PABLO’S CHRISTM AS

PABLO’S CHRIST MASA Children’s Play

Adapted byED CARDONA JR.

Based upon the book byHUGO C. MAR TIN

Dra matic Pub lishingWoodstock, Il li nois • Eng land • Aus tra lia • New Zea land

© Dramatic Publishing Company, Woodstock, Illinois.

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©MMIX byED CARDONA JR.

Based upon the book byHUGO C. MARTIN

Printed in the United States of Amer icaAll Rights Re served

(PABLO’S CHRIST MAS)

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ISBN: 978-1-58342-614-2


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“For all the Mex i cans far from home.Para todos los Mexicanos lejos de sus hogares.”

— Lee Chap man


IM POR TANT BILLING AND CREDIT RE QUIRE MENTS

All pro duc ers of the play must give credit to Hugo C. Mar tin as au thor of the book and Ed Cardona Jr. as dramatizer of the play in all pro gramsdis trib uted in con nec tion with per for mances of the play and in all in -stances in which the ti tle of the play ap pears for pur poses of ad ver tis ing,pub li ciz ing or oth er wise ex ploit ing the play and/or a pro duc tion. Thenames of Hugo C. Mar tin and Ed Cardona Jr. must also ap pear on a sep a -rate line, on which no other name ap pears, im me di ately fol low ing the ti -tle, and must ap pear in size of type not less than fifty per cent (50%) thesize of the ti tle type. Bio graph i cal in for ma tion on Hugo C. Mar tin and Ed Cardona Jr., if in cluded in the playbook, may be used in all pro grams. Inall pro grams this no tice must ap pear:

“Pro duced by spe cial ar range ment withTHE DRA MATIC PUB LISHING COM PANY of Woodstock, Il li nois”


PLAY WRIGHT’S NOTE

AN GEL/WOOD-CARV ING TRAN SI TION:

I en vi sion the tran si tion of the an gels to and from woodcarvings as de scribed be low. How ever, I en cour age the di rec tor and cre -ative de sign team to re spec tively han dle this tran si tion as cre -atively as they can, us ing the re sources avail able to them.

The an gels and woodcarvings of an gels should be tra di tionalCath o lic rep re sen ta tions of winged an gels. The ac tors should carrythe woodcarvings on their backs cen tered be tween their wings.

When called for in the script, the ac tors will re move the wood -carvings from their backs and place them on set as de scribed inthe script and then exit. The ac tors may also sit or lay still withtheir backs turned to the au di ence, try ing only to ex pose thewoodcarvings on their backs. I be lieve this will work best ifdone along side other woodcarvings and set pieces. Playing withthe scale of the other woodcarvings, props and set pieces mayhelp en hance this ef fect. If pos si ble, sound and light ing shouldalso be used. I have cho sen to use, “POOF,” “TRAN SI TIONLIGHTS,” and a short de scrip tion within the script to mark thetran si tion points.

While sep a rated, the an gels and the woodcarvings should neveroc cupy the stage at the same time—they are one be ing.

TRANS LA TIONS:

The text in brack ets is for trans la tion pur poses only; it is not tobe spo ken as di a logue.

REF ER ENCE:

Blanca Flor, Magic Tales of Mex icohttp://www.g-world.org/magictales/blacaflor.html.

5


http://www.g-world.org/magictales/blacaflor.html

PABLO’S CHRIST MAS

CHAR AC TERS

PABLO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 12-year-old Mex i can

PAPA (FATHER) . . . a 33-three-year-old Mex i can, Pablo’sfa ther

MAMA (MOTHER) . . . . . . . . . . . a 30-year-old Mex i can,Pablo’s mother

ISABELLA . . . . . . . a 10-year-old Mex i can, Pablo’s sis ter

TERESA . . . . . . . . . an 8-year-old Mex i can, Pablo’s sis ter

SANTITA . . . a fe male an gel. She will also be rep re sentedby a woodcarving of an an gel. She is Pablo’s

guard ian

MONTE . . . . a male an gel. He will also be rep re sented bya woodcarving of an an gel. He is Santita’s trainee

THE COY OTE (m or f) . . . . . . . . . . . the coy ote should bean thro po mor phic with ex ag ger ated an i mal

char ac ter is tics. He will also be rep re sented bya shadow pup pet

A ROOSTER, CALIFIA, the chil dren’s fa vor ite and fat testhen, and a few more chick ens (pup pets)

THREE PUP PE TEERS

7


CHAR AC TER NOTES

The An gels I leave to the di rec tor’s in ter pre ta tion, though I en -vi sioned them as young adults.

