The Interview at the North Pole

Plot: Santa is interviewing various applicants to be the cookie department supervisor

Characters/cast size 8

4 M, 2 F/2 M/F

Santa-M

Jolly-M

Holly-F

Prancer-F

Frosty-M

Rudolph the rednosed reindeer-M

Elf 1-M/F

Elf 2-M/F

Setting: Santa’s Workshop.

Props: Tweezers, Sprinkles, a clipboard and pen, A gingerbread man, a log, frosty’s hat, a carrot, application forms, mistletoe.

Script

(Scene one)

(Curtain opens. Lights up on a cookie making factory with two tables at C. stg. With a sign behind them that says cookie factory.sitting at the first table are Holly and Jolly, and behind them is another table where two elves are working. A bell rings and the two elves start to clean up. Holly and jolly are still working)

Jolly: Four hundred ninety seven, Four hundred ninety eight, Four hundred ninety nine. Aha! I thought it was missing a sprinkle!

Holly: (Handing one sprinkle with a pair of tweezers.) Good work, jolly.

Jolly: Thanks, Holly. ( Elf 1 and 2 exit stg R. Holly seems to be getting frustrated with her cookie)

Holly: What am I doing wrong with my Gingerbread Man? Jolly, can I get your expert cookie maker opinion?

Jolly: What I can do to help out.

Holly: What’s wrong with this cookie?

Jolly: Let’s see. The raisin eyebrows look good. The frosting smile is perfect. Excellent job on the gumdrop buttons. Oh, I see your problem. There’s an extra arm. (picks up a cookie with an extra arm in a random place.)

Holly: I’ll never be as good as you. I tell you, jolly, when you get that promotion, I don’t know what I’m going to do without you by my side.

Jolly: Gosh, Holly. I don’t think—

Holly: I bet you’re going to make the best cookie supervisor the North Pole has ever seen.

Jolly: Well, nothing is official yet. Santa still hasn’t decided who will fill the new position.(Santa enters from stg R. carrying a clipboard.)

Santa: jolly!

Jolly: Yes sir!

Santa: As you know, I still haven’t decided who will fill the new position.(jolly straightens up, filed with hope) So I’m going to need your help on interviewing applicants for the position of cookie department manager. This means that you won’t be able to apply for the position but don’t worry I have other plans for you (jolly losses posture)

Jolly: Sure, whatever I can do to help out.

Santa: That’s the spirit! Ho-ho-ho-ho! (Santa Claus exits stg R. jolly sits down and buries his head in his arms)

Holly: deformed gingerbread man

(Blackout)

(Scene two)

(Lights up on an interview room. A large large desk sits on Stg._ a large chair on one side, and three smaller chairs one on the same side as the large chair and two on the other side. There is a small fireplace/red-orange light in the fireplace/. Santa is sitting in the large chair and Jolly in the one beside Santa. Prancer is sitting in one of the two free chairs on the other side of the desk)

Prancer: Let’s see I’ve put in a lot of hours pulling your sleigh across the sky, landing on billions of rooftops and all that stuff. I figure I am ready for a change.

Jolly: And you want to work in the Christmas Cookie factory?

Prancer: Yes.

Jolly: Making delicate intricately designed cookies with your hooves

.

Prancer: Yes.

Jolly: You think your hooves can roll dough and add gumdrop buttons?

Prancer: Sure! It’ll be a snap. (tries to snap, but she can’t.)

Jolly: But you don’t have fingers.

Prancer: (Annoyed, raising her hooves.) No, jolly, I don’t have fingers.

Santa: Prancer, Why are you quitting the sleigh. You’re one of the best reindeers I’ve ever had, but Why would you want to transfer? Am I not feeding you enough carrots?

Prancer: The carrots are wonderful.

Santa: Oh dear, you don’t have an eggnog problem do you?

Prancer: No, Dancer is the one with the Eggnog problem.

Santa: Then why don’t you want to fly on my sleigh?

Prancer: Santa, it’s not you. You’re terrific. You’re the best boss a reindeer could hope for. But… But…

Santa: But what?

Prancer: That’s exactly the problem. Comet’s Butt. I’ve been flying behind that reindeer for centuries and I just can’t take it anymore.

Santa: I see. I’ll tell you what, how about we rearrange the order. I’ll put you next to… hmmm… Let me see. Which one is that handsome buck that I know you secretly like.

Prancer: Santa! I think of my fellow reindeer on a purely professional level.

Santa: Let’s see, was it Dasher? Dancer? Blitzen? Cupid?

Prancer: Oh, Cupid, please put me next to Cupid!

Santa: Next to Cupid it is!

Prancer: Thank you so much, Santa! Wait till I tell Vixen. She’s going to be so jealous.(Prancer exits)

Santa: Well, jolly, it looks like these interviews are going to take a long time. Will you put another log on the fire and prepare the next applicant for me, I have to go do something.

Jolly: sure (santa exits from Stg _. Jolly goes to the fireplace and puts a log from the log pile in the fireplace. He sits back in his chair) Will the next applicant please come in.(Frosty the Snowman enters from Stg R)

Frosty: Thumpity, thump, thump. Thumpity, thump thump! Oh Hi jolly!

Jolly: Frosty! Hey , you old snowman, how have you been?

Frosty: I’ve been feeling a little on the slushy side. Darn global warming (He takes off his hat. Magical music plays and Frosty stands completely still.)

Jolly: (Holding Frosty’s hat.) Frosty?... Frosty?! You froze up for some reason. Oh right! Your hat, Without it, you’re just a regular snowman! (He puts the hat on Frosty’s head.)

Frosty: Happy Birthday! Where am I?

