Patricia Gilliam's Script Blog

Behind-the-Scenes Christmas Index

2009-10-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here is an index of the script and character profiles for this story, which is designed to be used in conjunction with a traditional Christmas program. This gives you the freedom to have various acts as well as a coherent story that unites them.

Plot summary: A small television station is on the verge of shutting down due to the economy, putting its employees under stress while they're preparing for the station's annual Christmas show. Jim is the station's general manager and has spent the majority of his career employed at the station. Allison is a single mom and is in charge of operations. Whitney is the Christmas show's main act who has just found out her husband has filed for a divorce. Amy is a cleaning lady who works at the station on the contract basis. She is also a Christian who wants to share Jesus with the people around her in a very friendly and caring way. You can read on for more details.

You have my permission to copy and paste this particular project for free, under the condition that you don't resell it. I created this with the expectation it would be used for church Christmas programs, so I don't want any compensation from that and wanted to make this available for free. If you would like to purchase an Adobe .pdf ebook or paperback copy, a purchase link is available on the right-hand column of this blog.

Character Profile: Whitney Jacobs

2009-10-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Basic Traits/First Impressions

Whitney is in her late twenties/early thirties and has been a professional singer since she was a young child. In all of this, from a material standpoint she’s always been given everything she’s ever wanted. Over time this has made her demanding, and while she is very gifted musically her maturity level hasn’t changed much from when she was a child. This caused her to rush into a marriage in her twenties, which has had problems from the very beginning. Spiteful over their latest argument, her husband recently told a reporter and posted an entry on Facebook that he’s filing for divorce. She finds this out on her way to the station.

Whitney has an overall attitude of “Why does everything always happen to me?” She basically attributes anything good in her life to her own efforts but blames God for the results of her other actions. Despite the fact that she came from a financially poor background herself, she has developed a rude attitude toward anyone she sees as being in a lesser position in life. This is to make herself feel superior, since she has an underlying fear of going back into poverty no matter how successful she becomes. This fear has made her driven, but she has no peace or happiness in her life. The joy that she originally had in singing is at this point gone, and she believes she’s never going to regain it again.

The core thing to remember about Whitney as a character is even though she projects this rude, defensive, and snobbish diva exterior, inside she’s basically a confused and scared kid who never grew up. She believes she has no hope of changing the direction of her life, and anyone who tries to convince her otherwise is either wrong or wants something from her.

Crisis Situation

Despite what everyone else sees—the fame, the material wealth, the surface-level adoration from fans—Whitney feels completely alone. She hasn’t had a genuine friend in her life for almost a decade, and in her arrogance she’s pushed away her parents and all of her old friends prior to her success. Now her marriage has failed, and she doesn’t think she has anyone. All the sights and sounds of regular families enjoying Christmas are now making her sad—she wants a life with substance, but she thinks she’s too far gone to have it.

Resolution/How Character Changes

Whitney’s entire life is in a huge mess, and she’s dealing with her hurt and anger the only way she knows how—by lashing out at other people. Amy gets the brunt of it when she attempts to talk to her for two reasons: 1) Whitney sees Amy as just a cleaning lady, and she doesn’t think anything she says is going to help her. 2) She’s never had anyone stand up to her before, and she thinks Amy is just going to fold like everyone else who may have tried to reach out to her.

Character Profile: Jim Anderson

2009-10-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

Basic Traits/First Impression

Jim has been the general manager of the TV station for thirty-four years and has no intentions of ever retiring. He knows the industry well and has little tolerance for anything less than his excellent standard. For the majority of his career, this has been a good quality and caused the station to do well.

After the death of his wife however, Jim started clinging to the station as the only meaningful thing left in his life. He began ranting and having angry outbursts at his employees even over minor issues. Some long-time employees like Allison have stuck it out, but others have moved on to other stations because they couldn’t take it his behavior anymore.

Crisis Situation

To Jim, this station is more than just a business—he has thirty-four years of memories wrapped up in it. He and his wife both worked there (she was the station’s accountant)—if it fails, he would be at a complete loss of what to do with the rest of his life. The harder he’s tried to cling to it however without any balance, the worse things have gotten. All of his strengths as a leader have been pushed to the point of becoming weaknesses, and he doesn’t immediately realize the consequences of his actions until much later.

There is also the aspect of his wife’s influence not being there anymore—she was the person that was encouraging him to attend church and was much more active in her faith than he was. He’s at a crossroads—and the purpose of his character is to represent people who can go either direction based on their decisions. He’s also meant to be relatable to people who have been laid-off or are in danger of being laid-off from their jobs after putting a lot of years and effort into their careers. Jim intended for this station to be his legacy, and by all indications he’s going to lose it.

Resolution/How Character Changes

Jim has let himself fall into a backslidden and neglected state in his faith because of grief over his wife and fear of losing the station. Jim learns that God is not through with him yet, and he still has a lot to offer with his gifts and abilities regardless to the fate of the station.

Possible Alteration of the Character

There is a hint in this storyline that Jim makes a lot of promises to people with good intentions but later does not follow through with them. He’s made promises to his employees that they would have security, and the station is struggling (and would have failed without Amy and Whitney’s financial help). He promises Amy he’s going to go back to church, which may or may not end up happening.