Dou bling: Papa and the Coy ote as pup pe teers.

Ex pan sion: The rooster and chick ens could be played by chil -dren.

SETTING

A small farm in a dusty pueblo [town] in the Valle deGuadalupe, an hour’s walk to Tepatitlan.

UR, a mod est, brightly painted house stands on top of a hill sur -rounded by col or ful plants and flow ers. Span ish tiles cover theroof. To the right of the porch, a large window sill holds twoplants in clay pots, as well as one woodcarving of an an gel. Tothe left of the porch, a strong door pro tects all those in side.Above the door, a dried palm leaf is folded into a cru ci fix. Onthe porch, a faded rock ing chair sways in the val ley’s breeze. Arus tic wooden tool box sits un der the rock ing chair by a fewpieces of wood. Sur rounding the rock ing chair there are var i oussizes of woodcarvings of an i mals, dolls and toys. The carv ingsare neatly dis played on the floor, as well as hang ing from theporch ceil ing and post. UL, a paint-thirsty chicken coop stands.Be hind it, we can see parts of a runty pig pen.

Be hind all of this, painted on a screen, we see the val ley and itsroll ing hills, graz ing sheep, vivid plants and flow ers, as well asthe edge of a dark for est. In the dis tance, not far from a stonebridge, a church stands in the cen ter un der a warm smil ing sun.

8


ACT ONE

SCENE ONE: A ROOSTER CANTA

(LIGHTS FADE UP:

Morn ing, mid-sum mer, we hear the sing ing of a rooster.Beat, si lence. SANTITA’s woodcarving sits on the porchamong the other woodcarvings.)

SANTITA (O.S., yawn ing from woodcarving). Ahhh hh -hhhhh…

(See Play wright’s note: An gel/Wood-Carv ing Tran si -tion.)

(POOF! TRAN SI TION LIGHTS:

SANTITA’s woodcarving changes into an an gel. Shestands and stretches, beat.)

SANTITA (cont’d., qui etly). Monte. Monte, where did yougo? (Beat, she searches for MONTE.) Good morn ing,Monte. It’s time to work. Where are youuuuu? (Thechick ens be gin to squawk loudly in side the chicken coop. SANTITA is star tled.) Monte, are you in there? (Thechick ens con tinue to squawk, as the pigs join in, snort -

9


ing.) Monte, get out of there right now. You are go ing to wake up the whole val ley.

MONTE (O.S., from in side the chicken coop). I’m com ing,Santita!

SANTITA. Leave the chick ens alone.

(MONTE pops his head out of the chicken coop. He isalso an an gel.)

MONTE. But I love the chick ens. They are so pretty. Sonbella [They’re beau ti ful].

SANTITA. Beau ti ful?

(CALIFIA and the rest of the chick ens exit the coop onto the stage. The cock takes his place on top of the coop.)

SANTITA (cont’d). La gallina is not el Señor’s [theLord’s] pret ti est crea ture.

MONTE. Santita! They might hear you.SANTITA. They have no ears.MONTE. That’s not funny.SANTITA. I’m sorry.

(PABLO en ters through the front door onto the porch.)

PABLO (look ing back into the house). Si [Yes], Papa [Fa -ther], I know. I’ll be sure to count them all.

(MONTE and SANTITA panic. They race around look ing for a place to hide.)

PAPA (O.S., from in side the house). And the pigs too!

10 PABLO’S CHRIST MAS Act I


PABLO. I know, Papa.


SANTITA and MONTE turn back into the woodcarvingsof an gels. The ac tors re move the woodcarvings fromtheir backs and toss them into the air as they exit. Thewoodcarvings fall to the stage, hard.)

MONTE (O.S., from the woodcarving). Ooooow!SANTITA (O.S., from the woodcarving). Shhh.MONTE. I hate that part.SANTITA. Be quiet.PABLO (to the chick ens). Hey…what are you guys do ing

out? (CALIFIA squawks at PABLO. To the hen.) Califia, don’t you yell at me. You know you are not sup posed to be out here yet. (PABLO tries to wran gle the chick ensto ward the coop, blow ing kisses.) …Come on, Califia…be a good hen. (PABLO chases the chick ens aroundstage. He spots SANTITA and MONTE. To ward thehouse as he picks them up.) Isabella—Teresa…Papaworked hard to make these dolls for you. (PABLO duststhe dolls off and places them back on the porch. He sitsin the rock ing chair, beat. He pulls the tool box from un -der the chair and pulls out PAPA’s woodcarving knife.Ad miring the knife.) …I need one like this.

