A Merry Muppet Mash-Up

ACT 1: SCENE 2

The garage has grey stone walls and a concrete floor. Dozens of boxes are on the right side while a Studebaker with a holly wreath on the windshield is on the left. A tool bench covered in wood chips, tools, and boxes is against the wall to the Studebaker's left. Rats are seen scurrying all over the place.

Gonzo and Fritz enter the garage through the side door. After the door is fully open, the rats stop what they're doing momentarily before running from them.

Fritz: [Upon seeing the rats] "Shoo! Go on! Get out!" [He yells as he grabs a broom from the kitchen and swings it at the retreating rats]

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: [Runs all over the place chasing the rats] "AHHHHH!"

The rats, Fritz, and Gonzo run every which way until Fritz opens the garage door. Then he and Gonzo chase all the scurrying rats out through the garage door.

Fritz: [After he slams the garage door closed] "How did they get in here?"

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: [Searches the walls and the floor] "There must be a hole somewhere in here." [He then searches underneath the tool bench] "Unless someone let them in."

Gonzo stands up and hits his head causing the tool bench to shake. A box of old wooden Christmas decorations falls onto the floor. The box's contents spill all over the garage floor. Fritz and Gonzo examine the wooden ornaments; all of them have bite marks from the rats.

Fritz: [Sighs in exasperation as he holds the chewed-up ornaments] "Aw great!" [He then throws the ornaments back onto the floor] "Now what?! Those stupid rats have chewed them all up!"

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: "Not this one." [He says as he pulls a nutcracker that looks like Walter in a 19th-century German Army Uniform from the box] "This little nutcracker hasn't been chewed on." [Pauses as he examines the faded paint plus the filth and grime on it] "Though he looks like he has seen better days."

Fritz: [After taking the nutcracker in his hands and examining it] "This thing is ugly." [He looks at Gonzo] "Shouldn't we just throw it out with the rest of the chewed-up junk?"

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: "Shouldn't your grandmother decide that?"

Fritz: "She's not my grandma, yet. The adoption doesn't become official until tomorrow."

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: "All the same." [He says as he stands up. Then picks up the box that was underneath the one he knocked over] "Bring it in." [Fritz puts the nutcracker in the slightly open box that Gonzo is holding] "We'll come back for the chewed-up ornaments later."

Fritz picks up the box of regular Christmas ornaments and string lights. Then he and Gonzo leave the garage. With his foot, Fritz closes the side door. Inside the garage, the rats that were still hiding come out from behind other boxes of junk and under Fozzie's Studebaker.

Bubba Rat: [From underneath the Studebaker, whispers to Chester Rat next to him] "We better let the boss know."

Chester Rat: [Whispers back in rising aggravation] "After all these years! We finally find the right nutcracker and we let him slip right through our teeth!"

Bubba Rat: [Pushes Chester and tells him in a regular voice] "Just tell him what happened."

The rats then quietly sing a sinister song and dance about the garage to the rhythm of 'The Magic Spell Begins'.

Rats: "(Singing/Dancing)"

Kermit/Hoffmann: [Durning the bridge of the song he watches from behind a tower of boxes as the rats hurry to the hidden door behind the other boxes against the wall] "Those rats work for the Evil Rat King. The Rat King and the nutcracker you just saw have a history. Which you will learn as the movie progresses."