Speaking of Christmas

If you want to celebrate the birth of the Savior by participating in a Christmas play but have a limited budget and want to avoid long rehearsals, you'll want to have this fascinating collection of twelve short plays in readers' theater format. Whether you're a novice or have plenty of experience, you'll find these scripts, varying from humorous to deeply religious and ranging from 5-20 minutes in length, to be easy to stage yet packed with meaning. Suitable for worship services, prayer groups, religious education classes, retreats, or for entertainment at parish social functions, these flexible dramas can be staged in a sanctuary, classroom, lounge, or any large space, and require no scenery, costumes, or special lighting. Brief background essays on the Christmas play and on readers' theater are also included, along with a list of other helpful resources.

Some of the intriguing presentations include:
* A Discussion Among Angels
* The Tree That Didn't Get Trimmed
* Million Dollar Christmas
* Hoodoo McFiggin's Christmas
* Home For The Holidays

Matthew Powell, OP is an associate professor of theater at Providence College. A Roman Catholic priest, Father Powell previously taught or served in campus ministry at Urbana College, Edgewood College, and Tulane University. He is the author of Performing Parables and God Off-Broadway, which was nominated for the Theater Library Association's George Freedley Memorial Award, as well as The Christmas Creche, which was honored by the Catholic Press Association. Powell is a graduate of the University of Dayton (B. S.), Miami University (M. A. in speech and theater), Aquinas Institute (M. A. in theology), and the University of Wisconsin (Ph. D.).