One Mad Christmas :: A Dramatic Musical

There's Still Time To License "One Mad Christmas" For 2011!

2011-09-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

It's getting late, but there's still time to do "One Mad Christmas" as a dramatic musical outreach at your church this Christmas 2011!

If you've considered "One Mad Christmas" but are still unsure if it's the production for you, then here are a few thoughts that might help:

1. First of all, we want to say thanks for checking it out! We're honored that you are considering it as a possibility this year!

2. Here are 7 reasons to do "One Mad Christmas" this year.

3. Here are a few ways to ask us questions.

4. Here's a sample of what people are saying about the Musical.

5. Here are free preview files for download!

We know you have choices this Christmas. If you are on the edge but haven't decided, how can we help make "One Mad Christmas" your choice for this Christmas?

Answer in the comments below, or drop me a line at JohnnyLeckie@Gmail.com

Ways To Contact Us With Questions About "One Mad Christmas"

2011-08-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

Questions About the Dramatic Musical, "One Mad Christmas?"

Here are 3 ways to get answers:

1. Email - Feel free to send me (Johnny) an email with questions about the musical at any time: JohnnyLeckie@gmail.com

2. Phone - Because we are not a company (we're a couple :) ) our phone number is not listed here. But if you send me an email (above) with your phone number, I'll call you immediately. Or if you'd prefer, I can just email you my cell number and you can call at your convenience.

3. Live Video Chat - See the "Let's Chat" tab above for the schedule. (~~The last one of the year is Thursday, August 24, 2011 @ 7pm CST~~) Ask a question in the chat and we'll answer it live on screen.
Direct Link - http://www.livestream.com/johnnyleckie

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out this post, "7 Reasons To Do 'One Mad Christmas' This Year" and then download all of the free preview files in the sidebar on the right or click here for a direct link: Preview Files

We look forward to talking with you!

2 Live Video Chats About "One Mad Christmas" Today!

2011-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

There will be 2 Live Video Chats about the Musical, "One Mad Christmas" today and we will be streaming selected scenes from the musical during the chat!

* 1st Broadcast starts this morning at 11am CST Thursday, July 14, 2011.

* Broadcast 2 is tonight at 7pm CST Thursday, July 14, 2011.

Follow the link below to jump from here to the actual "LiveStream Video Site." We have no control over the ads displayed, but they help make the live video stream possible....

Direct Link - http://www.livestream.com/johnnyleckie

A Little About The Dramatic Musical "One Mad Christmas"

2011-07-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

After a very long day (which shows in my face!) I share a little about the musical below. This is not live, but is a pre-recorded video from the Live Chat from last week. A short ad will play, then the video will begin:

Watch live streaming video from johnnyleckie at livestream.com

Download all of the free files in the sidebar first, and if you have any questions please feel free to contact us via JohnnyLeckie@Gmail.com!

7 Reasons To Do "One Mad Christmas" This Year

2011-06-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Trying to decide on a production to do with your church for Christmas this year? Here are 7 reasons "One Mad Christmas" is a great choice:

1. It's cost effective.

The one-time license fee provides for unlilmited performances within a calendar year, and all of the music, scripts and resources needed to do the production. Compared to other productions you could spend money on this year (Purchasing choral and drama books, orchestration and production resources), we believe that "One Mad Christmas" is a bargain.

2. It's downloadable.

You can print as many copies as you need. Or don't print the books - just send the files to your cast, chorus and production team. They can then choose to print them or simply use/view the files on their computers, laptops, or ipads (Anything that can open a PDF file).

3. It can be scaled up or down.

It's for both larger groups and smaller groups. You can perform the musical with a minimal or extravagant set, a small or large group, a full instrumental ensemble or just a pianist.

4. You're not left in the dark. :)

Stuck? Have a question? Need to change something? We're available to you by phone or email throughout the entire production process: From the moment you sign up to the final performance (and even beyond) we're with you for the journey.

