Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: https://read.jwpepper.com/i/519438
this… an essay by Miss Keller, from The Ladies Home Journal in 1906. (amazed) 1906. Helen writes – (As KYLE reads aloud, HELEN writes. [You can also use an offstage female voice-over for HELEN.]) "There was a Christmas party for the students at the Perkins Insti- tute for the Blind. I hear someone ask, 'What pleasure can Christ- mas hold for children who cannot see their gifts or the sparkling tree?' The question would be answered if you had seen that Christmas of the blind children. We sightless children have the best of eyes in our hearts and in our finger tips. The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart." (KYLE looks up, struck.) Oh. That can't be what she said – I must have misread it. ]13 (Music starts to "Gloria! Gloria!") (HELEN KELLER looks up, smiles, and signs [American Sign Language] the last sentence as KYLE slowly reads it again over Measures 1-4.) "The only real blind person at Christmas-time… is he who has not Christmas… in his heart." (Lights fade on HELEN KELLER [or she slowly exits] as KYLE returns to the essay, deep in thought. Lights up on the choir as they sing "Gloria! Gloria!") Song: Gloria! Gloria! (At the conclusion of "Gloria, Gloria" the lights dim on the choir. KYLE is finishing the essay; he reads aloud.) KYLE: "Remember," Helen says, "there is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." (Closing the book and putting it aside.) Hm. Someone in the dark. Too bad I don't know anybody like that. (He switches on the single-bulb lamp on the table and pulls another book from the trunk.) This trunk is not turning out to be what I expected. (Opening the book and reading the title page.) Corrie's Christmas Memories. (dismissively) Oh, this should be too precious. I'll pick a page and see what memory "Corrie" 117 For Preview Only