The careful thing to remember about him however is that although this flaw in him is unresolved by the end of this story, he shouldn’t be portrayed as being beyond all hope of being reached. Otherwise it sends the message of “why even bother trying to help him?”

Character Profile: Amy Michaels

2009-10-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Basic Traits/First Impressions

Amy has cleaned the station on a contract basis for almost fifteen years—she has other business clients outside of this and is not struggling financially despite a rocky economy. Her husband Charlie was a firefighter who died four years earlier, and Amy has raised their two sons (Brent is a high school senior and James is a freshman) ever since.

Amy is a Christian, and it was Charlie who originally encouraged her to go to church. Before this, she had a singing career like Whitney (although no one at the station except Jim knows this). Most of the money from this is now gone, but between it and Charlie’s life insurance their house is paid for, the boys have college covered, and Amy has a significant amount in savings to where she could retire if she wanted. Her main concern through the station struggling is not on herself but for the people around her.

Charlie’s death was sudden and tragic (he got trapped in what would have otherwise been a routine warehouse fire), and Amy has been through a grieving process where Jesus has gotten her through it. She still misses Charlie, but she’s at a point where she has peace and wants God to use her to help other people.

Crisis Situation

It is very possible that if this station closes, Amy may never see any of these people again—and they’ve become like family to her. Jim used to go to church with her and Charlie, but he hasn’t been back in almost a year because of the death of his wife Brenda. She feels a connection with Amy because of them both being single moms, and she recognizes her old self in what she sees in Whitney and wants to help her as well.

Resolution/How Character Changes

Most of the change in Amy’s character happens prior to this story, but there are indications that she has changed over time. Her main challenge now is how to handle expressing her faith to people she cares about in a very real and meaningful way. She is also there to show a contrast in responses she gets even though there’s very little difference in what she says to each person. Allison is the most impacted because she’s been looking for an answer. Jim basically humors her—whether he’s going to follow-through with what he says he’s going to do is kind of questionable. Whitney mocks her but comes around at the very end.

Character Profile: Allison Carter

2009-10-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Basic Traits/First Impressions

Allison can be in her late twenties/early thirties and a single mom of two young children. Her daughter Brittney is in second grade and her son Josh is in kindergarten. She never married their father, and he’s been out of their lives for five years. He does not pay child support. She does her parents to help her with her children, but for the most part she has tried to keep herself from what she considers being a burden to them.

To compensate for all of this, Allison projects the outside impression that she can “do it all” without anyone else’s help—as of the beginning of this story, she seems to be backing up this impression. She works full-time as a station manager, picks her children up from after-school care, makes dinner, stays up late getting ready for the next day, and starts it over again. She is highly organized and an asset to the station, but she’s in a constant state of exhaustion.

Allison is open-minded about Jesus and doesn’t put up much resistance to Amy’s attempts to talk to her. There are two core issues blocking Allison that she needs to get past. One is fear—she’s had to rely on herself for so long that the idea of laying everything down and trusting Jesus to guide her life is frightening to her. The other is shame and guilt—she knows she’s made a lot of past mistakes and somewhat wonders if she struggles so much because of them, like God may be mad at her for what’s she’s done. Amy shows her in a very friendly but Biblical way how to get past her fears and misconceptions.

Crisis Situation

The station is in financial trouble, and Allison’s job is her family’s only source of income. The stress of trying to keep the station afloat compounds on her and causes her to lose focus on everything. All of the plates she’s been spinning start to fall at once—she forgets about the after-school care shutting down early for Christmas, and her mom and dad have to pick them up, etc. She is so wrapped up in fear and worry, and she wants real peace in her life. This is what draws her to Amy’s calm stability and gets her curious about how Amy’s faith in Jesus has gotten her through what she sees as a much worse challenge.

Resolution/How Character Changes

What Allison learns over the course of this story is that she has let life’s circumstances stand in her way of having a relationship with God and that Jesus is her solution and a source of strength to being able to withstand the storms in her life. By the end of the story, she accepts Jesus and is willing to do what’s required for her to grow as a Christian.

Behind-the-Scenes Christmas Final Scenes Options

2009-10-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

WHITNEY IS SITTING ON DRESSING ROOM STOOL, WAITING FOR AMY. AMY WALKS IN AND DOESN’T SEEM SURPRISED.

95) WHITNEY: (STANDS UP) I just wanted to apologize to you. What I said before—I didn’t mean it. I was just angry, and at the time you seemed like an easy target. Guess I was fooled, huh? You were amazing. I came back because I felt guilty and didn’t want to leave them without a final act. You should do this professionally. I know some people if you…

96) AMY: (SHAKES HER HEAD AND SMILES) I did have a singing career, Whitney—it was several years before I met my husband. What you said before—about me failing at something and being jealous of you? I was trying to explain that I started out a lot like you. I made a lot of money at it, and in itself there’s nothing at all wrong with that or being a success at what you love. It’s just that I let my life get so out of balance that one day I woke up with no real friends and no solid purpose for my life. Everything that could have easily been a blessing to me and the people around me became a curse—and it was my decisions that caused it, not God’s.