5. Extra stuff is included!

"One Mad Christmas" includes an 81 page "Director's Production Guide" that provides "scene by scene" guidance as well as full descriptions of set, props, costumes, special effects and more.

6. We're not a big impersonal company, we're a small, personable couple. :)

Johnny is a church planting pastor and former worship pastor and Leona is an elementary school teacher. We originally wrote the musical to be performed in our home church. When you choose to perform our musical, you're more than a customer to us, you're new friends who are partnering with us to honor God and share Christ creatively at Christmas.

7. It's Fun!

When a group spends a lot of time rehearsing and working on a production, it really helps if that production is fun. "One Mad Christmas" has a serious, life changing message, but it also has a lot of fun moments and action to make for a great experience for cast, chorus, crew and audience alike!

Not ready to commit? We understand. For now, download all of the FREE files in the sidebar, catch our next Live Video Chat, or send us a question now via email (JohnnyLeckie[AT]gmail.com) or simply leave a comment below. Thanks for considering performing "One Mad Christmas" this year!

One Mad "Shiny Aluminum Christmas Tree"

2011-06-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

* Join us for our next "Live Video Chat" about the musical on Thursday, July 7, 2011, 7pm CST! Or if you have questions about the musical, contact me directly JohnnyLeckie[at]gmail.com.
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One of the fun elements of "One Mad Christmas" was adding an "Aluminum Christmas Tree" to the set of "J.J.'s."

"A Charlie Brown Christmas," which was first broadcast in December of 1965, is considered by some to be the beginning of the downward spiral of the aluminum tree's popularity in American homes. In the setting of our musical (1960), however, the trees were still in vogue.

My Grandmother had one when I was little and I remember being fascinated with the "color wheel" and the way the silver branches changed colors as the wheel turned. I still think they're kind of cool. :)

The "Aluminum Christmas Tree" is not absolutely essential for performing the musical, but it is a fun, nostalgic addition whose appearance on set immediately suggests another era.

We had a family in our church who happened to have one that we were able to use for the production. The color wheel required a few modifications, but it worked great. There are many places to find one of these trees and color wheels, but your own congregation is the best starting point.

If you are interested in purchasing one, try looking in Thrift shops or dig a little deeper and buy one from Amazon.

Since they were popular midway through the last century, there will definitely be a few people in your group who have never heard of them, much less seen one before. Adding this kind of element to your Christmas production can create an atmosphere among your cast, chorus and production team that what you are doing is unique and special.

...Ok, and I guess also a little "quirky." :)

Check out these sites for more Aluminum Christmas Tree Fun:

Cool Things - Aluminum Trees

AluminumChristmastrees.net

Listen to stories at NPR:

Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum

Aluminum Trees Make A Comeback
( * Highly recommended! Definitely worth the 3 minutes. Also includes video of color spinning wheel on a tree from 1962.)
__________________________________________________
Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Download the Free Preview Files for "One Mad Christmas"

2011-05-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can download the full script, Song samples, Cast info and more for free? Really! Just click on the files in the sidebar to your right and download away.

You don't need to sign up, give us your email address or anything. Just click and download! Click here for a direct link to the files!

** Also, Join us tomorrow night (Thursday, May 19th at 7pm CST) for our next Live Video Chat. Leona and I will once again be doing an overview of the musical, answering your questions live, being our goofy selves and providing a freebie or two...

The video will be streaming here on the site and will be broadcast from Livestream. Hope to see you there!

The Cast of Characters

2011-05-17T08:27:00.001-07:00

The cast of characters that make "One Mad Christmas" come to life were inspired by classic actors & comedians of television and film.

Leona and I had a great time envisioning the "perfect" cast for the musical, and you can see the main cast descriptions here: "Cast and Charcters" (Scroll to the bottom and work your way up.)

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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

"An Overview of One Mad Christmas"

2011-04-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Broadcast starts at 7pm CST Thursday, April 28, 2011. Follow the link below to jump from here to the actual "LiveStream Video Site." We have no control over the ads displayed, but they help make the live video stream possible....

