Merry Christmas, Dear Grandpa

Book By: Michal Jacot
Play #: 8489
Pages: 42 pgs
Cast: 3 m, 3 w

Amber has invited her whole family to her new home to have the "perfect family Christmas." She has decorated her house, carefully planned the meal, and even ironed her shoelaces! Once her brother, sister, parents, and curmudgeon of a grandfather show up, though, nothing goes right. When a last-minute accident prevents Amber from making Christmas dinner, it falls upon her kitchen-challenged siblings to take up the slack, with hilarious results. Just when the dinner can't get any worse, it ends up with a twist or two that makes it, indeed, the perfect family Christmas.

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Productions

OLD REYNO FWB CHURCH 1 Performance(s)
CORNING, AR 12/18/2022
LEE PLAYERS 2 Performance(s)
JONESVILLE, VA 12/17/2022
TROUPE OVER THE HILL 6 Performance(s)
HOCKLEY, TX 12/3/2022
KINGS PLAYERS, INC. 10 Performance(s)
LEMOORE, CA 11/13/2021
KINGS PLAYERS, INC. 1 Performance(s)
LEMOORE, CA 11/13/2021
EDMONSON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 1 Performance(s)
BROWNSVILLE, KY 11/9/2019
LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH 1 Performance(s)
EDEN, NC 12/25/2018
BETHANY GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH 2 Performance(s)
BLOOMFIELD, MO 12/16/2018
TAZEWELL FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER 1 Performance(s)
TAZEWELL, VA 12/17/2017
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1 Performance(s)
KELSO, WA 12/17/2017
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY CHU 1 Performance(s)
HALLSTEAD, PA 12/9/2017
FORDVILLE-LANKIN HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
FORDVILLE, ND 12/18/2016
NORTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
FORT WORTH, TX 12/14/2016
HOLY FAMILY CRISTO REY CATHOLI 1 Performance(s)
BIRMINGHAM, AL 12/8/2016
RHODES GROVE CAMP 3 Performance(s)
CHAMBERSBURG, PA 11/25/2016
WEST BARRE UNITED METH CHURCH 2 Performance(s)
ALBION, NY 3/4/2016
CITY OF PRATTVILLE 8 Performance(s)
PRATTVILLE, AL 12/10/2015
APPALACHIA CULTURAL 4 Performance(s)
APPALACHIA, VA 11/21/2015
LIVING WATERS FOURSQUARE CHURC 2 Performance(s)
SAVANNAH, TN 11/6/2015
UPPER LAKE HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
UPPER LAKE, CA 12/18/2014
FORT VERMILION PUBIC SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
FORT VERMILION, AB 12/18/2014
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 4 Performance(s)
MARYSVILLE, OH 12/6/2014
STAGE DOOR PLAYERS 3 Performance(s)
FREMONT, MI 12/5/2014
TAWAS BAY PLAYERS 7 Performance(s)
EAST TAWAS, MI 10/17/2014

Behind The Scenes

PLAYWRIGHT MICHAL JACOT TALKS ABOUT HIS PLAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS, DEAR GRANDPA

 

1. What inspired you to write this play?

"Merry Christmas Dear Grandpa" revisits characters from "Happy Birthday Dear Grandpa," one of my favorite scripts. The trio of grandkids and their grandfather have some terrific interaction, and I wanted to explore their family dynamics some more. It's kind of like finding a favorite toy or game from years ago - you can't resist the urge to play with it again. And I've always had a soft spot for holiday plays; Grandpa and his family seemed like the perfect fit!

 

2. What's your favorite part or line in the play? Why?

The storyline where Amber breaks her wrists and the chaos that follows. This came about as the result of a real incident; just before Thanksgiving, my wife Laurie broke both of her wrists in a fall, and our holiday season, as you can imagine, was pretty disorderly. When she healed up, I wrote "Merry Christmas Dear Grandpa", and every time it's performed somewhere, it's Laurie's payback for having to deal with that miserable situation!

 

3. Where did the characters come from? Are they based on people you know?

Grandpa is pretty much exactly like an elderly gentleman I knew a long time ago. The others are made up of bits and pieces of people I know, including myself. Sadly, Amber's obsessive nature and Keith's penchant for telling jokes that fall flat come from me; I have been known to sort my potato chips by size, and tell jokes that cause nothing but awkward silences. I'm a lot of fun at parties. (See, kind of like that joke.)

 

4. What did you try to achieve with this play?

Holiday plays are always fun because everyone is in a good mood and ready to celebrate the season. And, like "Happy Birthday Dear Grandpa", I wanted to create a script that is funny, that the cast and crew would enjoy working on, and one that the whole family could enjoy.

 

5. Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

Scott Haan, one of your other playwrights at Eldridge, is one of the tallest people you will ever meet. (Hm, there's that awkward silence again.)