 THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER
Book by John Reeger. Music and lyrics by Julie Shannon.
This critically acclaimed holiday treat tells the
true story of a Michigan shipping captain who braves the deadly
winter weather to bring Christmas trees to homesick German American
families in turn-of-the-century Chicago. His voyages become a yearly
tradition despite his wife's misgivings - until a fateful voyage
makes her realise the true importance of his mission. With its powerful
story and exquisite score, The Christmas Schooner is family entertainment
at its best: hearty and wholesome.
The Story:
ACT ONE
The stage is bare when the audience enters.
Only a large decorated evergreen is visible. As the lights dim,
a ship's bell is heard. The lights come up and the entire company
talks directly to the audience. ("We All Have Songs")
We learn that we are going to hear the story of the Stossel family,
a German family, now living in America in a little lumber town,
Manistique, on the north coast of Lake Michigan. It's also the
story of a schooner they called the Molly Doone - and the story
of a letter that changed their lives.
The scene is then transformed to a bitterly
cold Christmas Eve night, 1881. Gustav, the grandfather, enters
carrying an armload of wood. He is met by his grandson, Karl,
a boy of nine. In another room, Karl's mother, Alma, questions
her son to see that he has done all of his assigned chores. Karl
talks with his grandfather in German as they both decorate the
tree. Alma quickly enters and reminds them that they shouldn't
talk in German for they now live in America where everyone speaks
English. Gustav jokes with her, reminding her that she's just
jealous because she isn't German. She is Swiss, and Switzerland
is full of a variety of languages. Gustav and Karl finally win
out by realizing that America is the best of both worlds--the
old and the new. ("That's America")
The father, Peter, returns from work and shakes
off the snow. Greeting her husband, Alma gives Peter a letter
from his cousin, Martha, who lives in Chicago. Before he has
a chance to read it, the rattling of cans, ringing of cowbells,
and cracking of whips are heard. ("The
Mummers Are Here") Four men ceremoniously enter shaking
the bells and having a wonderfully joyous time as they run around
the house driving away evil spirits as part of an old German
tradition. These men are crewmen who work with Peter aboard his
schooner, the Molly Doone. As soon as they are finished with
their rituals, the men take off their coats and sit down for
a glass of good schnapps. Gustav tells everyone the story of
the first Christmas tree, the Tannenbaum, a famous German tradition.
Alma enters with the goose and everyone sits
down for a delicious Christmas dinner. There is a small evergreen
branch at Peter's place setting which he picks up and proceeds
to pass from person to person as everyone prays and remembs the
Baby Jesus. ("The Blessings
of the Branch") As they all eat, Peter returns to the letter
from Cousin Martha whom they visited last summer on their trip to
Chicago. Yes, she enjoys her life in Chicago, but she misses the
beautiful German Christmas traditions from her hometown of Bremen.
Peter reflects on those days. ("The Letter") Martha's
letter finishes with her commenting how lucky Peter and his family
are to have so many Christmas trees. In Chicago, the trees are
few and far between, making the Christmas holiday seem incomplete.
Peter then tells Alma that while on the Upper Ridge he noticed
there were a variety of small pines that were simply getting too
thick. If the trees aren't cut down and the area thinned, they'll
choke each other and die. Wouldn't it be wonderful, if he could
take those trees to all the Germans in Chicago who haven't had a
tree since they left home? Alma thinks it is a crazy idea; however,
she knows her husband and how he loves to help people. As they sing
carols and finish decorating the tree, Peter can't stop thinking
about Martha's letter and her wishes for a Christmas tree of her
own.
After the holiday season finishes, routine returns
to the Stossel home. The men prepare for another shipping season
on the now frozen lake. During the winter, they worked as lumberjacks.
The thoughts of the Tannenbaum keep turning over and over in
Peter's mind. The shipping season of 1882 comes and goes. ("Another Season On
the Water") When it appears that all the ships should be
put to rest for the winter, Peter asks that his ship be filled
with Christmas trees and sail to Chicago. Though the others try
to convince him that the weather may be fierce, Peter has his
mind made up. He wants to take Christmas trees to Chicago so
that his cousin, Martha, and her friends and neighbors can experience
a bit of a German Christmas tradition.
The scene opens on November 23rd in the woods.
It is evening and a campfire glows as Gustav finishes making
stew for the hungry men who have been chopping and hauling trees
all week. The men eagerly eat their dinner, and though they have
all agreed to work with Peter, they still think it's crazy to
haul Christmas trees across Lake Michigan to Chicago. After dinner,
the men go to bed. Peter returns from work and talks with his
son, Karl. It appears that many of the kids at school think Peter's
Christmas tree idea is crazy. Even Alma, thinks this is a stupid.
Whatever the case may be, Peter believes in what he is doing
and wants to go forward. Also, he knows that his son understands.
("When I Look At You")
The following day, Peter talks with a silent
Alma who really can't understand why he wants to brings Christmas
trees to Chicago just because a cousin wrote him a letter. He
explains that he simply wants to bring the joy of the Tannenbaum
to all the people who miss it. Alma agrees to let him go, and
he leaves her. Left alone, Alma wonders why her husband is the
way he is and why he follows the call of the sea. ("What Is it About the Water?")
The ship finally casts off for Chicago. The journey is not an easy
one. Ice forms on the tackle block and cleat. Storms rage as they
move forward. As the ship continues its journey, Alma and the others
wait and pray for their men to safely return. It is not an easy
time for any of them.
