Side 1

Clara, Fritz, Herr Drosselmeyer, Mr. Stahlbaum, Mrs. Stahlbaum, Cousin Marie, Anna

[On the very last beat of the song, Herr Drosselmeyer appears abruptly SR. He has on a long, black cape, a patch over one eye, long grey hair, and a tall hat.]

Drosselmeyer: [speaking very loudly while applauding loudly.] Bravo! Bravo!

[The children are frightened, and some run to their parents. Fritz is a little taken aback, but not exactly frightened. The older guests look nervous and startled. Only Clara is happy to see Drosselmeyer. Mr. and Ms. Stahlbaum are startled, but then smile warmly.]

Clara: Godfather! [She runs over to him and they embrace.]

Mr. Stahlbaum: Greetings, Herr Drosselmeyer! [He goes over and shakes hands.]

Ms. Stahlbaum: Let me take your hat and coat. I can't imagine where the housekeeper has gone to. She was supposed to take everyone's coat as they came in.

Drosselmeyer: [in a loud and scary voice] She met me at the door, poor girl. [to audience] And then she turned and ran straight off to the kitchen. [He smiles a mischievous smile.]

Mr. Stahlbaum: Herr Drosselmeyer, do you remember our Cousin Marie? She says you met once when she was still a child.

Cousin Marie: How do you do, Herr Drosselmeyer.

Drosselmeyer: Marie! Of course I remember you. How could I forget such a beautiful face, lips like a ripe plum and skin like powdered sugar. [He kisses her hand. Marie is flattered, but embarrassed.] And Clara! You look so grown up! Every time I see you, you've grown a foot taller.

Clara: Oh, Godfather, you ALWAYS say that. If it were true, I'd be twenty feet tall by now.

Drosselmeyer: Well, I hope that you're not too grown up for Christmas toys.

Clara: [excited] What did you bring me?

Fritz: Nothing for me, I suppose?

Drosselmeyer: Ah, I have something for EVERYONE. There is a special gift I found in a land FAR away from here. It belonged to the son of a king and queen who live in a land where snow covers the ground all year long. Their palace is covered with mounds of snow like giant marshmallows.

Clara: You've traveled so many places, Godfather. It must be wonderful to see so many different lands.

Cousin Marie: Oh, I would LOVE to travel to far away places.

Clara: Me, too!

Drosselmeyer: The best thing about visiting foreign lands is that it makes a person remember why he loves to come home.

Fritz: What about our "special" gift? You didn't forget about it already, did you?

Drosselmeyer: [remembering] Oh, yes. Wait here. Marie, could you help me?

Cousin Marie: Of course. [Drosselmeyer and Marie exit SL.]

Fritz: Old Drosselmeyer is losing it.

Clara: He is not!

Fritz: There's always been something kind of...spooky about him.

Clara: You're just jealous because he's MY godfather.

Fritz: Jealous of that old creep! HA!

Side 2

Mouse Puppet, Princess Puppet, Prince Puppet, Fairy, Martha, Fredrick

THE PUPPET SHOW

Princess: I am princess Clara and I live here in a land where all the trees are made of cotton candy and all the flowers are lollypops and all the rivers are blueberry syrup. My palace is built all out of gingerbread. Everything is wonderful in my palace except for ONE thing. We have MICE! We have so many mice that they elected themselves a KING! He is the biggest, ugliest, creature you have ever seen! [The Mouse King sneaks up behind her. The children yell "Look! Watch out!” etc.] He creeps around and POPS up when you least expect him. [The Mouse King grabs her.] Help! Help! It's the Mouse King!

Mouse Puppet: I've got you now, little girl! You thought you could catch me in your puny little mouse traps! How would you like it if I snapped you in half like a trapped mouse!

Princess: Help! Help! Who will help me! [Prince pops up.]

Prince: I will help you, fair princess. [Children: Hooray!]

Mouse Puppet: En guarde, you pathetic bag of old rags!

[The Mouse King lets go of the princess. Both the prince and the Mouse King have swords. They have a sword fight. "Take that!" "Oh, no you don't" etc. The Prince kills the Mouse King. The children applaud.]

Princess: Oh, thank you, good Prince, for saving me from the evil Mouse King!

Prince: The Mouse King will never harm you again, fair princess, but alas, I fear I, too, am mortally wounded. [He falls abruptly.]

Martha: Is he dead?

Frederick: He's only a puppet, silly!

Princess: Oh, no! My Prince has fallen! (pause) And he can't get up!

[Fairy appears.]

Princess: Who are you?

Fairy: I am your fairy godmother.

Princess: Oh! I didn't know I HAD a fairy godmother!

Fairy: Well, it's a good thing you do! It looks like you could use one [looking down at the prince] And so could he! [Children laugh.]