97) WHITNEY: So what made you change?

98) AMY: (CONTINUES TO SMILE) Well, one day I had my hairdryer and two different curling irons plugged off of the same outlet. It caused a small fire. In addition to giving me a stern warning not to do that again, there was this incredibly annoying firefighter who tried to talk to me about God. With my incredible maturity and grace at the time, I threw my water bottle at him.

99) WHITNEY: Then what happened?

100) AMY: He invited me to church—five times before I ever took him up on it. We were married two years later. Merry Christmas, Whitney. (WALKS AWAY AS LIGHTS FADE)

Final Scene Option II (CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED AFTER FINAL SCENE OPTION I IF TIME PERMITS BOTH)

SHORT MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE OVERHEAD SCREENS—THIS COULD BE A VERY SIMPLE WITH FADE-IN AND FADE-OUT TRANSITIONS:

(STATION CALL LETTERS)’S Christmas program received the highest local ratings in its time slot.

Three days later, an attempt was made to make up for the station’s budget’s losses through viewer donations.

Two anonymous donors matched all the other donations combined, and the station was saved for another year.

To be continued Christmas 201X…

Act II--Behind-the-Scenes Christmas (Portion Where Traditional Program is Embedded)

2009-10-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

THIS CAN BE TREATED AS AN INDEPENDENT SECTION, WITH CHARACTERS IN ACT I BEING PART OF THE SHOW. FOR EXAMPLE, JIM CAN FILL THE ROLE AS THE MC, ALLISON CAN READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY, AND AMY SINGS HER SONG AS THE END. EVERYONE IS VERY PROFESSIONAL, AND NOTHING GOES WRONG. TO THE IMAGINARY TELEVISION AUDIENCE, EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL.

FROM A STORY STANDPOINT, OUR ACTUAL AUDIENCE HAS AN EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT IN THE SHOW DOING WELL—CONSIDERING THIS IS EITHER THE STATION’S LAST CHRISTMAS PROGRAM OR ON THE HOPE THE RATINGS WILL BE SO GOOD THE CORPORATE EXECUTIVES ARE GOING TO CALL BACK AND CHANGE THEIR MINDS.

ACTORS CAN HAVE A LOT OF FREEDOM WITH THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH ALLISON SHOWING SOME EMOTION AS SHE READS THE CHRISTMAS STORY, AND THE FINAL SONG BY AMY JUST BLOWS EVERYONE AWAY.

THE CLOSE OF THE TV PROGRAM HAS THE SAME CROWD OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING THE STATION’S STAFF COME OUT ON STAGE, WITH JIM, ALLISON, AND AMY STANDING TOWARD THE FRONT. THE INSTURMENTAL OF THE FINAL SONG IS STILL PLAYING, AND THEY ALL LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE CAMERA.

85) AMY: God loves you.

86) ALLISON: Jesus will meet you where you are.

87) JIM: You’re never too old, too young, or too far gone.

88) AMY: He’ll change your life.

89) ALLISON: He’ll be your anchor through the storms.

90) JIM: And He’ll use you to change other lives for the better.

91) AMY: All it takes is a decision—a first step. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You just ask Jesus into your life and mean it in your heart, and then you follow up that step with finding a good local church so that over time you can learn and grow with other Christians on the same journey.

92) JIM: Along the way you may have to face some fears—and some past pains—but Jesus loves you so much and wants to see you through them. He wants to show you the difference between just existing and getting by to having a peaceful and fulfilling life.

93) AMY: If everyone will please stand and bow your heads. If you would like to make this decision, you can repeat this simple prayer or use your own words. Jesus, I want you to be my Lord and Savior. I know that I have sinned, and that it separated me from God. You died for my sins, was raised from the dead, and paid the price for my salvation. I invite you and the Holy Spirit into my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

TWO THINGS NEED TO BE NOTICED WHEN EVERYONE LOOKS UP. ONE IS ALLISON IS NOW STANDING BETWEEN JIM AND AMY, HOLDING ONE HAND FROM EACH OF THEM—IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HEAR HER VOICE ALONG WITH AMY’S DURING THE PRAYER, ALTHOUGH NOT AS LOUD. THE OTHER IS THAT WHITNEY IS ON ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE AND SAID THE PRAYER, TOO—ONLY SHE’S OUT OF SIGHT OF EVERYONE ELSE ON THE MAIN SECTION OF THE STAGE. (WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A SPOTLIGHT ON HER HOWEVER SO AUDIENCE NOTICES HER)

94) ALLISON: From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

EVERYONE TAKES A BOW, CURTAIN GOES DOWN.