It is November 28th and the Molly Doone continues
to make its way to Chicago. It is foggy and the crew is tired
and cranky. Peter begins to wonder if Alma was right and if anyone
will care about the trees. Luckily, the fog lifts and on December
1st they pull into the dock. There, they can see a crowd of people
eagerly waving at them. ("The Christmas Schooner")
When they arrive, Martha runs to Peter and Gustav eagerly telling
them that she got their letter, and that everyone she has told
wants a Christmas tree. Soon people rush to the dock and excitedly
purchase trees.
Back home, Karl and Alma pray for the Molly Doone's safe return.
ACT TWO
In Chicago, on December 2nd people are eagerly
celebrating the Chicago Winterfest. ("Winterfest Polka")
Peter looks for a present to bring back to Alma and finally decides
to get her a grandfather clock. He runs off to buy it while the
other men are bamboozled into purchasing fake watches from street
swindlers.
Back home on December 11th, Alma is in the midst
of preparing a Christmas fruitcake. Karl hurts his fingers as
uses a hammer to crack the walnuts Alma needs for the cake. While
Peter has been gone, Mother and son have shared a very nice time
together. ("Loving
Sons")
Karl hopes that his father will bring him a present from Chicago.
Alma reminds him that if the weather holds out, the ship should
return by December 15th. However, no sooner does she say this than
Peter appears in the doorway. The journey was so successful that,
in fact, the trees they thought would take four days to sell sold
in less than one day.
The men deliver the grandfather clock, and an
excited Alma thanks her husband. As she prepares to get some
strudel for everyone, Peter unties her apron and takes her into
his arms. ("The Strudel
Waltz") Alone with her husband, Alma admits she is proud
of him, and loves him very much.
The men tell Peter they believe that if some of the planking on
the ship was removed they could probably double the load of trees
for next year. An alarmed Alma hears this and questions her husband.
He promised that he would only risk a journey like this once. Peter
explains that since the people were so happy, he had to do it again.
Alma is only concerned about her husband's safety - not the happiness
of the people of Chicago. Peter remembers he has a present for his
son and produces a new pair of single-blade skates, which excites
the young boy.
The following November and for six to follow,
the Molly Doone sails to America with the Christmas trees. All
the journeys are safe ones. Time moves on to 1887, and Karl,
age 15, is finishing his chores while Alma works around the house.
Suddenly, the door bursts open and Gustav is helped in by Peter.
It appears that a rope snapped, and many trees fell on him -
breaking his arm in two places. The ship is loaded and ready
to make its journey; however, there is no way that Gustav can
go. Without him they will be one man short. Karl suggests they
take him along; however, Alma is adamant that her son not go
on a winter voyage. In reality, they do need his help, and Alma
finally gives in. Karl can go with them. As Peter and Alma help
Gustav to bed, the boy imagines what it must be like aboard a
schooner. He is in ecstasy! ("Hardwater Sailors")
He goes and tells the other sailors the news; however, they tease
him unmercifully. Though he has sailed across the lake, he's
never experienced a winter voyage. He's going to be a winter
sailor now!
On November 27, 1887, the Molly Doone sets sail once again. It
appears that the ship is heavier than ever before and Peter wonders
if it can carry all the trees; however, the crew assures him that
everything should be fine.
On November 30th just outside of Bailey's Harbor, Wisconsin, the
ship is hit by a fierce winter storm with strong winds and blinding
snow. The hatch covers blow off and water pours in. The trees wash
overboard, and the ship tears apart.
On December 8th Alma and Gustav arrive at the rescue hospital at
Bailey's Harbor. They have taken the train and a short ferry ride
there. Karl runs to his mother and grandfather. He survived the
storm; unfortunately, Peter didn't. The other men come and try to
comfort Alma telling her that they wouldn't have survived had it
not been for Peter.
Alma also learns that hundreds of trees washed
up on the shore - all across the bay. Alma tells the other sailors
to get rid of them. She never wants to see another Christmas
tree again! However, the men have voted to load the trees on
another available schooner and sail to Chicago saying that's
what Peter would have wanted them to do. Karl, too, wants to
go with them. They can make it to Chicago in two days. Alma is
dead set against this, but Karl persists in trying to reason
with her. Left alone with Gustav, Alma ruminates about the situation.
("Questions") She is angry, hurt,
and upset about all that has happened. Gustav tries to tell her
that he understands how she feels for he has lost a son just like
she lost a husband. ("When I Look At You" - Reprise)
Alma finally relents. She will let Karl and Gustav set sail with
the ship; however, she is coming with them. If the journey meant
so much to her husband then she wants to experience it as well.
On board the new schooner, Alma sails to Chicago with the men.
On December 17th night, the ship pulls into Clark Street Harbor
and Alma gets off the ship. A small Irish girl asks if the ship
is the Christmas Schooner. They've all been waiting for it all week
even though they heard it sunk up north. The little girl tells her
that no one will believe that the ship wouldn't make it. Alma is
amazed to see just how many people want one of the trees. She gives
the girl a branch from one of the trees and tells the girl to let
everyone know that yes, the Molly Doone went down, but that trees
will be delivered this year and every year from up north. Come back
tomorrow morning! The excited girl runs off.
Gustav joins Alma as she recounts her conversation
with the little girl. He then goes to bed. Left alone, Alma thinks
about all her husband has done and all that she will continue
to do. For the next 25 years she saw that the Christmas Schooner
sailed into Clarke Street Harbor each and every Christmas season.
The names of the schooners changed, names long forgotten by most.
But what can't be and shouldn't be forgotten is the courage of
the men who risked their lives and set sail on a lake, so others
could know the joy of Christmas. ("Finale")
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