Everyone ready for this year's holiday stories? :)

Mike: (Not the most enthusiastic) Yeah.

Lauren: You bet! :)

Peter: YEAH! :D

Micky: Definitely! :D

Davy: Been lookin' forward to them, luv. :)

(We open in late November, a few days after Thanksgiving and about five months after the finale of "Kids and Devils." Groups of parents and kids are walking into a large church. Among the groups are the four Monkees and their wives and children. The church is decorated quite festively, with boughs of holly and evergreens and a lovely old nativity scene outside.)

Mike: (Muttering) How did I let you guys talk me into this? :p

Emma: It's for the kids, Mike!

Micky: *claps Mike's shoulder* It'll be fun, man! ;) :D

Chrissy: This is the first time I've ever been in a real Christmas pageant! I'm the head angel! :D

Valerie: (Hugs Jordan) And I was more than glad to let Jordan be the Baby Jesus. :)

Peter: Chrissy has nice kids in her class. You'll like them. There's some younger kids from the church's preschool to be the other angels and animals, too. :)

Davy: What I want to know is who 'it who on the 'ead and let Mick direct? ;) :p

Micky: Hey!? :P *swings playfully at Davy's head*

*Lauren chuckles.*

Mike: They're doin' it 'cause he's a name who'll draw crowds. :p

Chrissy: We're doing it 'cause Peter says he's a good director! :)

Peter: And he is! :)

Micky: Thank you! ;)

Mike: The last thing he directed was "The Mammoth Revue," which was never seen by the public in our version. :p

Micky: *quirks an eyebrow at Mike* That wasn't my fault. :P

Peter: Hey, I thought that came out pretty well, given the technical limitations!

Emma: Mike, stop being a wet blanket.

Katie: Dad! :p

Peter: (Quickly) Why don't we all go in? The kids will be wanting to begin soon, and I'm sure the twins will want to get into their angel costumes. :)

Little Mick and Shelly: We angels! We angels! :D

Lauren: *shakes her head, grinning* They keep chanting that. ;)

Emma: I think they're adorable. ;)

Katie: Me sheepie! Baa! Baa! ;) :D

Mike: Shame we couldn't have figured out how to get a wolf in this story. ;)

Peter: Sorry, Mike. Chrissy's teacher said they couldn't figure out how to explain a wolf in the story of the birth of Christ. ;)

Chrissy: (Puts her arm around the twins) You're two of my angels. I get to lead the heavenly choir! :D

Valerie: And I'm very proud of you, dear. :)

Mick and Shelly: Heav'ly angels! :D

Davy: (Picks up Shelly and lifts her in the air) Nahh, you're not 'eavy! You're as light as an angel feather! ;)

Peter: (Picks up Chrissy) So are you! ;)

Chrissy: (Giggles) Peter! :))

Shelly: (Squeals) Wheeeeee! :D

Katie: (Tugs at Mike) Me too, Daddy! :D

Mike: (Sighs) Ok, Katie. (Tosses her up in the air; she giggles) There. Happier? ;)

Katie: Yeah, Daddy! :D

*Micky picks up Little Mick and spins him around, Little Mick holding his arms out in front of him.*

Emma: Ok, guys, that's enough. We're holding up traffic. Come on. Let's get inside and get the kids in their costumes for rehearsal. :)

Mike: And as soon as this is done, we need to get home to work on songs for our album, Monkees.

Peter: And we've got to do costume fittings for the community "Christmas Carol" we're appearing in! :D

Micky: And I've got to get a clipboard. ;)

Lauren: Mick, you get a clipboard and I'll hit you over the head with it. ;)

Mike: I wanna see you do that anyway. ;)

*Micky sticks his tongue out.* :P ;)

(Everyone laughs as they move through the door. They walk through a small foyer to a large but very busy room. It's mostly wood pews, with a small stage with a simple red curtain in the back. Kids run here and there. Most wear school uniforms, like Chrissy; the boys sport white shirts, plaid ties, black trousers, and green sweaters, while the girls wear white blouses with plaid pleated skirts or jumpers, knee socks, and shiny black Mary-Janes. Some are working on the backdrops for the play; others annoy their parents or chat in small groups amongst themselves.)

Chrissy: (Waves at a young girl in a skirt and white blouse with puffy sleeves) Hey, Sarah!