Jolly: You’re at a job interview. For the cookie supervisor position. Remember?

Frosty: That’s right. Hi jolly! How are the wife and kids?

Jolly: I don’t have any. How’s your wife?

Frosty: Oh, she left me… for an avalanche.

Jolly: Oh dear.

Frosty: Yeah, she just got swept away. I miss her so. (He takes off his hat and freezes.)

Jolly: Dang it (He snatches Frosty’s hat and puts it back on.)

Frosty: Happy birthday! Where am i. Oh hi jolly!

Jolly: Hi Frosty. Why don’t you sit right here. (He guides Frosty to a place behind a desk.) Santa will be with you in a moment.

Frosty: I was hoping to get a new job inside Santa’s Workshop. I won’t be working too close to the cookie ovens, will I?

Jolly: Well, sometimes—

Frosty: (From behind the desk, Frosty sinks lower and lower.) It is getting awfully toasty in here.

Jolly: Frosty? Are you shrinking?

Frosty: No, no, I think the room is getting bigger.

Jolly: Frosty! You’re melting!

Frosty: I’m fine. I’ll just fan myself with my magic hat. (He takes off his hat to fan himself, then freezes. He disappears behind the desk.)

Jolly: Frosty?(Santa enters.)

Santa: Now that the office is all warm and toasty, let’s interview the next aplica-(Santa walks behind the desk. He slips and falls.) What? Who spilled water all over the floor? Jolly – go get a mop.

Jolly: But sir—

Santa: And who made this mess? Here’s an old hat and a carrot. (Prancer reenters from Stg. R and rushes to C. Stg where the hat and carrot are.)

Prancer: (Snatching the carrot.) I’ll take that! (She munches on the carrot as she exits Stg R. Jolly exits on stg L. he renters with a mop and bucket and starts cleaning up the mess all while mumbling to himself Blackout)

(Scene three)

(Lights up /Slightly different lighting to show time has passed still red-orange light in the fireplace/ a light wind is blowing/ A long time has past and Elf 1 and 2 are exiting Stg R. santa crumbles some paperwork and puts them in a trash can by his desk. He mumbles something to himself and starts getting ready for the next interview)

Santa: All right, who’s next?

(Holly enters shortly afterwards with some papers)

Holly: It’s me sir

Santa: Holly! Have a seat (as Holly sits down she hands him the papers) thank you (goes through papers)hmm, well your papers seem to be in order, you just have to answer a few questions.

Holly: ok, ask away

Santa: what can you do for the for the cookie department

Holly: well (starts getting nervous) uhm, well I (mutters something inaudible)

Santa: what was that? (Holly mutters nervously) I’m sorry what? You’re going to have to speak up.

Holly: (pulling herself together) well I ho—(Rudolph rushes in from stg R. out of breath)

Rudolph: I’m sorry I’m late, I’m here to apply for the cookie department manager

Santa: Rudolph we discussed this you can’t apply for this position I need you leading my sleigh so that we can navigate through any snow storms that-

Rudolph: but santa i’m tired of leading the sleigh. I want to go do things, have fun, be adventurous, and I can’t do that with a salary of promises and carrots. I need cash so I can afford to do these things.

Holly: don’t you think that is a little selfish of you Rudolph

.

Rudolph: no, why do you care

Holly: I care because Christmas is supposed to be a time of giving and selflessness. We were all taught this when we went to school. Don’t you think the children appreciate what you do to help give them their gifts every christmas eve.

Rudolph: I guess so

Holly:Don’t all the good boys and girls deserve their gifts.

Rudolph: I guess they do.(turns to Santa) I’m sorry santa. (Rudolph exits Stg. R. Shortly after Jolly enters from Stg. R exhausted).

Jolly: Sorry, Santa, I was busy rearranging the reindeer so that Comet and Cupid wouldn’t fight over Vixen. I gave them all an apple, and that seemed to calm things down. Then, I had to wring out the mop and re-freeze Frosty the Snowman, and after that it took a while to explain why Prancer ate his carrot, so I had to lend him a turnip for a nose. And Then I ran into Rudolph on my way back, he seemed to be in a rush for something.

Santa: Well, jolly, you have had quite a day.

Jolly: Yes sir. Shall I send in another applicant?

Santa: No. I have seen enough. I know exactly who I want to be the Cookie Supervisor of my Dessert Department. (jolly stands tall, filled with hope. Holly is by his side, hoping for her friend as well.)jolly… Your friend Holly is now the supervisor! Well done, Holly!

Jolly: Really?

Santa: Definitely. (To Holly)I like your smile, kid. You’ve got just the right attitude for the job

.

Jolly: Well, Holly, I can’t think of a better person I would want as my boss, Congratulations

.

Santa: That’s nice of you to say, jolly. But I am afraid you won’t be working on the cookie floor any more. So Holly won’t be your boss.

Jolly: I won’t be working – Wait You’re firing me?! After all I’ve done for the North Pole? Fine! But before I go, there’s something that I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time… You are the most ---

Santa: I’m promoting you to vice president.

Jolly: --the most… wise, lovable, boss in the Arctic Circle. Vice president? Really?

Santa: Yes, of course! I want you to take care of the cookies, and candy canes, and the hot coco; you got to keep all these delicious desserts going – so we can make sure these elves are happy toy makers, isn’t that right supervisor Holly?

Holly: (Moving in close to jolly.) It certainly is, right Vice President jolly?

Jolly: Gosh. This is going to be the best holiday ever.

Holly: (Moving even a little closer.) There’s only one thing I can think of that would make it better.

Jolly: What’s that?

Holly: (Sneaking a mistletoe from behind her back and raising it above their heads.in a sing-songy voice) Mistletoe!

(Lights out)