Amazing Advent Calendar - nativity cover art displaying boy in front of house shaped advent calendar with open doors picturing nativity scenes
  • Amazing Advent Calendar - nativity cover art displaying boy in front of house shaped advent calendar with open doors picturing nativity scenes
  • Amazing Advent Calendar - back cover displaying text describing nativity

The Amazing Advent Calendar

By Tom Kirkham and Matthew Crossey

Ages 5-11

Duration 50 mins
Speaking Roles 52
Cast Size 30-80
Ideal Cast Size 60

This thrilling nativity musical follows Nicholas Mistletoe as he tumbles back in time to the days surrounding the birth of Jesus. Dressed in his pyjamas and slippers, Nicholas is intrigued to find himself in Bethlehem at the time of the infamous census. Can he make it to the stable to observe the new-born baby, meet the shepherds on the hillside and the Three Kings with their famous gifts, or will the distrustful Roman soldiers evict him from Bethlehem? Either way, how on earth is he going to get back home ...

A gripping script, eight brilliant, original songs divided across the year-groups, and a flexible number of characters and speaking roles make ‘The Amazing Advent Calendar’ the perfect whole school Christmas production, great if you are looking for nativity plays for primary schools.

A complimentary abridged version of the script is also available for those looking to do something a touch shorter and with one or two fewer songs.

The editable Word.doc of the script can also be purchased for a small extra fee when the Book/CD pack and a performance licence are bought. 

NB - An individual performance licence (if a live audience from outside of the school is to be present) and/or a filming/streaming licence (if footage is to be shared) is required to stage this nativity. 

UK School Invoicing Available - email us at info@theschoolmusicalscompany.com 

  • Overview
  • Songs
  • Buying Options
  • Synopsis
  • Sample Scripts & Character Info
  • Reviews

Buying Options

Packs

Book & CD: Book includes full script, character list, curriculum-linked material, sheet music and lyrics. CD includes all songs recorded with children’s voices and full backing tracks.

Book & Digital Downloads: Book as above, with digital downloads that include MP3s of all of the songs and backing tracks, plus a PDF version of the full book. Where available, a complimentary pdf version of the abridged script is also included.

Licences

Performance Licence: You need a performance licence to perform our show to anyone other than pupils and staff. Our licences are simple - one price allows you to perform the show as many times as you like during a twelve month period.

Filming/Streaming Licence: If you plan to film your performance and manufacture DVDs for distribution, stream content on an internet site or on social media, you will also need to purchase this licence.

Extras

The EDITABLE VERSION of the script in WORD format is not available as a stand-alone purchase. However, it can be purchased alongside one of the Pack options when a performance or filming/streaming licence is also purchased. It is an additional item (script only, no music or production information) and is not a substitute for the main resource.

Overview

When Nicholas is handed a mysterious Advent calendar, he never expects it to take him 2000 years back in time. Stranger still, he finds himself in Bethlehem, about to witness the most famous moment in all of history. But a boy in pyjamas and slippers is always going to rouse curiosity. Before long, Nicholas is confronted by some distrustful Roman soldiers, believing him to be an imposter. He evades them for long enough to observe the shepherds meeting the angels, and even glimpses Mary and Joseph in the stable before he is evicted from Bethlehem.

Under the night sky, Nicholas worries how he will get back to his family, not to mention to his own century. Fortunately, he bumps into three wise men who are happy to lend a hand.

Join Nicholas in a Christmas story like no other, with the nativity story at its very heart.

Eight brilliant, original songs, a compelling script and opportunities for children of all ages make ‘The Amazing Advent Calendar’ the perfect primary school Christmas production.

Synopsis

It’s ten days until Christmas and the excitement is building in the little town of Littleton (COUNTING DOWN TO CHRISTMAS). Three angels – Angelo, Laila and Raphael – introduce themselves as the narrators and whisk away the audience to the home of ten-year-old Nicholas Mistletoe and his four sisters.

As usual, Nicholas is late to breakfast. His mother refuses his request to add grated chocolate onto his porridge, and sends Nicholas and his sisters off to school, complete with their Christmas cards to hand out to friends, teachers and members of their community (SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER).

After school, Nicholas arrives at his grandparents’ bookshop to deliver their Christmas card. He discovers an old, traditional Advent calendar under a dusty pile of novels. Grandma gives it to him to take home, promising wonderful adventures. Confused but curious, Nicholas returns home and places it on his bedside.

