The blue overalls angel

a Christmas play in one act

de Anne Coulter Martens · Publicada por primera vez en 1937

Searching for a REAL Christmas Angel, a young girl, Jeannie, wanders into a church where final preparations are underway for the annual Nativity Pageant. At first she hides and watches from a dark corner of the church. The choir master has asked "Clarissa" --now-famous opera star who grew up in the parish and attended the church as a child -- to return and sing "O Holy Night" for the pageant during the Christmas Eve Midnight Service, and Clarissa is set to arrive any minute for dressed rehearsal. After the Choir Master, Parish Sexton, Scottie (dressed in blue overalls), review a few backstage details, the other two leave Scottie to double-check lighting issues. Finding Jeannie, who brightly explains her mission, Scottie agrees she can stay and watch rehearsal, on the condition that she remain hidden, "...quiet as a mouse! Not even a peep!" Agreeing to the deal, she points out, "Mice don't PEEP they SQUEAK!" which Scottie (and the audience) find all the more endearing. Clarissa arrives for rehearsal, quickly assuring all concerned she is doing this only as an act of charity as she is well-above the need for any publicity generated by "...performing in a tawdry, little Christmas play," and sweeps off stage to don her costume, that of the lead-herald angel. With no one else around, Jeannie slips out of hiding to "help" Scottie and in their interchange, we learn Jeannie is an orphan, ["...No one will even notice I'm gone" (from the orphanage)] and that wise Scottie and his dear and loving wife have never "..been blessed with a wee one.." Scottie hurries Jeannie back into hiding as rehearsal commences. Clarissa, now in angel costume, sings "O Holy Night" everyone is mesmerized, especially Jeannie. In her excitement, she darts out of hiding exclaiming, "I've found my Christmas Angel!!" only to suffer immediate and rebuke and the scorn of Clarissa who demands to know, "...who is this URCHIN! How dare you ruin my performance!" When the other adults attempt to assuage Clarissa's wrath, Scottie runs to comfort the devastated and crying Jeannie. In a sililoquoy better than any ever scripted for Clarissa, Scottie launches into his brough-laden explanation of the true meaning of Christmas which by his reckoning has only been recognized only by "...this little lass," and "...not by the likes of any o'ye, what with your self-centered worries about costumes and publicity!" Jeannie leaves with Scottie, who plans to take her home to meet his good wife, and stay the night, then back to the orphanage -- only long enough to begin adoption proceedings. Jeannie confides to Scottie, she DID find a true angel afterall -- her "Blue Overalls Angel"