(PAPA en ters onto the porch from in side the house. Hesips a cup of cof fee.)

PAPA. Hijo [Son], it’s al most time for you to go. Are youdone with your chores?

Act I PABLO’S CHRIST MAS 11


PABLO. I have n’t got ten a chance to start.PAPA. Pablo.PABLO. The chick ens were al ready out.PAPA. You did lock the chicken coop last night?PABLO. I al ways do.PAPA. So how did they get out?PABLO. I don’t know.PAPA. Well, fin ish up. And make sure you get a count of

all the an i mals—the goats too.PABLO. Si, Papa.PAPA. The coy otes have been very bad the last two

months. We can’t af ford to lose any more an i mals. Go.PABLO (hold ing out the woodcarving knife). Papa. I need

one like this.PAPA. The one you have is fine.PABLO. This one is better. With this one I could carve

toys just like you and be the best wood carver in town.PAPA. You keep on work ing on it—strengthen up those

hands.PABLO. Like yours. (PABLO grabs his fa ther’s hands and

feels his cal lused palms and fin gers.)PAPA. You should have seen my fa ther’s hands.PABLO. Abuelito [Grand fa ther]?PAPA. Yes. They were so strong; he could grind maize

with his bare hands.PABLO. No he could n’t.PAPA. Si.PABLO (hold ing out hands). Mine will be like that some

day.PAPA. Yes. But you will carve just for the fun of it. Now

go feed the an i mals. I’ll take care of the chick ens. And



hurry up; it’s al most time for school. The last day—youex cited?

PABLO. Yes. (PABLO ex its be hind the chicken coop.PAPA feeds the chick ens.)

PAPA. Califia, you’re get ting fat. (CALIFIA squawks.ISABELLA en ters with a broom and starts to sweep theporch.) Isabella la Bella [the Beauty].

ISABELLA. That’s me.PAPA. You are such a good girl to help your mother.ISABELLA. I know.PAPA. The chick ens were out this morn ing.ISABELLA. Really?PAPA. Si, you and Teresa were n’t in there last night play -

ing dress up with Califia, were you?ISABELLA. No.

(TERESA en ters car ry ing a pile of school books andbagged lunches. She sits in the rock ing chair.)

PAPA. I’ve told you both: I don’t won’t you two play ingin the coop af ter dark…right, Teresa?

TERESA. Si, Papa.

(MAMA en ters and stands in the door way.)

MAMA (to PAPA). Don’t the Señoritas look beau ti ful forthe last day of school?

PAPA. Of course they do.TERESA. Thank you, Mama.ISABELLA. Gracias [Thank you]. (ISABELLA leans the

broom against the wall. TERESA quickly picks up thebroom and be gins to sweep, as if it were a game.)



TERESA. See, Mama. I can do it too. I’m big enough.MAMA. I know you are.ISABELLA (to TERESA). You’re such a child.TERESA. No, I’m not.PABLO (O.S.). Papa—Papa!

(PABLO en ters.)

PAPA. What is it?MAMA. What’s wrong?PABLO (out of breath). …The goats, the sheep.PAPA. What?PABLO (pulls PAPA to the side, qui etly to him). There’s

one miss ing…Rainy is miss ing. I looked all over.MAMA (crosses to PAPA and PABLO). What’s wrong?PAPA. The coy ote struck again.MAMA. Again?ISABELLA. What’s wrong, Mama?MAMA. Noth ing. Get your things to gether—it’s time to

go.PAPA. You too, Pablo.PABLO. I did n’t fin ish feed ing the an i mals.PAPA. It’s okay. I’ll do it.PABLO (to MAMA). It’s Rainy…Teresa’s fa vor ite lamb.MAMA. It will be fine. We’ll tell her af ter school. It’s the

last day and you all should en joy it, okay?PABLO. Okay, Mama.MAMA. Now go.

(The chil dren col lect their books and lunches and exit.)

TERESA. Adios [Good bye], Mama.



(ISABELLA and PABLO wave, they exit. Beat.)

