I bring music to the world

Today was the kiddie year play. We gathered together very slowly with many toilet breaks, then parents including Bud and Erinsdad helped us across the park to the venue. While us actors went upstairs to change, the parental escorts got the front pew, the hoi polloi who arrived later had to pile up at the back. All still/video photography was banned during the performance, a crying shame as it was such a spectacle. So instead, Bud recorded the running order.

ORDER OF EVENTS

Opening fanfare - Angels by Robbie Williams. Eight angelic girls arrived very slowly one by one down central aisle and took up position on the front step. At the end of the song, the narrator announced one last scuffy hapless angel - Whoops-a-daisy angel. Erin shows up, complaining that she only ever gets the rubbish jobs like counting snowflakes, not the important jobs given to the other, cleaner angels in their well-stitched regalia.

**Snowflake dance** with the 7 snowflakes, and the counting job isn't going well: "1,2,4, Oh bother, I'll have to start again...." Narrator handed wrong announcement card. As musician, I shook my shaker at this point.

Enter the crib: Little donkey song: donkey, Mary and Joseph line up by crib.

Narrator: Whoops gets a new job - fly to Bethlehem with a message for the shepherds on the hill. She brings the shepherds, each clutching a small stuffed sheep. Then she brings 3 kings and their manservants.

**Baby in a manger** during which Joseph yawns generously. The shepherds approach crib, donate 1 sheep each and retire hurriedly. Ditto 3 kings, once king #3 has been reminded by nearby teacher.

Angels line up behind Mary who brandishes a very small doll.

**Away in a manger** Most kids wave to their parents or crane necks trying to locate same during performance.

**Wake up come and see the baby (clapclap)** Mary and Joseph parade doll to kings and shepherds. As musician, I jingled my bells at this point.

Whoops returns in full dress uniform having been promoted for her success, and is surrounded by her groupies.

**Whoops-a-daisy** - now our story reaches the end.

**Come join in celebration** everyone dances and waves. Classes in audience wave flags frantically like a Chinese nuclear weapons parade. Whoops dances with the donkey.

Following 4 rounds of applause, silence for 1 prayer and the entire audience taking photos, we get to go home. Can I just say that I know the star of the show and I could put a word in, you know....

Bud (the boy who takes the biscuit) climbed the pulpit to take this one

While Bud was writing this for me, I sat on the desk and got in his way until he got the message and vacated the seat so I could play Pirate's treasure.