Sarah: (Runs over to them, looking a bit older, but otherwise more or less like she did in "The Way to a Bard's Heart") Hi, Chrissy! I'm glad you're here. They're going to be lining us up to get our costumes and scripts in a moment! (Beams) I can't believe I got the part of Mary! That's one of the biggest speaking roles in the whole play! :D

Chrissy: I get to be the angel who tells you about the star! :D

Sarah: You get to wear wings, but I get to play with the baby and all the little kids dressed as farm animals. :D

Mike: Why don’t Micky and Lauren take the kids backstage to get things started? The rest of us will watch things out here.

Micky: *to Mike* Hey, who's the director here?

Lauren: *graons* Mick, just come on, will ya? Yeesh. :P ;)

Chrissy: Hey, Sarah, Micky's going to be our director!

Sarah: Really? No kidding! :D

Chrissy: Yeah! :D

Sarah: That's so cool! (As they head backstage) When I saw you guys at Val and Peter's wedding, I knew you'd hit it big! I saw you with my cousins when you came through Cleveland on tour. You really rocked that stadium! They're all huge fans! :D

Micky: *grins* Tell me more. ;) :D

Lauren: One inflated ego, coming up. :P ;)

Sarah: (As everyone laughs) The kids are all really excited that you're going to direct.

Chrissy: They can't wait to be angels and sheopards for a Monkee! :D

Micky: I can't wait to direct! This'll be a lot of fun. :D

(There's a line of children and several women and men in good but not overly dressy skirts, trousers, pants, and sweaters dressing the children in simple but bright-colored tunics and headdresses. The sheapards carry plastic crooks and are surrounded by preschoolers in white sweatsuits with fluffy cotton sewn onto them. Two older kids are dressed as a cow in a brown mottled sweatsuit and a camel, complete with a "hump" made of brown stocking material stuffed with cotton. A "donkey" wears a gray sweatsuit and has large ears. The angels have white tunics with glittery beads and sequins sewn on them. Their halos and wings are also sprinkled with gold glitter, and they carry star-shaped golden wands covered with glitter and ribbons.)

Little Mick: Angels! :D

Katie: Sheepies! (She starts bleating) :D

Woman teacher: (Walks up to Micky) This isn't a pageant, it's a zoo! (Sighs) I'm Lucy Schroder, Chrissy and Sarah's teacher and the consultant for the pageant. This church and our school are joining forces to put this show on, but it's a bit crazy right now.

Micky: Nahh, it doesn't look that bad. *claps his hands together* We'll get these kids organized and ready to go before you know it. :D

Mrs. Schroder: I hope so. :-S

Lauren: *elbows him* Mick, need I remind you of YOUR definition of "organized?" :P ;)

Micky: So, other than a zoo, what've we got here? Anything else need to be done? Need any repairs? Anything? ;)

Mrs. Schroder: Well, we've got to round up the rest of the kids and get them into their costumes, and then I want to work on their lines and getting each child to know more or less where they should stand, and the older kids on the stage need to stop fooling around and finish the backdrops, and someone needs to help my husband go over the music, and...

Lauren: I'll help round up the rest of the kids and get them into their costumes. :)

Micky: And I'll do everything else.

Mrs. Schroder: (Nods) I'll get the older kids to finish up the backdrops. They're mostly high schoolers, and once I tell them that the quicker they finish, the quicker they can get out of here and enjoy their Thanksgiving break, that shouldn't be too hard. ;)

Micky: *chuckles* They'll be done before you know it. ;)

Chrissy: We'll watch the twins and Katie while we get our costumes. :)

(Katie runs around the adults in circles, bleating to her heart's content. :D)

*The twins runs off. Little Mick goes to the "cow" & Shelly goes to the "donkey."*

Chrissy: Come on, guys! Let's get our costumes! :)

Sarah: You're so lucky! Those wings are groovy! :p

Chrissy: I like your robe, though. The green looks great on you! :D

Sarah: Hey, thanks!

(The camera cuts to the kids as the girls talk.)

Donkey: Hi there! You new?

Shelly: Hi! *points at Micky* That's Daddy. *points at her brother* We gonna be angels! :D

Donkey: I a donkey! (She brays)

Cow: That's my little sister. I'm stuck being a cow. I'd rather be an angel. :p

Little Mick: Cow nice. :)

Cow: Aww, thank you. :)

Katie: (Runs over to them) Me sheepie! (She continues to bleat) :D

Cow: Is that your sister? :)

Little Mick: *points at Shelly* That sister. *points at Katie* That Katie. :)

Donkey: (Points to the cow) That's my big brother! :D

Cow: I'm Jason. (Nods at the "donkey") She's Patty. :)

Little Mick: Me Micky.

