Everyone ready for an afternoon at the ballet? :) ;)

Mike: How'd I get talked into this again?

Katie: I wanna see the dancing! :D

Peter: I think it'll be a wonderful bonding experience. :)

Lauren: I can hear Mick snoring already. :P

Micky: I'm not asleep...yet. ;)

(We open in the lobby of the Royale Theater, where some of "The Play Is the Thing" took place...only this time, the crowd consists of mainly children, parents, and dance fans. All eight MonkeeLeague members and their children stand in line with the others. Everyone wears fairly good clothes, including the kids.)

Katie: (Jumps up and down) I can't wait to see the Nutcracker again! I like the Nutcracker!

Mike: Whoa, cowgirl! Settle down.

Emma: I think this is going to be fun.

Mike: Why are we doin' this again?

Emma: I've been wanting to have some family time together, and more than half of you have never seen this.

Mike: Couldn't we do something else as a family?

Emma: A theater is about the only place that fits all of us.

Peter: I don't think it'll be so bad. We'll be exposing the children to culture.

Mike: Couldn't we do it at home? They don't even sell popcorn here!

Katie: (She turns to Micky and the twins) This is going to be so fun! We're almost in!

Micky: *Unenthusiastic* Yay.

Peter: (Smiles at Micky) Oh, come on, Micky. How could you not want to watch dancing peppermint drops and Chinese tea?

Micky: *raises an eyebrow* You just said it.

Peter: There's sword fighting.

Micky: Sword fighting? When?

Peter: Towards the end of the first act.

Emma: Also attacking rats.

Micky: You've piqued my interest.

Peter: You might get a little bored in the second act, which is mostly the dancing candies showing off for the Prince and Clara, but the end of the first act has Clara and the Nutcracker saving the toys from the Rat King and his fellow rats.

Micky: I'll wait until the second act to take a snooze.

Lauren: So help me Mick, if you fall asleep...

Micky: Kidding, babe! I'm just kidding!

Emma: Micky, we'll go out to Millie's for cheesecake afterwards.

Micky: *grins* Okay.

Mike: Can we go now and skip the show?

Emma: No.

Valerie: I don't see what you're all fussing about. Chrissy and I used to see "The Nutcracker" every year together when we were younger.

Emma: It was either this or Handel's Messiah.

Jordan: (Looks around) There's so many people!

Valerie: This is a very popular show, Jordan honey.

Mike: (As they line moves and they give their tickets to the man at the door) Finally!

Peter: (As they lead the kids into a semi-full theater) Where are we going to sit?

Katie: Up front!

Mike: Not in the nosebleed seats, cowgirl. You won't be able to see the dancers.

Emma: (Looks at Micky) And not way in the back so certain people can pass out half-way through the show.

*Micky sticks his tongue out.*

(Mike leads everyone to a center row.)

Katie: I sit next to Jordan an' Papa!

Mike: You sit next to whomever you end up next to.

Valerie: (Sighs) This brings back memories. Dad used to take Chrissy and me to see all the big, first-run movies here when we were little. (Looks at Micky) Did you get to see movies here, too? (Smiles and points to the heavy red curtain) Look, they still have the old curtain they used to pull and reveal the screen.

Micky: I sure did get to see movies here.

Mike: Wish I could have seen movies or ballets at a big, fancy place like this. We could barely afford the neighborhood place.

Peter: There was a movie palace like this in Hartford Mother would take us to on special occasions, like our birthday or Christmas.

Emma: We'd only see them at small neighborhood theaters. The movie palaces in South Jersey all went bust or were torn down or made into smaller theaters.

Mike: Are you sure there isn't a concession counter here?

Emma: Not anymore. And if there was, it wouldn't be selling anything.

Katie: Look! It's starting!

(The music begins and the house lights darken as everyone sits back. We open with a set depicting a Victorian living room with a large tree in the back. We see an older man dancing, revealing the things he's working on - three "living dolls" (actual humans in Columbine and Harlequin costumes) and a smaller Nutcracker. He finally dances offstage with his creations, and people dance on stage, mostly adults in Victorian finery.)

(Mike leans back, clearly bored, as children in equally elaborate Victorian costume dance on stage. Peter smiles, watching Jordan's enraptured face.)

(Katie giggles when the old man brings the Harlequin and Columbine and they dance.)

(Mike smacks Micky's arms. Hey boy, I saw your eyes fluttering!)

*Micky nudges Mike in return. You're looking a little tied yourself!*

(Peter puts his arm around his son, who leans into him as Clara embraces her new Nutcracker. There's a wild fanfare, and Clara's brother and his buddies charge in with their toy soldiers! Peter chuckles when Micky and Davy shoot straight up and almost over their seats.)

(Katie sees Little Mick grumbling on one side of her. She nudges HIM. Aw, come on, they're almost at the sword fighting!)

(Mike tries to put his feet up on the seat in front of him...but the person in front of him doesn't really appreciate that. Emma glares at him and smacks his arm.)

(Davy grins and elbows Micky. Got any candy stashed in there somewhere?)

*Micky pulls out two boxes of Jujubes and hands one to Davy.*

(Davy attempts to toss his in his mouth...but it lands on the guy behind him.)

*Micky whacks Davy's arm. Careful!*

(Davy tries to throw another one. This time, it lands on Mike's head. He glares at them and grumbles, then points to the boxes. Better be careful. The girls will take them away if they see them.)