Princess: Can you help him, Fairy Godmother?

Fairy: I will touch your Prince with my magic wand and heal his wounds. [She touches the prince and he slowly gets up. Children cheer.]

Prince: My wounds are healed. Thank you, Fairy Godmother.

Princess: I didn't even know I HAD a fairy godmother!

[Children laugh.]

Fairy: Well, you DO! And you and your prince shall live happily ever after.

Princess: We will?

Fairy: Of course you will! What would be the point of the story if you didn't live happily ever after?

Princess: [to the Prince] Uh, I guess that means you and I will HAVE to live happily ever after.

Prince: If you say so.

Fairy: I DO say so! And SO they lived happily ever after. The End!

[All the puppets bow. Children and adults applaud. Drosselmeyer and Marie bow, then Drosselmeyer removes the puppet show.]

Side 3

Clara, Fritz, Drosselmeyer, Mr. Stahlbaum, Mrs. Stahlbaum, Anna, Anna’s Mother

Clara: Oh, Mama, Papa, wasn't that marvelous?

Fritz: [mockingly] I didn't even know I HAD a fairy godmother.

[Drosselmeyer enters.]

Clara: [to Drosselmeyer] Is the puppet show the special gift Mama and Papa said you were bringing me? It was really wonderful.

Drosselmeyer: No, that gift was for everyone to share, even your brother, Fritz.

Fritz: You mean we have to SHARE it? Why can't I have my own present?

Ms. Stahlbaum: Now, Fritz. You mustn't be selfish.

Drosselmeyer: And for my goddaughter, Clara, a special gift. [He pulls the Nutcracker from behind his back.]

Clara: [excited] Oh! For me! Oh, thank you, Godfather. He's so handsome!

Fritz: Handsome! That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen!

Clara: He may be just a nutcracker, but I'm going to pretend he's a prince from a magic land where everything is made of sweets.

Fritz: He's an ugly old nutcracker! I bet he can't even crack nuts. Here! I have a walnut in my pocket, let's see if he can crack it. Give him to me!

Clara: No! He's MY present! Leave him alone! [They struggle over him until Clara screams, "Oh, No!" then Fritz lets go.] Now see what you've done! He's broken!

[Fritz slinks away. His parents are glaring at him.]

Drosselmeyer: Give him to me, Clara. [She hands him to Herr Drosselmeyer, who takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and ties up his head.] There! Now he is a brave soldier back from the war, wounded but still standing proud. [Clara takes him and rocks him like a baby. A gong rings 10 times.]

Ms. Stahlbaum: [to Clara and Fritz] It's ten o'clock, children. Time for bed.

Anna's Mother: We really must be going. Thank you for the lovely party.

Mr. Stahlbaum: We're so glad you could come.

Anna's Mother: Anna, say goodbye to Clara.

Anna: [whining] Oh, do we HAVE to leave already?

Anna's Mother: Yes, dear. It's very late.

Anna: Goodbye, Clara.

Mr. Stahlbaum: Clara, Fritz, come say good night to our guests.

[The guests gather their children, say goodbye. Herr Drosselmeyer and Cousin Marie stay behind.]

Ms. Stahlbaum: Come, children. Time for bed.

Clara: Can I take the nutcracker to my room with me, Mother?

Ms. Stahlbaum: No, Clara. Leave him here under the tree with the other presents. He'll be safe here. [Clara reluctantly puts him under the tree.]

Drosselmeyer: I'll repair him for you, Clara. A little glue here and there and he'll be as good as new.

Side 4

Mouse King, Clara, Nutcracker, Mouse 1, Mouse 2, Mouse 3

Mouse King: Need a little help, boys? You're not afraid of these fancy cookie tins, are you?

Mice: [reluctant bravery] Nah! Afraid? Never!

Mouse King: All right then. Look out, you sniveling little buckets of rust! Now you will fall to the King of mice and his fearless band of followers!

[The toy soldiers stumble to the back of the stage then retreat SR. The Mouse King and the other mice laugh, and then the Mouse King moves towards Clara.]

Mouse King: How about you, little girl? Are YOU afraid of mice? How about if you give me all your Christmas candy?

Clara: No! I won't!

Mouse King: Oh, no? We'll see about that. [He raises his sword. The nutcracker appears.]

Clara: My nutcracker! You've come to save us from the Mouse King!

Mouse King: Save you! That's a laugh. You think I'm afraid of this hunk of wood! Ha!

Mouse King: Ah! You think you can defeat the Mouse King with the toss of a slipper! You can't frighten ME so easily, little girl. Your precious Nutcracker has fallen and so shall you! I'll HAVE your Christmas candy and all of the other toys, too!