Shelly: *grins* Shelly. :)

Cow: Where's your mommy and daddy?

Donkey: Mommy and Daddy in church! :D

Shelly: *points at Lauren helping other kids with their costumes* That Mommy. :)

Little Mick: Daddy over there. *points to Micky, who's helping out with the music at the moment*

Cow: There's our folks. (Points to an older couple talking to Mike and Emma) Our big sister is around here somewhere, working on the stable.

Little Mick: Like stable! :)

Donkey: Tanks! She's a good artist! :D

Katie: (Toddles up to them) Wanna play. :p

Cow: I wanna go ask Mrs. Schroder when we're going to get started. I'll be right back. (He runs off)

Katie: (Grumbles, louder) No fun. Wanna play! Wanna be sheepie!

Shelly: Be sheepie! Baaaa! *grins*

Katie: Be sheepie! (Points to the stage) There! :D

*In the background, we hear an upbeat instrumental version of "Angels We Have Heard On High" begin.*

(Katie runs on the stage and bleats at the top of her lungs. One of the adults, a young priest in a bright blue blanket-like coat, carries her back. ;) )

*Little Mick grabs a pair of wings and runs around, flapping them.* :D

(The donkey and a couple of the angels climb on the pulpit and start braying. Mrs. Schroder, the priest, and a youngish man with a balding head in a yellow sweater pry the kids down. ;) :o ))

(Katie chases the donkey and the twins into the pews. ;) )

*The twins turn it around and start chasing Katie and the donkey.* ;)

(They run over to a table filled with refreshments, where two women are arguing over how and where to serve the plates of cookies, cakes, candies, pies, and eggnog. One woman has straight brown hair and wears a green sweater and black slacks; the other is smaller, quieter, and has glasses and an orange dress. ;) )

(Katie starts tugging at the tablecloth; the woman in green absent-mindedly gives her a cookie.)

*The twins giggle and duck under one end of the table, little Mick first, then come out the other end, Shelly first.* ;)

(Their arms are loaded with cookies and candy. They hurry behind the curtains to enjoy their treats.)

(Katie pulls Micky and Lauren over to the curtain. She reveals the twins gorging theirselves. She's mad because they didn't share with her! :p ;) )

*Lauren retrieves the twins. Micky shrugs and goes back to helping with the music.* ;)

(Chrissy and Sarah come out on the stage looking for the kids as the song ends. They all run to her.)

Katie: Cissy! Me sheepie! :D

Chrissy: Me Chrissy, sheepie! ;)

Sarah: I'm going to be Mary, and she's the angel who shows the three wise men the way. :)

Shelly: Angels! :D

Chrissy: That's why we're looking for you. It's time for you to get your costumes on, so your dad can set us up and we can get going. :)

Sarah: Freddie Bassman and I are on first as Joseph and Mary, and then the sheapards come in with the animals, followed by the angels. :)

Little Mick: We be good angels! :D

Chrissy: Yeah, but if you really want to be good angels, you have to stay with the head angel and not go running off.

Little Mick and Shelly: We be good! :)

Sarah: Ms. Martin and Mrs. Brown were really mad that you swiped the baked goods. The parishoners baked those to sell at the pageant for a fund-raiser! :p

*The twins exchange looks, frowning.* :(

Chrissy: Just stay away from the food from now on. We'll get something to eat before the play starts, ok? :)

Katie: 'Kay. :)

Little Mick and Shelly: *both nod* Okay!

Chrissy: (Brings the twins and Katie over to Lauren and Mrs. Schroder) Here they are, Lauren! We found them! :)

Sarah: You can tell Mr. and Mrs. Nesmith that Katie is ok, too! :)

Katie: I 'kay. :)

Mrs. Schroder: Thank goodness! I was getting worried! :p

Lauren: Good. *to the twins* What've I told you about running around?

Shelly and Little Mick: Don't run inside. :P

Katie: That no-no. :p

Lauren: Right, *mutters* whether you father heeds that or not. :P ;)

Chrissy: Just stay with Sarah and me or an adult from now on.