Scene III--Behind the Scenes Christmas

2009-10-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

GATHERING OF ABOUT 10-15 PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THE STATION’S STAFF, BUT WHITNEY AND AMY ARE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN. JIM LOOKS AROUND FOR A MOMENT BUT IT HAS REACHED THE POINT HE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER)

59) JIM: I received a call from George Harris about fifteen minutes ago, and as of midnight of December 31^st this station will no longer be transmitting after sixty-seven years of operation. I—

(GROANS OF DISAPPOINTMENT AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS AT ONCE. JIM HOLDS HIS HANDS UP FOR EVERYONE TO BE QUIET)

I just wanted to say it’s been an honor working with all of you, and I wanted to thank all of you that have stayed this long. I am going to do everything within my power to help you find other positions. A lot of you are like family to me, and I...(SIGHS) Well, that’s all I’ve got, other than let’s make this Christmas program the very best we can make it. If this has to end, then let’s at least have them remember us for it.

(EVERYONE NODS IN A SOLEMN AGREEMENT, BUT ALLISON IS THE MOST VISIBLY UPSET. EVERYONE ELSE SLOWLY WALKS AWAY, LEAVING ONLY JIM AND ALLISON LEFT)

60) ALLISON (TRYING TO FORCE HERSELF INTO NOT SEEMING UPSET): I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I need to pick up my kids. Would it be all right if I brought my family here tonight to watch the show? Josh is in kindergarten now, and I think with my parents here they’ll both sit still. I think they’ll enjoy this. (FORCES SMILE)

61) JIM: (FEELS HORRIBLE THAT HE’S MADE PROMISES TO HER THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT ) Allison, I meant what I said. Everything is going to work out—I promise.

62) ALLISON: I know you didn’t know this was going to happen, but please—just stop making promises you can’t keep. I’ve had enough of that in my life. (STARTS TO LEAVE BUT HESITATES) I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just—hey, what’s she doing?

(JIM TURNS AROUND TO SEE WHITNEY LEAVING WITH A SMALL ROLLING SUITCASE)

63) JIM: You bailing on us now, too? (STARTS TO CHASE AFTER HER) You do realize we’ve already paid for you to be here. You’ll need to contact your agent if you’re going to break contract and—

(WITHOUT SAYING A WORD, WHITNEY REACHES INTO THE BAG AND THROWS A WAD OF CASH AT HIM)

64) WHITNEY: That’s double what you paid me to be here. You want to know why I’m leaving? Talk to your cleaning lady. (TURNS AROUND AND WALKS PAST ALLISON) It’s no wonder this place is shutting down (LOOKS AT ALLISON WITH DISDAIN) probably doing the world a favor.

65) ALLISON: (HAD ENOUGH) How in the world can you just go through life caring about no one else but yourself? It amazes me that you’re able to sing all of these Christmas songs and not even understand the meaning behind them whatsoever. Just go—we’ll find somebody else.

66) WHITNEY: Trust me, you’re not going to have to tell me twice.

(JUST AS WHITNEY REACHES THE EXIT DOOR, SHE IS BLOCKED BY ALLISON’S MOM KATIE AND DAD STEVEN COMING INSIDE, ALONG WITH HER DAUGHTER BRITTNEY AND SON JOSH. THE KIDS RUN UP AND GIVE ALLISON A HUG, AND KATIE GIVES WHITNEY A WARM SMILE)

67) KATIE: (ADMIRING WHITNEY’S DRESS) You look so beautiful in that dress, young lady. I’ve seen you before, but I can’t quite place you. Do you work here at the station?

68) WHITNEY: (GLANCES AT ALLISON WITH KIDS—AND THERE’S SOME INDICATION THAT THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS HITTING HER—THEN LOOKS BACK AT ALLISON’S MOM) Not exactly. If you’ll excuse me, I was just on my way out.

(WHITNEY SLIDES PAST ALLISON’S MOM AND DAD AND LEAVES STAGE. THEY TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO ALLISON, WHO HUGS AND GREETS THEM)

69) ALLISON: Wow, this is surprise. I was just on my way to your house.

70) STEVEN: We thought that with the day you’ve had that this would be easier. Everything looks great—we’re not too early, are we? (WALKS OVER TO JIM) Nice to see you, Jim. Merry Christmas.

71) JIM: (SHAKES HIS HAND) Merry Christmas, Steven. Hey I know Allison doesn’t, but do either you or Katie sing? We’re one person short for the show tonight.

72) STEVEN: (LAUGHS) You let me sing, and they’d probably shut the station down.

73) JIM: Not a problem at this point. I’ll let all of you catch up, and I’ll be right back. I need to find where Amy went. I hope she didn’t leave, too.

(JIM CROSSES STAGE TO DRESSING ROOM AREA, WHERE AMY IS SITTING ON STOOL WITH HER BACK TO THE DRESSER/MIRROR)

74) JIM: You all right?

75) AMY: Yeah…(SIGHS) I take it she overheard the station was closing.

76) JIM: Yep.

77) AMY: Is she coming back in here soon?

78) JIM: Didn’t look like it. (SMILES AT HER) Do you want to do it?

79) AMY: (SHAKES HER HEAD AND LAUGHS) Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve done anything like this?

80) JIM: Long enough. You’ve got a great voice, and besides we have a new rule around here—you run somebody off, you have to replace them.

81) AMY: (STANDS UP) So does that mean you’re the new sound crew, lighting crew, camera crew, and the director? Who else am leaving out?