[The nutcracker meanwhile has struggled up and limps over. The Mouse King turns and is surprised, but before the Mouse King can react, the Nutcracker strikes the Mouse King a death blow. The Mouse King falls dead to the ground. Then the Nutcracker stumbles away and he, too, falls. The mice go running over to the dead Mouse King and examine him.]

Mouse #1: He's dead!

Mouse #2: They've killed the Mouse King!

Mouse #3: Look! She has another shoe!

[The mice scream and run away, dragging the Mouse King with them.]

Clara: My Nutcracker! [She leans over him.] Are you dead, Nutcracker? [No answer. Clara begins to cry.] Nutcracker? Can you hear me?

[Tape of Drosselmeyer: "I'll repair him for you, Clara. He'll be as good as new."]

Clara: Godfather? Is that you? Where are you? [She gets up and walks around the room. Discretely, the Nutcracker removes his mask.]

[Tape of Drosselmeyer (in the high voice): "I will touch your prince with my magic wand and heal his wounds."]

Clara: [softly, a little frightened] Who was that? [She continues to look around the room. The Nutcracker Prince stands up and faces Clara. Finally Clara notices him and is shocked.]

Clara: Who are you?

Nutcracker: I am the Nutcracker Prince. [He bows. She curtsies.]

Clara: How do you do?

Nutcracker: I want to thank you for saving me from the Mouse King.

Clara: Oh, he was a dreadful creature! I'm so glad you killed him.

Nutcracker: [saluting] Always at your service, Mademoiselle. But without YOUR help, I wouldn't be here at all.

Clara: [confused] But, how DID you get here? Was it Godfather who changed you?

Nutcracker: Who?

Clara: [very confused] Or was it the fairy?

Nutcracker: Is there some way in which I can repay you for your assistance in my time of need?

Clara: Oh, you don't have to repay me. I just wondered, [still very confused] where did you come from?

Nutcracker: I come from a magical place where everything is made of sugar and everything is beautiful and sweet. It's been such a long time since I've been home to visit. (pause) Would you like to go there with me?

Clara: A land where everything is made out of sugar? Could there really be such a place?

Nutcracker: I assure you there is.

Clara: I've never been anywhere. I always wondered what it would be like to see far away places.

Nutcracker: Then come with me. My parents would love to meet you; I know they would.

Clara: But tomorrow is Christmas morning.

Nutcracker: We can be back by then.

Clara: We can? [a little hesitant] All right, then. I'll go with you.

Nutcracker: You'll love it there. I promise.

Clara: But how will we get there?

Nutcracker: It's easy.

Side 5

Clara, Nutcracker, Snow Queen, Snow King, Sugar Plum Fairy

Clara: What is this place?

Nutcracker: This is my home, the Marzipan Castle in the Kingdom of Sweets.

[The Snow Queen and Snow King enter SR. The Snow Queen runs to the Nutcracker and embraces him.]

Snow Queen: My son! You've come home safe and sound! We were so worried!

[The Snow King pats Nutcracker on the back in welcome.]

Nutcracker: Clara, may I introduce you to my mother, the Snow Queen, and my father, the Snow King. Mother, Father, this is Clara.

Snow King: [bowing deeply] How do you do, Clara.

[Clara curtsies.]

Snow Queen: [nodding] It's so good to meet you, Clara.

[Clara curtsies again.]

Clara: Thank you for allowing me to visit your beautiful kingdom. But can you tell me one thing, I wonder?

Snow King: Yes, what is it?

Clara: With all this snow here covering everything in sight, why isn't it cold? Why, I'm not a bit cold.

Snow Queen: That's because here in the Kingdom of Sweets it only snows powdered sugar.

Clara: [tasting one of the piles of snow] Why, it's not snow at all! It's huge mounds of powdered sugar!

Snow King: Clara, my dear, everyone here wants to thank you so much for assisting our son in his battle with the Mouse King.

Clara: He fought VERY bravely.

Nutcracker: But without Clara's help the Mouse King would have run me through with his sword.

Snow Queen: [flinches and shivers] How awful! We've heard a little about what happened. I'm so glad you were there, Clara.

Snow King: Clara, there's someone we'd like you to meet. She's a very special friend of ours, and has come here especially to meet you. [Sugar Plum Fairy enters SR.]

Clara: [to Nutcracker] Oh, who is she? She's so beautiful.

Sugar Plum Fairy: Hello, Clara. I'm the Sugar Plum Fairy. We all want to thank you for saving our Prince.

Clara: It really was nothing.

Sugar Plum: Oh, no, it was marvelous. I saw the whole thing.

Clara: You were there?

Sugar Plum: Of course! Don't you know about fairy godmothers?