Michaelmas Mouse

Michaelmas Mouse hitches a lift on Mary and Josephs donkey to visit his relatives in Bethlehem.  The city mice dont approve of their scruffy country cousin until he sorts out the tyrannical cat Morz. As they stroll over the hills around Bethlehem, some sheep tell them about the birth of a special baby.

 Production Pack contains Script, Piano/Vocal Score, Cd of Backing Tracks and Vocals

Age Range  6-9      Duration  About 30 minutes

Dave Corbett

Dave Corbett trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and subsequently worked in repertory theatre.

Later he gained a Cert. Ed. in music and drama and worked for many years in primary education. During this time he wrote and staged many musicals.

In 1989 he left teaching and set up Music in Education Works (MEW), touring schools with his music and drama workshops. These enabled children to experience first hand the world of electronic music.

In 1992 Dave got involved musically with the family business; his brother Matthew presented a very popular children's television programme called Sooty & Co. Harry Corbett, father to Dave and Matthew, invented Sooty, a glove puppet, way back in the 1950's. It has been the longest running children's TV character of all time. Dave's job for many years was to compose and record music for both the TV and theatre shows.

Dave has composed and recorded a great deal of material for several educational publishers, among others Heinemann, (you may use the LIVELY MUSIC teaching scheme which Dave was heavily involved with), IMP (MUSIC ABOUT US series), and Collins Educational (LETTERLAND). He has also written extensively for BBC Schools radio, (Time and Tune, Singing Together and Music Workshop).

Synopsis

Scene 1: The Home of Michaelmas Mouse
	Michaelmas Mouse is planning to go to stay with his city mice cousins in Bethlehem. A going away party has been organised. Michaelmas learns that Mary and Joseph, (the humans upstairs), are heading off to Bethlehem on a donkey. Michaelmas can hitch a ride.
Scene 2 : The Journey
	Mary and Joseph talk to other travellers on the road to Bethlehem.
Scene 3 : The Marketplace
	An improvised market scene. Michaelmas asks where the centurions house is where his cousins live.
Scene 4 : The City Mousehole
	Michaelmass cousins think that he is a rather scruffy country cousin mouse, and inform him that they are "sugar and spice and all things nice mice". There is panic when the great cat Morz appears, but Michaelmas quickly deals with the cowardy custard cat. The city cousins suddenly warm to their new hero, Michaelmas.
Scene 5 : On the Hillside
	Sheep discuss the "unidentified flying persons"  angels. The shepherds are also amazed and hurry off to find the baby the angels told them of. Michaelmas and some of his cousins, walking on the hills, come upon the sheep who tell him of the angels message. They decide to go and find the baby for themselves.
Scene 6 : King Herods Palace
	On the way, Michaelmas visits the kings palace. Herod hears news that three wise men are searching for a baby, the king of all the world. He plans to kill the child. Michaelmas is spotted by the cook and maids, who summon the new palace cat, Morz. Michaelmas tells him off for getting up to his old tricks of scaring mice, and Morz promises, "by his grannies whiskers", to always be a good cat in future.
Scene 7 : Bethlehem Hills
	A very short scene. Three kings follow the star.
Scene 8 : The Baby
	The kings meet Michaelmas and his cousins, and together they find baby Jesus in the stable. The kings give their gifts, and the shepherds, who are also there, give a lamb. Cast List Character No. of Lines Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Mum Mouse Dad Mouse Michaelmas Morris Mouse Mungo Mouse Mark Mouse Minnie Mouse Maureen Mouse Madge Mouse Melanie Mouse Midge Mouse Marjorie Mouse Mary Joseph James, John, Jesse Merchants Morz Auntie Chrissy Uncle Cedric City mouse Susie City mouse Sally City mouse Cindy Sarah, Cynthia, Celia Sylvia Sheep 1 Sheep 2 Sheep 3 & 4 Shepherds Sam, Solly, Stephen Soldier 1 Soldiers King Herod Minister 1 Minister 2 Messenger 1 Messenger 2 Maids Cook Kings 1 & 2 King 3 Onlookers 12 11 2 2 30 3 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 5 4 2 improvised 8 4 3 9 4 4 2 1 7 4 3 3 1 non speaking 8 4 3 5 7 2 4 6 5 non speaking