82) JIM: (LAUGHS) That’s not funny—don’t even joke about that. (HESITATES JUST BEFORE HE LEAVES) Hey, Amy?

83) AMY: Yes?

84) JIM: Thank you—not just for doing this, but for what you said before. I’m going to try to make it to the Christmas service, and we’ll see what happens from there. I just don’t want you to feel discouraged—Whitney may not have listened to what you had to say to her, but I did. Anyway, thank you for caring. I’ll let you get ready.

ANOTHER SONG CAN GO HERE TO ALLOW TIME FOR SET CHANGES/CURTAIN TO RISE/ETC.

Scene II--Behind-the-Scenes Christmas

2009-10-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

(JIM IS IN HIS OFFICE LISTENING TO HIS MESSAGES. AS HE DOES THIS, HE’S PACING AROUND AND LOOKING AT VARIOUS PICTURES, AWARDS, ETC.)

(BEEP TO INDICATE NEXT MESSAGE. THE STATION’S CORPORATE CONTACT GEORGE HAS JUST FOUND OUT THE STATION IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN DECMEBER 31^ST BUT DOESN’T WANT TO BREAK THE NEWS TO JIM IN A VOICEMAIL. STILL, HIS VOICE NEEDS TO BE DEPRESSED ENOUGH FOR JIM TO FIGURE IT OUT)

34) GEORGE (THIS CAN BE PRE-RECORDED AND PLAYED IF NEEDED): Hey, Jim. It’s George. The meeting just let out about five minutes ago, and I need you to call me back as soon as you get this. Thanks.

(ANOTHER BEEP TO INDICATE MESSAGE HAS ENDED)

35) JIM: (SIGHS AND SLUMPS DOWN INTO HIS OFFICE CHAIR THEN RESTS HIS HEAD DOWN ON HIS DESK) Thirty-four years… (BALLS HIS HAND INTO A FIST AND HITS THE TOP OF THE DESK). This isn’t right! This isn’t the way it’s supposed to end!

(AMY ENTERS THE ROOM AS JIM SAYS THIS, AND AT FIRST SHE HESITATES LIKE SHE’S GOING TO LEAVE. JIM’S HEAD IS STILL ON THE DESK, BUT HE COULD HEAR AMY TRYING TO SNEAK BACK OUT. HE LOOKS UP AT HER.)

Just stay—the building should at least look nice for whoever buys it. (AMY GIVES HIM A CONFUSED LOOK) I just got a message from George in corporate—I know I have to call him back to find out the timeframe, but part of me already knows what he’s going to say. I just hope they’re going to give us time to finish up with the Christmas program this year. People always look forward to it…

36) AMY: I’m so sorry.

37) JIM: (LAUGHS AS HE STANDS UP FROM HIS CHAIR)) You’re sorry? I should be the one apologizing, Amy! This is all my fault that we’re in this mess.

38) AMY: I highly doubt you single-handedly caused the economy to downturn. (TAKES A FEW STEPS CLOSER TO HIM) Look, I know what you’re going through, and you shouldn’t be trying to face it alone. You need to come back to church. Everyone misses you, and we care about you.

39) JIM: (SHAKES HIS HEAD) I’m sorry, but I’m just not ready yet. When there’s not this much pain, maybe then I’ll come back. Right now I just can’t. I know that sounds weird, but it’s how I feel. Sometimes when I walk by Barbara’s old office here, I feel like she’s going to be there sitting in front of her computer and asking me where I hid all our purchase orders. It makes me feel good even though it makes me miss her, too. Yet one good-intentioned person can ask me how I’m doing, and I think I’m going to fall apart right in front of them. It’s embarrassing, especially after it being so long now. I can’t even believe it’s been a year already…

40) AMY: (SITS DOWN IN THE GUEST CHAIR ACROSS FROM JIM) For me, it was all of Charlie’s tools in the garage—I didn’t want to change anything for months, even though I knew it had to be done. Something I learned though is you can’t keep clinging to things and places like that if you want to heal—especially if you start putting them ahead of your relationship with God. It’s like waiting around saying you’re not going to take any medicine until you’re not sick anymore—it just doesn’t work that way. Regardless to what—

(JIM’S DESK PHONE RINGS)

41) JIM: (TO AMY) Sorry, I have to take this. (PICKS UP PHONE) Hello, this is Jim. Yeah, George, I got the message—it’s nothing against you, but I was working up the nerve to call back. Just tell me and get it over with, and I’ll handle telling everyone here. How long do we have? All right. I just need some time to process all of this, and I’ll call you back before I leave today. Is that fair? All right. Bye. (HANGS UP PHONE)

42) AMY: How long?

43) JIM: Until the end of the month. Can you keep this to yourself until I’m able to get everyone together?

44) AMY: (NODS) Sure. Is there anything else I can do?

45) JIM: (THINKS A MOMENT) I hate to do this to you, but Allison is likely busy. Would you care to get Whitney Jacobs and tell her to come out to the studio floor? She needs to know, too.

46) AMY: (SMILES AND STANDS UP TO LEAVE) No problem. I wanted to talk to her anyway. (HESITATES JUST AS SHE REACHES THE DOORWAY) Jim?