Direct Link - http://www.livestream.com/johnnyleckie

Start Here To Get A Quick Overview of the Musical

2011-02-18T06:08:00.000-08:00

Below is one of the free downloads for "One Mad Christmas" and is a snapshot overview of the musical. Use the controls at the bottom of the box to view in full screen, zoom, or download the file.

Download all of the free preview files from the box in the sidebar, or click here for the direct link to them all.

We know it's not even Easter, yet, but wouldn't it be great to "lock in" what you're doing for Christmas this year? :)

__________________________________________________
Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Preview Party Ideas for "One Mad Christmas"

2011-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Many churches performing dramatic musical productions at Christmas plan a "Listening/Viewing" type of party prior to beginning rehearsals in order to cast the vision and get everyone jazzed (so to speak) about the production. But how do you do that without a soundtrack or quality preview video? That's where we were when we introduced "One Mad Christmas" to our group for the first time.

In previous years, we had used a preview video for this purpose, but this one was, of course, different. We had the added excitement of it being an original musical, but we also had to discover a way to give everyone a picture of what to expect.

Here’s what we did to pull that off. Maybe it will give you a few ideas, also:

I recruited people to do a reading of the dramatic script before our listening/viewing party. These were generally people I had in mind for the various roles, but not all of them. We printed out copies of the script for everyone, invited them to my house for pizza, assigned them parts to read through, and then we sat in a circle and did a “reading run through.” When we had our "all chorus/cast/interested parties" listening/viewing party, I had these same people read it through like a “radio show.” (Although I honestly can’t remember if we read through sections or the whole thing.)

I previewed/worked through the score with my pianist and drummer before “previewing” it with everyone else. They had a pretty good handle on it by the time we presented it at the listening/viewing party.

I printed up production books that included all of the songs that the entire chorus would be singing as well as costume information, background info, countdown information, etc. and passed them out to everyone who came to the listening/viewing party. (Much of this information is provided for you in the "Director's Production Guide" for "One Mad Christmas." It is provided with the other downloadable materials when you license the musical.)

We sang through the songs live with piano and drums as we introduced the musical that night. This created an immediate "hands on" experience with the musical that involved everyone in the process from the beginning.

We made a big deal about it being a “special” production, unlike the “canned” musicals we had done in the past. (Not being derogatory here, just trying to distinguish it as being something unique.) Our cast and chorus were very excited about doing a musical that no one else in our area was doing, and one in fact, that had never been done before!

For the earliest groups to license the musical for 2011, Leona and I will be adding a special touch to your Preview Parties by creating a personalized video introduction for you (free, of course). Hopefully, this will help to establish the feel and tone of the musical and our heart/vision behind creating it.

If your group is a little closer to us (we live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex) we’d be happy to do something similar in person. Contact us today!

Special Deals for February

2011-02-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

Considering performing the dramatic musical, "One Mad Christmas" with your church, this year? Still have a few questions?

Join us tonight, 7 pm, (CST) live, for a free "text based" chat about the musical!

Thursday, February 3rd, at 7pm Central Standard Time.

(Click here to see what time that is in your time zone!)

Here's the link to the Chatroom

Enter a Name or Nickname, click "sign in" and you're there! We'll be there for about an hour - Drop in at any time during that hour and chat w/ us for as long as you like!

** We are giving away copies of the "Director's Production Guide" and special discounts to those who join us tonight. We look forward to talking to you!

Chat about One Mad Christmas

2011-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

It's early in the year, but I know that there are some brave souls out there who are already searching for possible Dramatic Church Musicals for Christmas 2011!

We've scheduled several free live "chats" for Q&A about the musical, this year. See the tab above, appropriately titled "Let's Chat!" for the evening schedule or check the chat room during the day to see if we are there.

