About MCMG

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"Merry Christmas, Mr. Grumble!: The Musical" (MCMG for short) is a play based off a short story of the same name, which was in turn based off of the annual "Lights Before Christmas" show at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. It is aimed primarily for an audience of families with children K - 8th Grade. It is designed to be performed by a church congregation; it contains 11 Characters (including an offstage narrator) an Adult/Teen Choir, and a Children's Ensemble. It also contains 12 songs (9 Original), runs about 2 Hours, and has an optional intermission. It requires little special effects as regards lighting, set, and sound, but does suggest comic elaboration be used in costume design.

Plot Synopsis
Tobias George is a lonely, childless, friendless widower, who works at a small city zoo, and is the only keeper who stays over the Christmas Break. Despite the fact he is a very good Zookeeper, and the animals all love him, he is always sullen and sad (hence his nickname, Mr. Grumble). The animals in the zoo, wildly misguided but with good intentions, try several ways of cheering him up before Christmas comes; however the communication barrier between their language and his, and their misunderstanding of the situation regarding his unhappiness, cause serious problems. It is only when the one animal wise enough to know how to read books discovers Mr. Grumble's lost journal that they gain an understanding of the truth, and discover a way to show their beloved Zookeeper once and for all that God's Children are never truly alone.

Cast

 * Narrator
 * Mr. Grumble
 * Ira the Peacock
 * Roo the Wolf
 * Alf the Wolf
 * Snort the Reindeer
 * Honk the Penguin
 * Momma the Elephant
 * Big Guy the Bear
 * Wiki the Zebra
 * Screech the Monkey
 * Choir
 * Children's Ensemble

Songs

 * 1) Prelude (Instrumental)
 * 2) Silent Night
 * 3) Joyful Noise
 * 4) Caroling Bells Medley
 * 5) Christmas Carols Overload Medley
 * 6) Best Day EVER!
 * 7) Never Alone
 * 8) The Son (with O Holy Night)
 * 9) Do You Hear What I Hear?
 * 10) Never Alone Reprise
 * 11) Finale!
 * 12) Curtain Call (Instrumental)

Author's Notes
'''Christmas is about God giving the world His Son; however, there are other things that have become part of the Christmas celebration, which, though hardly wrong in and of themselves, can become distractions from the truth when human self-centeredness and greed are applied to them. As the first Christmas was based on love - pure, unselfish, self-sacrificing love - we should all remember to share this feeling with others, especially those in need. Unfortunately, it is all-to-easy to get wrapped up in our own enjoyments (or lack thereof) around Christmas, and to forget about the others who might need a helping hand, or a little emotional boost, around this time of year. '''

'MCMG'' is a simple, easily-understood story of a Zookeeper and the animals he cares for. It is a tale of a man who has become so wrapped up in sorrow and loneliness, he no longer enjoys Christmas; a man who receives a shocking and spectacular reminder that there is still love in this world, in places where he’d least expect it to be. It is a reminder to all of us of the joy that comes from sharing the Love of Christmas with others.'''

'''The main characters in this story who recognize and show God’s love are actually the animals themselves. One reason animals were used was to make the story more enjoyable for the younger audience to whom this musical is primarily directed; furthermore, animals as a general rule have a devoted innocence and simplicity about them, which it would be difficult to give to human characters. I have always thought it wonderful how so many pet, Circus, or Zoo animals become so devotedly attached to the humans who care for them; I have often thought, were the creatures gifted with a close -to- human intelligence, that there would be no telling what extremities they would go to in order to keep the humans they love happy. '''

'''I certainly hope you have as much fun performing this as I did writing it. Please bear in mind, this is musical for children and their families, not a musical to be performed solely by children. It is intended to be a project that the whole church can take part in - it is intended to rejuvenate, and to help members bond with one another.'''