This 1-act script is freely adapted from an L. Frank Baum story, "A Kidnapped Santa Claus." Originally designed for touring, the play works in any kind of performance space—in school cafeterias, in libraries, on stages. There are two locales: Santa's Shop, which requires a work table, and the Demon's Cave, which requires two pillars or a pole.

A band of symbolic demons, such as Hateful, Jealous, and Selfish, try to kidnap Santa Claus to keep little children from enjoying Christmas. Because the Demons and Repentance represent abstractions—personifications of abstract qualities in the manner of the medieval morality plays—it is important to clearly establish their characters as quickly as possible. Identifying the Demons through letters on their costumes is a simple but helpful device. The Santa Claus pictured here is lovable though a bit scatterbrained. Mrs. Claus is the one who keeps him in line. She is warmhearted, but the effort to maintain order tries her patience. The humor in the Claus situation derives from the fact that this is a conventional relationship transposed to the fantasy realm. Even the youngest children very much enjoy the story and follow the action. Referring to Lubbock High School performances in the elementary school cafeteria, a principal wrote, "Students at all grade levels were very attentive...understood the serious parts, laughed during the comical parts...All of the faculty had positive statements about the play and actors. The length was just right..." (About thirty minutes.)

This script has been performed with and without songs. Audiences seem to prefer it with songs. A piano/vocal score is available from the publisher; the music is simple, the songs easy to learn. Production Notes are at the back of the playbook.

One act; Set, Santa's shop area on Stage Right and the Demons' cave on Stage Left. All characters except Santa and his wife can be male or female.

Additional titles by Ashby: Don Coyote, Happily Ever After, Once Upon a Broomstick, Once Upon a Santa Claus, Professor Zuccini's Traveling Tales, Shining Princess of the Slender Bamboo

See also: Adaptations of the Classics