The first scheduled chat of this year is 2 days from now:

Thursday, January 20th, at 7pm Central Standard Time.

(Click here to see what time that is in your time zone!)

Here's the link to the Chatroom

Enter a Name or Nickname, click "sign in" and you're there!

We'll be there for about an hour - Drop in at any time during that hour and chat w/ us for as long as you like!

Church's Production of "One Mad Christmas" Makes News

2011-01-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Raymond Baptist Church in Raymond, New Hampshire, whose 2010 production of "One Mad Christmas" made the local news. Great job, guys! :)

Full story can be seen at http://is.gd/ko5YW

(Click image for larger version.)

Questions And Decisions About The Musical? Let's Talk!

2010-08-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

Trying to decide if "One Mad Christmas" is the Dramatic Christmas Musical for your church or organization, this year? Not sure if this is the one for your group?

We understand. If you have any questions at all about the musical, we are happy to answer them to the very best of our ability.

The musical seems too big a project for your group?

The musical seems too small a project for your group?

You're not sure about the orchestration?

You wish there was an accompaniment CD?

We've talked with groups about these questions and more.

Feel free to drop me a line at johnnyleckie@gmail.com and I'll be happy to answer your questions and share with you how "One Mad Christmas" can work in your church. And if you decide to perform the musical, we are available to you throughout the process, as well.

If you'd like to chat in real time, See if I'm here http://johnnyleckie2.campfirenow.com/f81e5 first, or we can chat in Google Chat if I'm available at the email address above.

Looking forward to hearing from you as the countdown to Christmas 2010 moves forward!

A Few "One Mad Christmas" Set Photos

2010-07-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Here is one church's interpretation of portions of the set for "One Mad Christmas" graciously provided by Laura Weimer (http://www.lauraweimer.com) from her church's production:

See the original photos on her Flickr site here.

There is still time to license "One Mad Christmas" for Christmas 2010. Download all of the freebies located in the sidebar, and/or contact me johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com for more information. We look forward to hearing from you! :)

Ideas For Your "One Mad Christmas" Preview Party

2009-05-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here’s what we did to pull that off. Maybe it will give you a few ideas, also:

I recruited people to do a reading of the dramatic script before our listening/viewing party. These were generally people I had in mind for the various roles, but not all of them. We printed out copies of the script for everyone, invited them to my house for pizza, assigned them parts to read through, and then we sat in a circle and did a “reading run through.” When we had our "all chorus/cast/interested parties" listening/viewing party, I had these same people read it through like a “radio show.” (Although I honestly can’t remember if we read through sections or the whole thing.)

I previewed/worked through the score with my pianist and drummer before “previewing” it with everyone else. They had a pretty good handle on it by the time we presented it at the listening/viewing party.

I printed up production books that included all of the songs that the entire chorus would be singing as well as costume information, background info, countdown information, etc. and passed them out to everyone who came to the listening/viewing party. (Much of this information is provided for you in the "Director's Production Guide" for "One Mad Christmas." It is provided with the other downloadable materials when you license the musical.)

We sang through the songs live with piano and drums as we introduced the musical that night. This created an immediate "hands on" experience with the musical that involved everyone in the process from the beginning.

We made a big deal about it being a “special” production, unlike the “canned” musicals we had done in the past. (Not being derogatory here, just trying to distinguish it as being something unique.) Our cast and chorus were very excited about doing a musical that no one else in our area was doing, and one in fact, that had never been done before!

For the earliest groups to license the musical for 2009, Leona and I will be adding a special touch to your Preview Parties by creating a personalized video introduction for you (free, of course). Hopefully, this will help to establish the feel and tone of the musical and our heart/vision behind creating it.

If your group is a little closer to us (we live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex) we’d be happy to do something similar in person. Contact us today!

Director's Production Guide

2009-04-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

When you license the musical for your church or organization, you also receive an 81 page Director's Guide.

Click here to download a larger version of the preview image.

Looking For A Dramatic Christmas Musical?