47) JIM: Yeah?

48) AMY: What I was going to say before the phone rang was that I don’t believe God is through with you yet. Don’t give up.

(AMY CROSSES THE STAGE. WHITNEY IS SEATED IN FRONT OF A DRESSER PUTTING ON HER MAKE-UP, BUT SHE HAS TO KEEP WIPING HER EYES. AMY KNOCKS ON HER DOOR, AND WHITNEY WHIPS AROUND AND GIVES HER A DIRTY LOOK AS SHE STEPS INSIDE THE ROOM)

49) WHITNEY: What do you want? This room is clean—at least clean enough for this dump. (TURNS HER BACK TO AMY AND GOES BACK TO FOCUSING ON HER MAKE-UP) I don’t see why I keep coming back to this place.

50) AMY: I do. (WHITNEY TURNS AROUND TO FACE HER AGAIN) This was where you got your start—and this is where your gift made you happiest. I remember when—

51) WHITNEY: (STANDS UP, ANGRY) Will you stop pretending like you know anything about me? I could care less if you know my parents or saw me sing here when I was kid. I’m not that person anymore, and I never will be again. Don’t you get that? I’m not some little girl who needs to be rescued. I could buy this place ten times over, and I’m doing you all a favor by being here. All I want is some appreciation instead of someone like you trying to drag me back down to where I was before. I earned this, and I deserve to be happy.

52) AMY: Whitney, God loves you, and He’s given you a very beautiful gift. You’re just going to make yourself miserable if you keep—

53) WHITNEY: (KEEPS WALKING FORWARD, BACKING AMY INTO A CORNER, TONE IS MOCKING AND SARCASTIC) Keep what? Singing? Becoming more successful? You know what, maybe I should just give all this money and fame and start cleaning offices like you. I’m sure your life is just so much happier because of it. Let me guess—you had your shot at something like this, but you failed at it. So now you go around judging other people for it. Well, you know what? I did things right—I never got into drugs, I stayed focus on my career, and I got married to a guy I at least believed that I loved—and things still fell apart anyway! Now get out! I don’t need you, and I don’t need God! Just leave me alone! (BY THIS POINT, TEARS ARE STREAMING DOWN HER FACE.)

54) AMY: (FOR A MOMENT, SHE’S A LITTLE WIDE-EYED AND STUNNED, BUT THEN SHE RECOVERS HERSELF. HER VOICE IS CALM.) No.

55) WHITNEY: (SURPRISED AND CAUGHT OFF-GUARD BY THIS) What?

56) AMY: (NOW WITH A LITTLE MORE BOLDNESS, AND SHE STEPS FORWARD AS WHITNEY TAKE AS STEP BACK) I said no, as in I’m not leaving this room until I’m through with what I want to say to you. I realize you’ve rarely heard the word in your life, but it does exist.

57) WHITNEY: (NOW FRUSTRATED AND AT A COMPLETE LOSS BECAUSE NO ONE IN HER LIFE AS EVER STOOD UP TO HER LIKE THIS. SHE SITS BACK DOWN AND SHAKES HER HEAD AT AMY IN DISBELIEF) What do you want from me? Why do you even care?

58) AMY: (CROUCHES DOWN TO WHERE SHE’S EYE-LEVEL WITH WHITNEY SITING) I care because I know having Jesus in my life brought me through the most horrible and painful event that’s ever happened to me, and coming out on the other side of it made me realize this world is filled with frightened and hurting people who need Him just as much as I did. Before that, I used to sit on the sidelines when I saw someone who needed help—believing God was going to send someone else along. I passed up on opportunities because at the time I thought it was too uncomfortable or awkward. When my husband died, it finally hit me—what if the people who led me to Jesus had thought the same way? People called Charlie a hero because he was willing to walk through fire to save other people’s lives. No matter how far gone you think you are or how hopeless it looks, Jesus was willing to do the same for you. That’s all I wanted to say—do with it what you will.

(AMY STANDS UP AND WALKS AWAY)

SUGGESTED SONG: “WHERE ARE YOU CHRISTMAS” BY FAITH HILL (CAN BE SUNG BY WHITNEY’S CHARACTER OR COMBINATION OF WHITNEY, AMY, AND ALLISON)

Scene I--Behind-the-Scenes Christmas

2009-10-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

OPENS WITH SMALL GROUP SINGING CHEERFUL CHRISTMAS SONG (SUGGESTED: “MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR”)

1) STAGEHAND: And we’re out…

2) JIM: (SHOUTS) Come on people! What was that? Did anyone else but me catch that their audio clipped? You—get that fixed right now! We can’t afford stupid mistakes like this when we’re live. Unbelievable… (TURNS TO ALLISON AND LOWERS VOICE) You’d think we were working with volunteers or something. Where did you find these people, Allison? I told you to find me some amateur talent—not an amateur sound crew. Where’s Ryan? Is he still sick or something?

3) ALLISON (RELUCTANT TONE): Actually, we need to talk about that. Ryan called in this morning. After your little discussion with everyone yesterday, he’s decided to take another job offer through a friend of his in Nashville. He’s upset about it, but his wife’s been laid off from her job for three weeks now. They’re struggling, and they’re running out of options. He said he’ll keep coming in until they move, but after that we’ve lost him.

