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Click HERE to read the Script, look at the Score and listen to the Songs
Happy Birthday Jesus (Nativity)
by Mike Smith
Pricing & Order Info.
A Super Key Stage One and Key Stage Two Christmas Show
Why choose this Musical?
Flexibility
Flexible Cast size to suit YOUR group numbers, from 28 actors upwards. See "Casting" tab below.
Unlimited chorus parts
Easy to stage with simple scenery
CDs of Backing and Vocal Tracks available
Sing it! "Karaoke-Style" learning! Check out the video below...
TOP TIP: unmute the video to have a listen and a sing along!
Piano/Vocal Score (Grade 4 Standard) available
Easily constructed and manageable props
Age Range: EYFS and Key Stages 1/Lower KS2 Production (4-8 years)
Duration: 35 Minutes
NEW! Instant Scenery with our digital backdrops
A different backdrop for EVERY scene change
Supplied in both a PowerPoint presentation and as individual JPG files.
No more Scenery Painting!
*** NEW *** Hear it. Copy it. Learn it!
"Learn it!" is an "Audio Book" style read-through of the entire show performed by professional voice actors. It teaches each child their lines, when to perform them and most importantly, HOW to perform them. The copy and repeat method is simply the best and quickest way to learn. An essential product for SEND cast members. The "Learn it!" product is available as downloadable MP3 files or as a standard Audio CD. Have a listen to a sample of the "Learn it!" product on the "Samples" tab below.
If you'd like a more in depth explaination about "Learn it!", check out this explainer video.
This delightful nativity for 4 - 8 year olds establishes the link between Christmas and Jesus' birthday with 7 easy to learn catchy songs. The story follows a group of children making a birthday card for Jesus, each child suggesting an idea to add to the card. As each new idea is created, a tableau is acted out including songs and dance if required. The show concludes with the traditional nativity scene. This easily adaptable show can be performed by a small number of children or as many as you wish in about 35 to 40 minutes.
The show opens with a group of six children making a birthday card in order to celebrate Jesus birthday. 'Happy Birthday Jesus' is sung as they all join in to help decorate the card. Hannah, one of the children, then suggests drawing a Christmas tree on the card and this acts as a perfect link for young children to understand the modern festivities and how they relate to the birth of Jesus; the children explain how trees are made from wood, and that the stable and manger were too. 'Christmas Trees' follows.
John's suggestion is to draw some fairy lights on the tree and this is linked back to the stars in the sky on the night Jesus was born; 'Starlight' is sung as the fairy lights enter and dance a short routine before joining in to sing.
After this musical number, the lights exit apart from one that remains behind to guide the shepherds. As the shepherds exit in order to follow the star, Hannah suggests drawing a donkey. After a failed attempt the travellers and Mary and Joseph enter and sing 'Travellers Song' as they journey towards Bethlehem. After a stroke of luck, Mary and Joseph find a place to stay and Hannah successfully draws a donkey to put on the card!
The Christmas Crackers are the next to enter as Jenny suggests drawing these next to represent the presents we all receive on Christmas Day. As you may have guessed, a few jokes are shared between the crackers which may or may not crack a smile... 'Crackers' follows.
The Kings enter and present their gifts to Jesus during the Crib Song. After this, the lights fade on the crib scene and the children put their finishing touches on the birthday card before everyone sings a reprise of 'Happy Birthday Jesus.'
Suggested Cast List For 41 Actors
N.B. In the following list, the number shows how many spoken lines each role has.
| Character Name | Number of Lines |
|---|---|
| John | 19 |
| Richard | 19 |
| Hannah | 18 |
| Jenny | 13 |
| Alice | 12 |
| Paul | 7 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Mary | 4 |
| Cracker 1 | 3 |
| Cracker 2 | 3 |
| Cracker 3 | 3 |
| Cracker 4 | 3 |
| Fairy Light 1 | 3 |
| Fairy Light 2 | 3 |
| Fairy Light 8 | 3 |
| Shepherd 1 | 3 |
| Shepherd 2 | 3 |
| Shepherd 3 | 3 |
| Fairy Light 3 | 2 |
| Fairy Light 4 | 2 |
| Fairy Light 5 | 2 |
| Fairy Light 6 | 2 |
| Fairy Light 7 | 2 |
| Innkeeper 2 | 2 |
| Innkeeper 1 | 1 |
| King 1 | 1 |
| King 2 | 1 |
| King 3 | 1 |
| Traveller 1 | 1 |
| Traveller 2 | 1 |
| Traveller 3 | 1 |
| Traveller 4 | 1 |
Non-speaking roles: A Donkey, who is silent throughout, a Chorus of four Christmas Trees and four additional Travellers. Eighteen of the children playing Christmas Trees, Travellers, Crackers or Fairy Lights will also be required, each with a lettered card to spell 'Happy Birthday Jesus'. These could be additional children if preferred.
Suggested Cast List For 28 Actors
N.B. In the following list, the number shows how many spoken lines each role has.
| Character Name | Number of Lines |
|---|---|
| John | 19 |
| Richard | 19 |
| Hannah | 18 |
| Jenny | 13 |
| Alice | 12 |
| Paul | 7 |
| Shepherd 1 - also plays Innkeeper 2 | 5 |
| Traveller 1 - also plays Cracker 1 and also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 4 |
| Traveller 2 - also plays Cracker 2 and also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 4 |
| Traveller 3 - also plays Cracker 3 and also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 4 |
| Traveller 4 - also plays Cracker 4 and also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 4 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Mary | 4 |
| Shepherd 2 | 3 |
| Shepherd 3 | 3 |
| Fairy Light 1 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 3 |
| Fairy Light 2 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 3 |
| Fairy Light 8 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 3 |
| Fairy Light 3 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 2 |
| Fairy Light 4 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 2 |
| Fairy Light 5 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 2 |
| Fairy Light 6 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 2 |
| Fairy Light 7 - also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 2 |
| Innkeeper 1 - also plays Christmas Tree, and also holds letter card(s) in Scene eight | 1 |
| King 1 - also plays Christmas Tree | 1 |
| King 2 - also plays Christmas Tree | 1 |
| King 3 - also plays Christmas Tree | 1 |
Non-speaking roles: A Donkey, who is silent throughout.
Notes:
- For ease of costume change, the Christmas Trees could wear a fabric (or even paper) tabard, with a tree design on, over their other costume.
- Similarly, the Travellers could simply don sparkly headbands, with crackers attached, to become the Crackers.
- Five of the thirteen children holding letter cards in Scene eight will need to hold two cards (one in each hand). It is suggested that the digraphs (pp, ir, th, ay) and the 'us' (of 'Jesus') are used in this way, for ease of reading by the audience.
Happy Birthday Jesus (Nativity)
"What a fantastic show! I did this with Y1,Y2 and Y3 and it worked beautifully. On the last night we got a standing ovation! I am not musical at all but the CDs were really helpful and the children learned the songs easily. "K.G. - Producer.