2008-08-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

If your church is wanting to perform a Dramatic Christmas Musical for Christmas this year but you are having trouble finding one through the traditional channels, then you have come to the right place. "One Mad Christmas" could could be the perfect option for you.

Here are a few recent quotes from Churches doing the musical this year:

"I'm thanking God for your script. It will be so fun for us. I found it on-line and ... I fell in love with the writing of your script right away! I can't wait until my team reads it. "

"Am reviewing the files – I really like what I see, especially the song, 'We 3 Cats.'"

"We too have been struggling with finding quality productions that are outreach oriented and not just churchy stuff. While researching on the internet, I came across "One Mad Christmas" and absolutely fell in love with it. I shared it with our Music Director and she too loved it."

"Our leadership team is extremely excited about the production."

Download all of the FREE files in the box in the sidebar, including a complete copy of the script, song samples and more.

Time is quickly running out for choosing your musical this year! Before you decide to just do a concert with your group this Christmas, please contact me at johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com for video preview info or questions!

Licensing and Contract Correction

2007-08-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

The forms mentioned in the previous post did not have the most up to date fees listed. I've uploaded the more current forms now to the sidebar.

Don't worry. You'll like it better than the one that was there before! :-)

Licensing & Performing the Dramatic Musical

2007-07-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that the "preview song score" files are back in the sidebar! I fixed the weird font troubles they were experiencing, and they should work fine, now. However, if you download them and the fonts still look strange, drop me a line at johnny [at] compasswired.com.

You'll also notice that we've updated a few of the other preview files also, and have added two new files, "Licensing and Performing One Mad Christmas" and "Performance License and Production Contract." You'll want to check them out in that order. These files answer a number of questions about how to do this dramatic musical with your church or organization.

Before we determined the fee structure, Leona and I did a little research. Here's an example we discovered recently for a similar type of dramatic musical from a choral music publishing company:

For 30 choral books, a Director's Guide, a Production Manual, a Demonstration Video and an Accompaniment CD the cost came to $438.35. Replace the Accompaniment CD with Orchestration, and the cost jumps to $698.35 Add another $7.95 for every additional book you'll need. This is all before you begin to consider set construction costs, possible lighting rentals, any promotional expenses, ticket and media royalties, etc. There's also all of the $15.00 "preview packs" that you need to purchase before you decide on the musical that works for you. (Although in fairness, many companies do provide audio clips of many of their musicals on their websites.)

Bleah. Here's what's different about doing "One Mad Christmas:"

It's fully downloadable. There's one reasonable license fee structure. Print all of the books you need. Charge for admission. Make Videos. Post clips on the web. Perform the musical as many times as you want in a calendar year. Our video demonstration is pretty bad, but you can see it for free if you ask really nicely. The production manual is included. All of the preparation "production materials" you need to perform the musical are included. The "preview pack," such as it is, is free.

I get all "Web 2.0-ish" just thinking about it. :)

Check it out. Download the file, "Licensing and Performing One Mad Christmas" now, and see if this is the musical for you this year. We'd love to hear from you!
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Shiny Aluminum Christmas Tree

2007-06-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

One of the fun elements of "One Mad Christmas" was adding an "Aluminum Christmas Tree" to the set of "J.J.'s."

"A Charlie Brown Christmas," which was first broadcast in December of 1965, is considered by some to be the beginning of the downward spiral of the aluminum tree's popularity in American homes. In the setting of our musical (1960), however, the trees were still in vogue.

My Grandmother had one when I was little and I remember being fascinated with the "color wheel" and the way the silver branches changed colors as the wheel turned. I still think they're kind of cool. :)

The "Aluminum Christmas Tree" is not absolutely essential for performing the musical, but it is a fun, nostalgic addition whose appearance on set immediately suggests another era.

We had a family in our church who happened to have one that we were able to use for the production. The color wheel required a few modifications, but it worked great. There are many places to find one of these trees and color wheels, but your own congregation is the best starting point.

