to good-old-fashioned wholesome fun. It’s really been the most rewarding experience I’ve had in connection with the theatre.

Well, the new show if finally finished. I’ve been writing it over the past couple of months. It’s our first and perhaps last Christmas show ever entitled “Tales of Wonder.” I approached the writing of this show trying to capture the essence of wonder that I felt about Christmas as a child. I want the audience to walk away in the Christmas spirit, with a smile on their face and charity in their soul. It’s a mix of the secular and the sacred, as any good Christmas show should be. This coming Monday we’ll have our first read-through with the actors, but before I do that, I wanted to highlight the 9 different dramatic sketches which will be part of the show. (in random order)

1. National Toy Day – this is a fun satire about Congress declaring December 25 as National Toy Day.
2. Jolly Old St. Hick – a comedy about a sophisticated urban couple whose car breaks down in the deep countryside  on Christmas Eve. A country bumpkin teaches them the true meaning of Christmas
3. The Last Shepherd: A Musical – this is a short musical about the last living shepherd who witnessed the birth of Jesus.
4. The Christmas Banquet – about a man who is supposed to invite every person in the world to the Christmas Banquet, but has problems inviting those who are different than him
5. The Family Homecoming – a comedy about a rich person’s butler, who schemes to bring his employer’s family back  home at Christmas
6. Tree Talk – a group of Christmas ornaments are all in an uproar when Candy Can realizes that she is going to be eaten at Christmas
7. Christmas in the Trenches 1914 – Based on the true story of the British and German troops who  set aside their differences and came together to enjoy Christmas in the midst of war
8. Season’s Greetings – a grandmother is expecting her family to visit her this year at Christmas only to receive a Christmas Card instead
9. Tales of Wonder: A Drama Medley – this one, which gives the entire show its name, is a collection of three skits which attempt to illustrate the wonder and awe that Christmas gives to Children. All of the skits are wrapped around a beautiful medly called “Arise and Touch the Dawn.” Skit 1: Snow Fort – about boys and girls ready to attack each other with snow balls Skit 2: Santa Daddy – about a father who is caught by his daughter putting gifts under the tree. Skit 3: You Gotta Get Up – about two kids who wake up their parents early on Christmas morning

These were really fun to write. I hope I did Christmas justice. I can’t wait to start working on them. They’ll be performed at the Penang Performing Arts Centre on December 3-5.