4) JIM (ANNOYED): That’s just our luck—you try to motivate and encourage people, and they bail on you right when you need them the most. Can’t he see that we’re struggling, too—that we need people like him to hang on?

5) ALLISON (APPALLED THAT JIM IS BLAMING RYAN): Jim, you threatened to fire all of us if we don’t rank in the top three in the market this time! Right now, that’s like threatening to fire everyone if it snows tomorrow! Do you have any idea how hard—

(HER CELL PHONE RINGS, AND SHE ROLLS HER EYES AND GETS A LOOK OF DREAD AS SHE LOOKS AT THE CALLER ID. SHE KEEPS HER VOICE PLEASANT, BUT IT’S FORCED)

Hello, this is Allison. Yes, I understand that she’s used to being escorted from her limo to the dressing room, but we’ve had a few budget cutbacks this year. I apologize—I just assumed that since your client has done this show for the past five years that she would know where to go.

6) JIM (MUMBLES TO ALLISON AS SHE HOLDS THE PHONE BACK FROM HER EAR LIKE WHITNEY’S AGENT IS SHOUTING AT HER): If it wasn’t for the fact we need the ratings, I’d like to tell her where she could—

(ALLISON ELBOWS HIM IN THE RIBCAGE TO GET HIM TO BE QUIET. SHE WAITS PATIENTLY UNTIL SCREAMS FROM THE CELL PHONE SEEM TO END.)

7) ALLISON: We’ll be right there. Again, I’m very sorry for my mistake.

(SHE SHUTS HER PHONE AND TURNS TO JIM)

Her majesty’s agent has requested we supply her with some powdered organic lemonade mix—not normal lemonade mix with artificial flavors and not the kind made with real lemons like furniture polish—organic lemonade mix. Do you have any contacts with NASA because I have no clue what she’s talking about…

8) JIM: Well, at least it’s not coffee again. (SHUDDERS LIKE HE’S RELIVING A HORRIBLE MEMORY) Hey, could you go out to greet her? I…uh…I…(FUMBLING FOR AN EXCUSE)

9) ALLISON: (INTERRUPTS FUMBLING) Don’t want to do it but need me to give you an excuse? (JIM NODS) You have some voicemails that need call-backs.

10) JIM: (SHRUGGS LIKE HE DIDN’T CARE WHAT THE EXCUSE WAS) Works for me. (GIVES HER A WEAK SMILE AND TONE BECOMES SERIOUS) What would this place do without you? Don’t you even think about leaving us, all right? We’ve survived this long, and I know it’s not our time yet. We all just need to work harder than everyone else, and we can still make it.

(HE WALKS AWAY, LEAVING ALLISON ALONE ON STAGE. SHE SIGHS AND WALKS OVER TO MEET WHITNEY AT THE DOOR. AT THE SAME TIME, AMY MAKES HER WAY TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE STAGE, PRETENDING TO VACCUUM. ALLISON OPENS DOOR.)

11) WHITNEY: (VOICE SHAKY LIKE SHE’S BEEN CRYING, AND SHE’S HOLDING TIGHT TO HER CELL PHONE): You know, I want to strangle the inventor of Facebook. All it takes is one little message, and suddenly everyone knows your private business. Who are you? There’s usually some guy here to help my driver unload all my stuff.

12) ALLISION (CAUGHT OFF-GUARD THAT WHITNEY IS UPSET AND ACTUALLY SHOWING SOME TRACE OF HUMANITY): I’ll have someone take care of it. Are you all right?

13) WHITNEY (TONE ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED): Do I look like I’m all right? I just found out my husband has filed for divorce, and he didn’t even have the stinking guts to tell me in person! He just posted a message on Facebook and has called some Entertainment Tonight reporter for an exclusive! Where’s Bob? I need to talk to him.

14) ALLISON (CONFUSED FOR A SECOND BECAUSE THERE IS NO BOB THAT WORKS AT THE STATION): Do you mean Jim?

15) WHITNEY: Whatever—I need the guy that’s in charge of the station. I should cancel this—no, wait. I’m still going to go through it. Then I’ll do my own interview to show how Brandon didn’t get to me. I can’t believe this is even happening. Do normal husbands act this childish?

16) ALLISON (SHAKES HER HEAD): I wouldn’t know…follow me. I’m sure you’d like some privacy right now.

(THEY WALK TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE STAGE. ALLISON’S CELL PHONE RINGS, AND WITHOUT LOOKING SHE OPENS AND SHUTS IT.)

Probably your agent again. I’m sorry, but I didn’t have much of a notice to get everything prepared for you. We don’t have any of the lemonade mix you’re wanting.

(ALLISON GIVES A NOD TO AMY AND WALKS PAST HER. WHITNEY IS LOOKING AT HER PHONE AGAIN AND BUMPS INTO AMY.)

17) WHITNEY: Hey! Didn’t you see me coming?