If you are interested in purchasing one, try looking in Thrift shops or dig a little deeper and buy one from Amazon.

Since they were popular midway through the last century, there will definitely be a few people in your group who have never heard of them, much less seen one before. Adding this kind of element to your Christmas production can create an atmosphere among your cast, chorus and production team that what you are doing is unique and special.

...Ok, and I guess also a little "quirky." :)

Check out these sites for more Aluminum Christmas Tree Fun:

Aluminumtree.com

Cool Things - Aluminum Trees

AluminumChristmastrees.net

Listen to stories at NPR:

Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum

Aluminum Trees Make A Comeback ( * Highly recommended! Definitely worth the 3 minutes. Also includes video of color spinning wheel on a tree from 1962.)
__________________________________________________
Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

One Mad Music Note Font Troubles...

2007-06-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

You know, you've just gotta love a blog post with a title like that. :)

Here's a quick update on the preview pack files in the sidebar: I've temporarily removed the sheet music sample files. But don't worry, they will be back soon.

Apparently, the necessary music fonts were not embedded into the "pdf" file, resulting in some pretty weird looking musical notation! If you downloaded the files containing sample sheet music and thought to yourself, "My accompanist will never be able to play this!" then please delete those files and check back soon for a readable file!

Sorry about that. In the meantime, the other files are still available, so feel free to download away!
__________________________________________________
Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Dramatic Christmas Musical Preview Files

2007-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Christmas is just around the corner! If you are in charge of your church or organization's Dramatic Christmas Musical or Dinner Theater this year, that is...

Well, here's some good news for you. The preview pack for "One Mad Christmas" is now available as free, easy downloads! Find the files in the sidebar and be sure to begin with the file, "1madstarthere.pdf."

After previewing the musical, feel free to contact us for information about how you can perform the musical with your group!

Drop me a line at johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com if you are interested in knowing more. We'd love to hear from you!

Creators of the musical

2005-11-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

Leona played the part of "Maude Burton," the most obnoxious and funny character in the musical. After the final performance, I asked her to never put on this wig again...

__________________________________________________
Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

The Other Samaritans

2005-07-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

"Samaritans. That's what you are! Good Samaritans, all of you!" - Harry Townsend

Phil Porter – Modeled after Sid Caesar, Phil is a plumber from Grass Valley, California. He is in Madding to buy a necklace for his wife that he saw the last time he stopped in town. When he is unable to find it, he is more than willing to be a part of a hunt for treasure, which he is hoping will “make up for not getting the necklace” when he gets home. He has a wife in Grass Valley named Hazel, and twin boys named Ed and Fred.

Jerry Kingsly – Modeled after a young Buddy Hacket, he is a cartoonist whose comic strip, “jellybeans,” is published weekly in five major newspapers. A close friend of Phil, they traveled to Madding together. Jerry is single, and made the trip to “find something nice for his Ma.”

Franklin Styles – Modeled after Jim Bakkus, he is an insurance salesman for a major company in the Southwest, Blanket Mutual. Their slogan is “If you get left out in the cold—We’ve got you covered.” He aspires to be independently wealthy someday, and tries to act as though he already is. His speech is cluttered with big and important sounding words that almost always seem out of place for the occasion.

Olivia Styles – Franklin’s wife, she is loosely modeled after Rose Marie (Sally from the Dick Van Dyke Show). When her husband becomes grandiose in his estimation of things, she reels him back in quite handily. She is, however, always supportive of her husband, and stands by him--unless her mother is involved.

Maude Burton – Obnoxious and loud, she is the Mother of Olivia, and is modeled after Ethel Merman. She usually speaks first and thinks second, but is not really as “mean” as she comes across most of the time.