Mrs. Schroder: Please, no more running around! :p

Little Mick and Shelly: Okay. :)

Mrs. Schroder: We'll get you dressed, then have my husband and Mr. Thorkleson run through your songs with you. (Smiles at Lauren) I'm just glad your husband and his band took time out of their busy schedules to join this show, Mrs. Dolenz. I saw their special earlier this month. I know it was taped between tour dates this summer, but it was really interesting. All those wild special effects...and such great guest stars! I wonder where they got the idea of having Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis in a 50s rock segment?

Lauren: *grins knowingly* Well, let’s just say it was a vision. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: (Grins) Yes, it was. ;)

(They bring the kids over to where some girls and boys are pulling on white robes, wings, and halos. Mrs. Schroder goes to a box and looks at the twins, then plucks two sets of wings and two robes and hands them to their mother. :) )

Mrs. Schroder: Here they are, Mrs. Dolenz. They'll look so cute, like something out of an old Christmas card! ;)

Lauren: Thank you, Mrs. Schroder. They will look cute. I just hope they don't try pulling them off three minutes after I put them on. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: Oh, I'm sure they won't once they see how lovely they look in them! Besides, all the other angels are wearing them, too. :)

Katie: Sheepie! :D

Chrissy: I'll help get Katie into her sheep costume, then get into mine. :)

Lauren: *chuckles* Thanks, Chrissy. ;)

(Chrissy takes Katie's arm and walks over to the dressing room with her, followed by Sarah carrying their costumes.)

Mrs. Schroder: Now, let's just put your costumes on and see how pretty you look. :) (She pulls the robes over their heads)

Shelly: Pretty! :D

Little Mick: *makes a face* Pretty? :P

Lauren: Handsome. :)

Little Mick: *grins* Okay. :)

Mrs. Schroder: (Pats Micky's head) Very handsome, like your father. ;)

*Little Mick grins widely.* :D

Lauren: Same ego trip, too. ;)

(She and Lauren put the wings on the twins next as Mrs. Schroder chuckles at Lauren's comment. ;) :)) )

Mrs. Schoder: (Hands the twins each a wand) You look so sweet! :)

Shelly: Me sweet! :)

Little Mick: Like sweets! :D ;)

Lauren: Not quite the same thing, there, Mick. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: I don't mean you look like food. I mean you look nice, especially with those lovely, glittery wings. (Hands Lauren Shelly's halo and puts one on Little Mick)

Lauren: *adjusts Shelly's halo* Mick always has food on his mind, anyway. Gets it from his dad. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: That would explain the assault on the food table earlier. ;)

Lauren: Yes, it would, especially since Shelly has a tendency to follow her brother whereever he goes. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: It was the opposite with me and my brother! I was older, so he and his buddies followed me and my buddies a lot. (She made a face) Very embarrasing. You know that blue blanket-like coat he had earlier?

Lauren: Yeah.

Mrs. Schroder: He's had that thing since he was your children's ages. It was his security blanket! He carried it around until well into his young teens! (sighs) My brother is a fine minister, but he has some rather odd beliefs. :p

Lauren: Oh, my... :) ;)

Mrs. Schroder: (Looks out onto the stage) Speaking of my brother, why don't we go out there and see if they've corraled the zoo enough that we can begin?

(Chrissy waves to them as they walk out onto the stage. She holds Katie's hand. Katie wears a fleecy sheep sweatsuit. Chrissy wears a larger version of the twins' outfit, only her wings have more feathers and her halo is trimmed with marabou instead of just being gold-and-glitter-painted wire.)

Chrissy: Hi, guys! I think we're just about ready. All the teenagers are either in the audience with their moms and dads or went home, and all the kids are out here. :)

Lauren: Great. *smiles* The twins are all set, too. :)

Sarah: (In her green robe, with a green and blue headdress and a walking stick trimmed with ribbons) I'm ready! :)

Mrs. Schroder: (Turns to the audience) If everyone in the house is ready, we will begin the rehearsal. :)

Blonde Man at Piano: (The man at the piano with Peter, a tall blond in a purple and black suit, nods) I'm ready here. :)

Mrs. Schroder: And honey, no Beethoven. He didn't write Christmas music. ;) (Mr. Schroder scowls. :p)

(Mr. Schroder begins "The Holly and the Ivy" as the people in the audience settles down and Sarah and a little boy Sarah and Chrissy's age in a red robe walks out, gently holding little Jordan. They place him in the manger, but as they start to do their lines, a bunch of the "sheopards" come out, running after the "sheep" and other "animals," including Katie. ;) )

*Lauren shakes her head, then glances around for Micky. * :-/

(The "sheep" make so much noise, we can't hear Chrissy and Sarah's first lines. Mrs. Schroder shoos them off the stage. ;) :p)

(The backdrop lifts to reveal the backstage, then plops down again. Other parts of the set starts moving, too. The teachers and church staff look perplexed; the kids think it's cool. Jordan fusses; Chrissy quiets him.)