Back at home, Nicholas’s sisters drop the bombshell that this year he must buy his parents’ Christmas presents himself! Horrified, Nicholas falls fast asleep, only to be woken at midnight by muffled voices coming from inside the calendar. Anxiety turns to intrigue and, moments later, he is whisked into his own calendar and finds himself on a bumpy road, surrounded by hundreds of travellers (FOLLOWING THE PEOPLE). He asks a couple, Gideon and Naomi, their destination: Bethlehem … for the census.

Nicholas cannot believe what is happening. But, without any means of returning home, he joins Gideon and Naomi as they make their way to Bethlehem and seek accommodation. There isn’t a lot to go around, but Nicholas secures the final room in an inn run by Levi and Jemima (NO ROOM AT THE INN). Exhausted, he is just drifting off to sleep when he hears voices outside. From his window, he observes a man talking with Levi and Jemima, alongside a pregnant woman on a donkey. He hears them joyfully accepting Levi’s offer of a stable in which to rest.

Eager to see more, Nicholas follows them. He is halted in his tracks by three Roman soldiers on night-patrol. Alarmed – and amused – by Nicholas’s pyjamas and slippers, they question him. Far from satisfied with his answers, they send him back to bed and threaten him with punishments aplenty if they catch him out again.

Nicholas reluctantly makes his way back to the inn, only to hear sheep baaing in the distance. He follows the noise up into the hills surrounding Bethlehem. Shepherds are tending to their sheep, wondering what has caused them to be so noisy. Moments later, they discover the answer: a bright light fills the sky as angels appear amongst them. With Nicholas listening in, the angels tell the shepherds of the birth of a baby who will change the world, born beneath a star in a barn in Bethlehem (FOLLOW THAT STAR).

The angels depart. Nicholas convinces the sceptical shepherds to go to the stable. He joins them and observes, from a respectable distance, their visit to meet with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus (BEAUTIFUL BABY). To thank Nicholas for his help, one of the shepherds gives him his scarf as a present which Nicholas gratefully accepts. Exhausted, Nicholas finally returns to the inn for some sleep.

The following morning, with the census now well under-way, Nicholas is soaking up the atmosphere in Bethlehem when he is accosted once again by the Roman soldiers. This time, believing him not only to be an imposter but also a young thief, they evict him from the town.

Nicholas spends the day walking eastwards from Bethlehem, trying to find a way home. He hears camel hooves and meets three kingly men and their entourage. Before they head into Bethlehem, the men have some wise words to share with Nicholas, not to mention some spare myrrh. They sing to Nicholas about the wonder that he has seen as he slowly drifts off to sleep (CHRISTMAS IS CALLING).

When Nicholas awakes, he is back in his own bed, in his own house, in his own time. Was it all a dream? Reaching into his dressing gown pocket, he discovers the shepherd’s scarf and the myrrh. They will make perfect presents for his parents.

To finish, the whole cast celebrate the many joys of the Christmas season (BEHIND EVERY DOOR).

Script Samples

Scene Three

Scene Five

 

Character List

The play has been written with 52 speaking parts, and innumerable non-speaking/ensemble parts. Of course, this can easily be adapted to fit your production. The editable WORD script is available for £9.95 when purchased alongside the performance licence, making the process quite straightforward. Page 12 of the book gives plenty of information on scaling up/down the number of characters. 

All characters could be played both by boys and girls, with names altered to suit if felt necessary.

Present DayYesteryear
Speaking RolesSpeaking RolesNon-Speaking Roles
NicholasGideonTourists
AngeloNaomiAdditional Roman Soldiers
LailaJemimaAdditional Shepherds
RaphaelLeviSheep
Carol (Mother)Mary & JosephCamels
Grandma JoyFruit Seller & Water SellerPages
Grandpa NoelRoman Soldiers 1-9Census Officials
Eve, Gloria, Holly, StellaShepherds 1-6Market Traders
Arthur, SamCaspar, Melchior, Balthazar 
HaroldCensus Official 
Non-Speaking RolesTravellers x6 
Villagers of LittletonAngels x5 

Song Samples

TitleListen
Counting Down To Christmas
Spreading Christmas Cheer
Following The People
No Room At The Inn
Follow That Star
Beautiful Baby
Christmas Is Calling
Behind Every Door

Reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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P
Peter Austen
Fantastic show!

I directed this show in 2022. Listening back at the songs now, I can see why I chose it! It's a fantastic show, with fantastic songs and a wholesome story line! Fully recommend!

S
Sarah Owens
What a fantastic show

What a fantastic show 'The Amazing Advent Calendar' is. The children and parents loved it. The songs are amazing. Thank you.

£ 26.95
In stock. Dispatched within 24 hours

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