PAPA. That coy ote is go ing to be the end of us.MAMA. I thought he got his fill and was gone for good.PAPA. They’re never gone…al ways lurk ing.MAMA. We’ll be fine. We just have to start be ing more

ob ser vant.PAPA. We can’t be out there all night.MAMA. We’ll be fine.PAPA. I hope.MAMA (em braces him, beat). Never mind that for a mo -

ment…be cause I have some good news.PAPA. What?MAMA. I was go ing to wait un til din ner to night but—PAPA. If it’s good news I can use it now.MAMA. It is.PAPA. Well, what is it?MAMA. I’m preg nant…we’re go ing to have an other child.PAPA. We are?MAMA. Yes.PAPA. That’s won der ful. (They em brace and then PAPA

places a hand on MAMA’s stom ach.) That is good news.MAMA. Maybe Pablo will get that lit tle brother he’s al -

ways wanted.PAPA. Let’s hope. (Beat.)MAMA. What’s wrong?PAPA. The toys are not sell ing like they used to.MAMA. Papa, we’ll be fine.PAPA. I’m go ing to have to go north.MAMA. No you won’t. PAPA. I’ll have to go to the United States. MAMA. We can work it out.



PAPA. Mama, we are barely get ting by now. The toys arejust not sell ing.

MAMA. Those are beau ti ful toys. And you carve themwith your bare hands. Peo ple will al ways want thosetoys.

PAPA. That might be true, but I still have to go north towork…we both know that.

MAMA. Try look ing for work in town first.PAPA. Mama, you know there’s no work in town.MAMA. Yes, I know. I just wish it was dif fer ent.PAPA. Your brother has plans to go to los Estados Unidos

[the United States], no?MAMA. Yes.PAPA. Then I will go with him.MAMA. If you must.PAPA. Pablo is old enough now.MAMA. He’s only a boy, Papa.PAPA. But old enough. I’ll stop by your brother’s house

af ter the mar ket to let him know that I will be join inghim.

MAMA. I wish there was an other way.PAPA. To night our fam ily will have a lot to talk about

over din ner.MAMA. I will get your things ready for the mar ket.PAPA. I’m go ing to fin ish feed ing the an i mals and check

in on the goats and sheep…then I’ll be ready.MAMA. Okay. (MAMA ex its into the house. PAPA ex its

be hind the chicken coop. Beat.)


SANTITA and MONTE change into an gels.)



MONTE. Is n’t that great! I love ba bies!SANTITA. It’s won der ful.MONTE. Chickens and ba bies…are beau ti ful.SANTITA. We are go ing to have a lot of work ahead of

us.MONTE. I’m ready.SANTITA. Well, I’ll stay here with Mama and Papa, and

you watch over the kids.MONTE. Really? I can go alone?SANTITA. Yes, but pay at ten tion.MONTE. Of course. I’ll see you in a lit tle while.SANTITA. Bye.

(MONTE ex its. SANTITA peeks into the win dow.LIGHTS FADE OUT.)

SCENE TWO: THE WALK

(LIGHTS FADE UP:

Early eve ning, dusk. Same day. The chick ens roam thestage dig ging up the ground and peck ing at their food.MAMA opens the win dow and sticks her head out.)

MAMA. Pablo! Pablo! (She closes the win dow and thenco mes to the door.) Pablo! Pablito!

(PAPA en ters car ry ing a bag of woodcarvings, a smallblan ket, a small stool, and his tool box.)



MAMA (cont’d). Hola, amor [Hello, my love]. (PAPAgives MAMA a kiss on the cheek and then sits in therock ing chair.) How was your day?

PAPA. It was slow. The an i mals?MAMA. They’re all fine.PAPA. Good.MAMA. You did n’t sell any?PAPA. One. The carv ing of the horse.MAMA. That one was beau ti ful. So your day was n’t all

that bad.PAPA. Lunch was ex cel lent.MAMA. Isabella made it—and of course Teresa helped.PAPA. Of course she did. Isabella can’t take one step with -

out trip ping over her sis ter.MAMA. They’re in side set ting the ta ble.PAPA. Pablo?MAMA. Feed ing the an i mals. Pablo!PABLO (O.S.). I’m com ing!PAPA (to MAMA). Your brother leaves in a week.MAMA. So soon. I thought he was leav ing next month?PAPA. I con vinced him to leave sooner—there’s plenty of

work this time of year…and I would like to be home byChrist mas.

MAMA. …Good.PAPA. Let’s tell the chil dren now. It’s been weigh ing on

me all day…and we have so much to tell them.MAMA. Fine… Ay… [Oh] …it’s all too much—PAPA. It’s go ing to break her heart…Rainy was such a

beau ti ful lamb.MAMA. I’m sure she’ll miss you more. PAPA. I would hope.MAMA. There will be a lot of tears.



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PABLO’S CHRISTM AS