With the warm, lazy days of vacations and lighter schedules virtually here, it’s easy to dismiss thoughts of Christmas as being waaaay out there in the future. The reality for those of us who have directed Christmas plays, however, is that summer is precisely the time when we need to formulate our game plan for the Advent and Christmas seasons. Sketches for the Advent wreath? Check. Pageant for the children’s Sunday school department? Check. Christmas Eve carols and candlelight service? Check.

We offer such a diverse array of scripts that I’m confident you’ll find the script that is just right for your congregation and situation, whether it’s humor you’re looking for (A Cricket County Christmas), or something for the youth group (Operation Christ Child), or an easy-does-it program for the kids (An American Christmas), or a performance to address that pre-Christmas stress we all feel (A Simply Abundant Christmas).

To aid you in your decision-making, christianplaysandmusicals.com categorizes all our plays by type. From there, you may read individual play descriptions. Accessing a play’s production notes and cast list is just a click away. If you need further information to help you decide, you may purchase preview copies for $2.95 each. Have a wonderful summer, and don’t forget to choose your Christmas plays or programs early so you’ll have sufficient rehearsal time this fall!

There’s something irresistible about the combination of drama and dining. My church joins an Africa-American congregation for a picnic in the park each July. We all look forward to their soulful choir numbers, revisiting old relationships or forging new ones, and tables filled with potluck-style dishes. Why not introduce a drama at your next church picnic? Choose carefully, though – you won’t want too many set requirements beyond maybe a lawn chair or two. The Balloon Party is one example. It’s on spiritual gifts, and balloons are the only prop you need! The Sound of Freedom is appropriate for a patriotic theme close to the Fourth of July. For a Mother’s or Father’s Day theme, Mom and Dad, It’s Your Day is a breeze to perform at a picnic (pun intended). Keep it simple and enjoy the camaraderie and creativity in the great outdoors, and may the weather cooperate with you!

You can always take it indoors and perform a dinner theatre. This is an excellent way for youth groups to raise funds for conventions, mission trips, and other expenses. Everyone looks forward to special evenings like these, where they are treated to great food and entertained at the same time! Our latest dinner theatre offering is Who Dun Stole the Bride? This is a funny one – guaranteed laughs while the hokiest cast of hillbillies you’ve ever seen – yep, they give The Beverly Hillbillies a run for the money – tries to solve the mystery of the missing bride. When the audience jumps in, the interactions are spontaneous and lively. It’s fun for all ages!

I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for your own special event this summer. Church picnics and dinner theatre are a delicious way to do drama!