*Lauren put her face in her hands, shaking her head.* :P ;)

(The twins grin and run backstage as the backdrop lifts again and the choir starts singing. Lauren, Mrs. Schroder, and the young minster with the blue blanket-coat bring them back out. The minister is literally carrying both of them under each arm and drops them in the line of angels. ;) )

*Lauren disappears behind the curtain again. After a few moments, there's a "cartoony" sound effect of someone being hit on the head by an object. Lauren reappears moments later, dusting her hands off. The stage, at least momentarily, remains still.* ;)

(The angels all lean over Jordan as they finish their song, and we go into a tableau, with the kids in nativity posistion and the angels all around and the animals running all over the stage. One little boy even walks up to the manger and plays a drum. Jordan, of course, chooses this moment to wail as loudly as he possibly can. A huge, glittering star lifts over the stable as the music ends...only to fall back down onto the manger. Jordan keeps crying. The "animals" wander over the stage to play or talk or just jump excitedly. There's clapping, and the curtain falls.)

(The curtain opens again to find the kids running everywhere. The drummer boy and Joseph are punching each other's arms and joking about each other's costumes. Sarah and Chrissy are talking about the big basketball tournment next month. The twins have vanished behind the backdrop again. The "sheep" hide in the hay in the manger. Katie runs right off-stage to her parents. ;) )

*Lauren chases after the twins again.* :P ;)

Mrs. Schroder: All right, everyone, enough. Let's try that again.

Chrissy: Where are Micky and the twins?

Lauren: *comes back on stage, holding one of the kids in each hand* Here's the twins. *slight grin* Mick's back there, nursing a slight headache, I think. ;)

Minister: Maybe we could try it one more time, sis, then adjourn for lunch.

Mrs. Schroder: I think we'll need a lot more than one more time to get this right. And what was with the backdrop? It's not supposed to move! The star is just supposed to rise! :p

Lauren: That was Micky's doing. He said something about the effect it would give. I disagreed. :P ;)

Mrs. Schroder: You were right to disagree. :p

Minister: I thought it was an interesting effect. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: (Shakes her knuckle under her brother's nose) I'll give you an "effect." :p

Minister: (Backs away) That's a nice effect, sis. :o

*Lauren grins.* ;)

Mrs. Schroder: (Turns to the group onstage) We're going to do this one more time, then everyone can go get something to eat, ok?

Minister: (Grins at the children) And that means the animals have to stop running wild. ;)

Mrs. Schroder: And the star has to go up (loudly so the...ahem...director can hear) at the RIGHT time! :p

*A faint sound of a raspberry resounds through, up to the stage.* :P ;)

Mrs. Schroder: Ok, everyone ready? Places please!

Emma: (Brings Katie back to the stage) Ok, honey, you have to be a sheep one more time, then we'll go have dinner.

Katie: Baaa! :D

Emma: That's right, Katie! You make a very nice sheep. :)

Katie: Tanks! (Frowns) Daddy?

Emma: (Makes a face) Daddy went to the studio to edit some songs for the next album, honey, but he'll be here tomorrow. (Under her breath) He'd BETTER be. :p X(

Katie: (Sighs) 'Kay. (She bleats her way back to the stage and over to the twins)

Little Mick: Angel! :D

Chrissy: Yes, Mick, you and Shelly can be angels with me again. :)

Shelly: Yay! :)

Sarah: You sing so well! (She rocks Jordan, who cries) I think he's getting fussy, though. :p

Valerie: (Comes up onstage) I'll take him. You're just going to have to rehearse without him. He needs to be fed and changed. :p

Mrs. Schroder: The bathroom is next to the dressing room backstage, second door on the left.

Valerie: Thanks. (Takes the baby, who is now much quieter, behind the curtain)

Mrs. Schroder: Ok, everyone, places please! (Nods at the piano) Ready again, honey?

Mr. Schroder: Ready. (He starts playing "The Holly and the Ivy" again as we fade out on the twins and Chrissy heading backstage)