18) AMY: (SOMEWHAT AMUSED BY THIS UNTIL SHE SEES WHITNEY’S BEEN CRYING) Actually, I thought you were going to look up in time to walk around me. Are you—

19) WHITNEY: (OFFENDED AND BY THIS POINT READY TO TAKE HER ANGER AT HER HUSBAND OUT ON SOMEONE) Do you have any idea who I am? I can have you fired for this! (LOOKS AT ALLISON) Where’s that Jim guy?

(AMY FINDS THIS FUNNY, CONSIDERING THE STATION IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL CLIENTS SHE HAS IN HER CLEANING BUSINESS. ALLISON HOWEVER IS PANICKED, THINKING SHE HAS TO SALVAGE THE SITUATION)

20) ALLISON: Of course, she knows who you are! (GIVES PLEADING LOOK TO AMY TO PLAY ALONG)

21) AMY: (TONE IS SOFT AND CALM) You’re Whitney Jacobs. You probably don’t remember me, but I know both your parents. How are they? I haven’t seen them with you the past few times you’ve been here.

22) WHITNEY: (A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THIS, AND FOR A MOMENT HER EXPRESSION SOFTENS) They’re at home. I don’t need them here. I— (EXPRESSION AND TONE HARDEN AGAIN) I don’t have time for this! Just watch out next time, all right!

(SHE STORMS OFF, FORGETTING ALL ABOUT ALLISON SHOWING HER TO THE DRESSING ROOM. A DOOR IS SLAMMED, AND ALLISON TURNS HER ATTENTION TO AMY)

23) ALLISON: I’m sorry, Amy. She just found out her husband’s filed for a divorce, and you know how she is anyway. If she wasn’t so stuck-up, I’d actually feel sorry for her…

24) AMY: (SHAKING HER HEAD) The saddest thing about it is she hasn’t really changed much since she was a teenager. She’s such a talented person, but ever since she was a kid she’s been handed every material thing she ever wanted. Now all of it has just hurt her when it comes what really matters. I do feel bad for her, regardless to her—

(ALLISON’S CELL PHONE RINGS AGAIN, AND THIS TIME SHE LOOKS AT IT)

25) ALLISON—Hey, Mom. (NOW FRANTIC BECAUSE HER CHILDREN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT AFTER-SCHOOL CARE) Brittney? What are you doing at Grandma and Grandpa’s house? I was going to pick you up at—oh no, I am so sorry sweetie. Can you put Grandma on the phone, please? Mom, I am so sorry. Are you okay with keeping them until five? No, it’s all right. You don’t have to take them to the house. I’ll come straight there as soon as I’m done here. Thank you, Mom. Bye.

(SHUTS PHONE AND SITS ON THE FLOOR WITH STUNNED EXPRESSION)

I’m a horrible mother…

26) AMY: What are you talking about? What happened?

27) ALLISON: Their after-school program let out a week early for Christmas break. I knew it, and I was going to leave early today, and then this thing with Whitney came up and I— (GETTING UPSET) My little seven-year-old daughter just tried to call me a few minutes ago, and I hung up on her without even looking at the phone. I always look at my phone…

28) AMY: (SITS DOWN BESIDE HER AND PATS HER ON THE BACK) It’s going to be all right, honey. Even Supermoms are allowed to make a few mistakes. I know this whole thing with the station being in trouble has got everyone stressed, and you can’t expect to be immune from it.

29) ALLISON: I just don’t know what I’m going to do. If I lose this job, we’ll lose everything—I can’t do that to them, not after everything their father has put us through. We just started getting some stability, and now…I’m so sorry. I know this time of year isn’t exactly that merry for you either.

30) AMY: (SIGHS BUT SMILES) Actually, this is still my favorite time of year. It’s still hard sometimes, but God gives me the strength to keep going even on days I otherwise think I can’t.

31) ALLISON: That must be nice—to have that kind of faith, I mean. I think I have such a hard time because I’ve had to rely just on myself for so long, and it’s not like God is probably that happy with me anyway. My children definitely aren’t mistakes, but I have done a lot of things I wish I could have done differently. You and Charlie were one of the first couples I’d ever met with a marriage that functioned right. If you don’t mind me asking, how in the world did you and the boys reconcile with what happened? Your whole family has always been faithful, and I would have been so angry at God I wouldn’t be able to stand it. Charlie was a good person, and he didn’t deserve to die in that fire. You and the boys didn’t deserve to lose him either.

32) AMY: (SHAKES HER HEAD AT ALLISON) He always knew the risks, Allison, and he loved his job. If it wasn’t for him, a lot of people would have lost their lives in other fires. Besides, you need to understand that being a Christian doesn’t mean storms suddenly stop coming—it means you have an anchor when they—

(ALLISON’S PHONE RINGS AGAIN, AND BOTH OF THEM STAND UP)

33) ALLISON: This is Allison. Yeah, I’ll be right there. (TURNS TOWARD AMY) I have to go. We’ve got some of the other acts arriving for final rehearsals. Thank you for listening. I appreciate it.

(SHE RUSHES OFF THE STAGE, AND AMY GOES BACK TO CLEANING)

SONG FOR ALLISON CAN GO HERE.