J.J. (Joe Jenkins)

2005-07-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

A man in his late thirties, J.J. is owner of “J.J.’s Café’ and Nightclub.” His father, Joseph Jenkins, Sr., was a former friend of Harry Townsend and was the original owner of the “Cup-O-Joe” Café. When Joseph Sr., died, the café went to J.J., who expanded the café’s format and changed the name to “J.J.’s.”

A friendly and honest businessman, J.J. is a believer who is active in his church. He is proud of his little café and nightclub, which has done surprisingly well even though he sells no alcoholic beverages and there is no gambling. As he says, there is “just good live music, a great meal, and the best coffee in town! Folks’ll just keep driving to ‘Vegas for that other stuff.”

J.J. is a levelheaded voice of stability in the midst of the craziness that grows throughout the night. J.J. is modeled after the greatest crooner of all time, Bing Crosby.
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Harry Townsend

2005-07-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

A man in his 60’s, Harry is a former “big stakes gambler” who once worked for the “Empire Mine” in Grass Valley, California. He is mysterious simply because only a handful of people seem to know him, and his story of hidden money is so fantastic. He is very animated in his facial and physical expressions, and has a bit of “gravel” in his voice.

Harry is modeled after none other than Jimmy Durante.

Harry has an extensive backstory that I may add later. It contains many spoilers to the story, however, so I'll really have to think about it...

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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Erin Weston

2005-07-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

Erin Weston – A fairly strong-willed woman in her mid-twenties, Erin is Cooper’s wife of one year. She is very happy in her new marriage, but is striving to adjust to living as a part of a “couple,” rather than as just an individual. She and Cooper’s arguments are usually about trivial things, like Erin’s attempts to make coffee.

“How could anyone mess up coffee? You scoop, you pour - you watch it perk!”

Erin really wants Cooper to be successful, but struggles with how to encourage him without nagging. She is also trying to “prove” herself to her overly critical parents, who still view her as their “little girl.” She is a Christian, but has not been actively involved in a Church in a long time.

Erin is based on several smart, comic actresses throughout the years, but would be played very well by Mary Tyler Moore in her “Laura Petrie” days.
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Murray Langston

2005-07-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

Murray is a man who likes to “turn a fast buck.” If there’s fast money in the picture, Murray is in the middle of it. He usually wears a tweed ‘fedora’ type of hat, and black, ‘horn rimmed’ glasses.

Murray is not a crook, but his greed and compulsive desire for easy money get the best of him more often than not. Ultimately, he feels a sense of remorse and shame for his behavior.

In his 40’s, Murray is modeled after the great comic character actor, Phil Silvers.

An interesting bit of information about the character of Murray: He is in almost every scene, does some pretty funny things and has a solo, but he doesn't actually speak with other characters till the second half of the production.
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Cooper Weston

2005-07-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Cooper Weston – A Man in his mid-twenties, Cooper is the protagonist of “One Mad Christmas.” The first of “the Samaritans” who come to Harry’s aid, he is a stressed, new husband who is struggling to carve a name for himself in the business world and establish himself as a good provider for his wife and future family.

He currently works as an assistant manager in a grocery store, but would like to have a job that allows him to be creative. He has a sharp wit, and a habit of quoting lines from Christmas carols, applying them to any given situation during the holidays. One of his other “quirks” is adding an ice cube to his coffee. He burned his tongue once with hot coffee, and now adds an ice cube to “take the edge off and save his tongue.”

As the musical progresses, he becomes more and more caught up in the promise of good fortune, believing the unexpected windfall of money to be “just what he needs” to finally get his life together, and prove to the world and himself that he is a capable leader in his business, his family, and as a man. He ultimately achieves all of these things, but not in the way he initially thought that he would.

Cooper is a character that is a cross between Jimmy Stewart in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” Carey Grant in “Arsenic and Old Lace,” and would probably be played perfectly by Dick Van Dyke.

Now if you can just find a guy who looks something like a composite of those three guys, you're set!
Then again, maybe that's just creepy...
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

Cast Information

2005-07-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

In the next several posts, I'll provide descriptions of the various characters who make up the cast of the dramatic musical, "One Mad Christmas."