(Davy turns to Micky. The kids and mothers are distracted as the theater becomes darker and Clara watches the Nutcracker and the "Tree" grow to twice their size. How about an Jujubes-eating contest?)

*Micky nods happily.*

(Davy stuffs four Jujubes in his mouth as the Rat King and his rats scurry onto the stage. Katie jumps up and down; Mike pulls her back in her seat.)

(Katie and Little Mick have a mini-sword fight with their fingers.)

(Valerie excuses herself and heads for the lobby. Nature calls.)

(Robbie claps from his mama's lap. This is fun!)

(Davy taps Micky on the shoulder and shows him his cheeks full of Jujubes. Let's see you do better!)

*Micky stuffs eight in his mouth.*

(Katie shakes Uncle Micky's arm, ignoring his chipmunk cheeks. Uncle Micky, look! The sword fight!)

(Davy swallows and stuffs ten in his mouth.)

(Valerie returns as quickly and as quietly as she can.)

*Micky swallow, then stuffs fourteen in his mouth.*

(Davy swallows, then stuffs sixteen!)

(There's more gasping from the crowd when there's smoke around the "Nutcracker" and he "turns" into a handsome prince. Katie and the twins clap.)

(Robbie grins. Wow, this is a good play!)

(Valerie leans on her husband's shoulder.)

(Valerie and Emma take some of the kids to the bathroom during Intermission, after the Dance of the Snowflakes. Mike asks if he can leave now. Um, no, dear.)

Davy: (Turns to Micky as the music ends; Daphne chats with Lauren and Lizzie and Leah play with each other, ignoring them) Hey Mick, look. Got the hole box in here!

Micky: *shows Davy a matching hole in his box* Shall we play?

Davy: (Between chews) Of course! (Tries to swallow...and doesn't get very far)

(Davy starts coughing. Micky thumps on his back.)

Davy: (Finally gets it all down) Thanks, man.

Micky: You're welcome.

Davy: (Nods) Maybe we'd better wait to play. Here comes Em and Val with the kids.

Emma: (As she helps the kids and Valerie back into their seats) Hey, Lauren.

Katie: We're back, Aunt Lauren! We're ready to see the Land of Sweets now!

Emma: Have a nice chat, Lauren?

Lauren: Uh, yeah.

Emma: (Turns to Micky and Davy) You guys ok? Davy, you look a little red-faced.

Davy: (Hides his Ju-Ju-Bee box) We're fine!

Micky: Yeah.

Emma: Mike, how about you? Mike? (She shakes him - he was starting to doze) Mike, you promised?

Mike: (As the lights go down) I'm, uh, I'm ok.

Shelly: Ooh, the show's starting, Daddy!

(As the show starts and we open at the Castle of Sweets, the guys start playing their Jujubes boxes. Emma elbows Lauren and points at them.)

*Lauren almost snickers, but quickly stops.*

(Emma frowns as she feels something heavy on her shoulder. She nudges Mike off of it. He snaps back awake.)

(Peter smiles and hugs Jordan, who grins as the Chinese dance begins and the Chinese Tea dancers jump out of giant teapots!)

(Katie and Little Mick giggle when one of the dancers in the Marzipan sequences loses her shoe!)

(Davy points out that Emma and Lauren have turned to the kids. He indicates his Jujubes box. How about they play along with the orchestra?)

*Micky nods, grinning widely, and counts them off.*

(Valerie blushes as she gets up and heads for the lobby again. Katie asks Jordan why his Mommy has to use the bathroom so much. Jordan says it's because of his little brother in her tummy.)

(The guys play their boxes louder this time. At one point, the Sugar Plum Fairy glares at them after her jette lands wrong.)

(Emma makes a face and pushes a dozing Mike off her shoulder.)

(Davy does a few little movements with his feet in his seat and dares Micky to do his own.)

*Micky does so, then sticks his tongue out at Davy.*

(Davy does more intricate steps, trying to mirror the show, which is rapidly approaching the finale as Clara and her Nutcracker Prince dance. He even does a few hand movements.)

(Katie sighs and puts her arm around Jordan's shoulders. He blushes.)

*Micky just dances. He's not familiar with the ballet, so he just makes it up.*

(Davy does a more complicated series of steps as the play starts to end and Clara's godfather comes out to take her home...and out of her dream.)

(Emma makes a face and shakes Mike. The kids - and Peter - are enraptured. Valerie finally returns, looking annoyed. The lights come on as the music ends and Davy executes his last, very complicated, moves, even standing as everyone claps.)

Micky: *smirks, clapping* What a ham.

Davy: (Bows as everyone starts to leave) Thank you, thank you.

Katie: That was fun!

Emma: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching it with you. (She nudges Mike)

Mike: Uh, oh, um yeah. Everyone ready to go to Millie's for a snack?

Micky: *stands and stretches* I am!

Valerie: I sure could use some of her Peppermint Cheesecake.

Jordan: Me too!

Katie: I want chocolate cake!

Emma: Ok, everyone, let's go. (Frowns at Micky and Davy) I don't think you two should have anything. You've already had your snacks.

Davy: (Looks at Micky) Were we eatin', Mick?

Micky: *shakes his head* What could we possibly have been eating? There was no concession stand!

Emma: But I KNOW I saw... (She makes a face as Lauren leads her away.)

Davy: (Looks at Micky) That was close! (Grins) Oh, and I won that little eating contest of ours.

Micky: Did not.

Davy: Did too! (And this continues as they file out and we fade out on the stage and the one last shoe the Marzipan dancer lost and never retrieved.)