There's no better way for an amateur actor to get the flavor of what a character is supposed to look and sound like than basing the character on a movie actor/character for reference. The descriptions to come will follow that pattern, but still allow for some freedom of interpretation by the actors and the director.

In some ways, it's like imagining the dream cast from movie actors of the past and present. I'll try to put a photo* of the actor the character was based on with each description. This was a very fun part of creating the story, and Leona and I had a great time pulling together this "famous" cast...

We'll start with Cooper...

* (From a variety of places on the web - if you are the copyright holder of one of these images and would prefer that they not be presented here, please contact me and I'll remove them.)
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com

A Few Items of Interest

2005-05-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a few items of interest about the musical:

The music was designed to be performed live by a small group of musicians that form a jazz ensemble. There are parts for piano, bass, trombone, trumpet, clarinet, and alto saxophone. There is no written drum notation, but the score indicates the tempo & style (mostly swing). There is no soundtrack Cd.

The script was written for a main cast of 11, supporting cast (bit parts) of about 7, and a full chorus, including solos, a trio, and parts for a children's choir or small group of kids.

The show runs about 75 minutes or so.

The set design incorporates fast scene changes.

There are production/directors’ notes available, as well as a variety of suggestions for staging, properties, character development, costuming and other extras.

We had a blast performing it!

About The Musical

2005-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

One Mad Christmas

Several years ago, Dramatic Christmas Musicals were in plentiful supply. Many churches were performing dinner theatres or simply innovative, dramatic productions in an attempt to reach out to their communities with the Good News of new life in Jesus Christ at Christmas time.

In those days, I was the Associate Pastor for Worship Arts at a church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. We had performed many of Deborah Craig-Claar’s works, but found that in 1999, there weren’t a lot of new dramatic musicals available.

So my wife, Leona and I lost our minds and decided to just create one ourselves. About a year and a half later, we started rehearsals…

Here’s the scoop on “One Mad Christmas:”

The musical was inspired by the movie, “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” although there are only a few similarities. The story surrounds Cooper Weston and a group of Christmas travelers who are presented with the possibility of finding 250,000 dollars that is hidden somewhere in the fictional town of Madding, Nevada, on Christmas Eve of 1960.

Throughout the course of the musical, the group grows from the small group of searchers to a crazy mob including Murray, a huckster who overhears the group talking about the money, a trio of “Nightclub Singer wannabes,” Deano, Frankie and Sam (who sing a song called, “We 3 Cats”), and even a group of kids who have been chasing Department Store Santas! But will more money really solve the problems they are going through and provide what they really need?

Hmmm….

Anyway, there are six scenes, including a nightclub (old style), a department store, a library, and a mine. There are a variety of surprises, a touch of mystery, a lot of humor, and a clear presentation of the hope we have in Jesus.

My wife and I tried to avoid as many cliché’s as possible, include the kinds of things that we enjoyed from previous productions, and put together a story we felt that we and our friends would enjoy seeing. We presented 3 perfomances in 2001, and it was very well received.

Not long after presenting the musical, we felt called to plant a church in the Alliance, Texas area. When we made that leap, we kind of left any thoughts of publishing the musical behind us and poured ourselves into the task before us. We always thought we'd get around to making it available to churches or getting it published, or something - but for those of you who are familiar with church planting, you know that we just haven't had much time for that.

Since then, we've had numerous inquires about the availability of the musical, and I was reminded that there are churches who might still be interested in a creative, independently produced dramatic musical for Christmas.

That's why I started this blog.

This blog will be a place on the web for me to share tips, ideas, extras and "behind the scenes" stories about this production for churches who are currently working on or are interested in performing "One Mad Christmas."
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Be sure to download all of the free "preview" files that are located in the sidebar of the main page of this blog, and start with the file, "1MadStarthere.pdf." If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a line at: johnnyleckie [at] gmail.com