A Merry Muppet Mash-Up

ACT 2: SCENE 12

Emily/Mrs. Stahlbaum: [Shakes Marie's shoulder] "Marie, it's time to wake up. It's Christmas morning, child."

Marie jerks awake. She looks left and right and realizes she is in her room. She lifts her blankets looking for her nutcracker.

Emily/Mrs. Stahlbaum: "Don't linger in bed. You've kept everyone waiting long enough." [Leaves the room]

Marie: [After not finding the nutcracker anywhere on her bed or on the floor] "Mrs. Stahlbaum, where's my nutcracker?"

Emily/Mrs. Stahlbaum: [Turns to Marie from the doorway] "Under the tree. Where it's been all night."

Emily then walks down the hallway. Marie jumps out of bed, grabs her slippers, and runs to Clara's room. After she finds Clara's room is empty, she goes to the staircase overlooking the living room. When she doesn't see her sister anywhere among the orphans, she rushes down.

Marie: [To everyone] "Have any of you seen my sister?"

They all shake their heads. From behind Marie, someone clears their throat. Marie turns around and sees Gonzo standing behind her holding the storybook Christmas in Toyland.

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: [Holds out the book] "If you want to find your sister." [After Marie takes the book he points to it and says as he smiles] "Look no further than right here."

Before Marie could open the book, Fritz snatched it out of her hands.

Marie: [Indignant] "Fritz! Give that back!"

She tries to snatch the book back, but Fritz holds it out of her reach.

Fritz: "Sorry, Marie, but everyone wants to know how the story ends. Since Dad didn't get to finish it last night."

Marie: "What are you talking about? The ending pages are blank."

Fritz: "What are you talking about? They're not blank. Here, look."

Fritz holds out the book to the page where Fozzie stopped reading. Marie gazes in stunned disbelief at the colorful pictures where there once were blank pages. Fritz shuts the book and walks over to Fozzie; who is sitting in his chair as he takes the book from Fritz. Marie sits down with the other kids as Fozzie reads the book aloud.

Fozzie/Mr. Stahlbaum: "Barnaby threw a potion at the prince, which turned him into a nutcracker toy. Barnaby and the Rat King then ally with each other and take over both Toyland and Candyland by force. Some of the people of Candyland were able to hide the prince somewhere in the Other Realm. Sadly, the prince could only be recognized by either the rats or one of the princesses." [Turns the page] "The Queen of the Sugar Plum Fairies hid the royal heirs in the Other Realm. However, in between deliveries, a ten-year age gap had formed between the twins and now they're no longer twins. The only way the prince's curse could be broken is when the royal princesses awaken the Great Bell, befriend one of the rats, and restore the belief in magic and Christmas to both Toyland and Candyland, not in that order, to restore the magic and defeat Barnaby for good." [Turns the page] "Eight years pass and the princesses have grown. On the night of their birthday, the rats and Barnaby have finally tracked down the Nutcracker Prince and the princesses. At the first striking of the midnight hour from a chip of the World Clock, all of time came to a stop." [Turns the page] "It is during a renewed battle between the Rat King and the nutcracker prince, the rats succeed in capturing one of the princesses. In trying to save her sister, Clara burns her hands in the fireplace and the injury awakens her magic; unbeknownst to her. Together with the nutcracker, the Queen of the Sugar Plum Fairies, the Narrator, Pepe, and Rizzo the Rat, she sets off to rescue her sister."

Fozzie continues to read the story all the way to the coronation ball. Here is where Marie finds out what happened after Miss Piggy told her she was dreaming.

Fozzie/Mr. Stahlbaum: [Turns the page] "When asked where Marie was, the Queen of the Sugar Plum Fairies tells them she still needs to stay in the Other Realm until she turns eighteen. Though the king and queen, and Clara, were saddened, they knew it had to be that way." [Turns the page] "As promised, the King of Candyland rewarded the Prince of Toyland with one of his daughter's hands in marriage. To which the Prince proclaims, 'With all due respect, Your Majesty, that's an out-of-date reward.' Amidst several nods from the people of both kingdoms, he adds, 'If I may ask for a different reward, I wish to' [Turns the page but it's blank. He turns the book upside down, looks at both the front and back covers, and shakes it.]

Marie: [Disgretly to Gonzo]"What happened?"

Gonzo/Drosselmeyer: [Shrugs] "I dunno. I was busy keeping dancing with Camilla."

Robbin/Orphan: "What happens next, Mr. Stahlbaum?"

Fozzie/Mr. Stahlbaum: "I don't know. The back of the book just says to look outside."

Right then and there a knock sounds on the door.

Marie: "I'll get it!" [Gets up from the floor and rushes to the door.]

The scene moves outside as Marie opens the door. The camera focuses on her face before switching to what's in front of her. Walter, in regal winter clothes, is standing there as a gentle snow falls.

Walter: "Hello, Marie." [He says shyly] "I asked your father and the Queen of the Sugar Plum Fairies if I could stay in this world." [Shuffling his feet] "I hope that's alright with you."

The camera switches the frame so both of them are visible.

Marie: [After a moment of stunned silence, hugs Walter with a smile on her face] "It is, Prince Nutcracker."

Walter: "Walter. My name is Walter."

After the camera switches to the doorframe, everybody from the room comes to the door.

Fozzie/Mr. Stahlbaum: "Who's this handsome fella, Marie?"

Walter: "Hello Marie's family. I'm Walter."

Random Orphan: "Hey, you look just like the nutcracker from the storybook!"

Emily/Mrs. Stahlbaum: [As everyone's jaw drops, except Marie, Drosselmeyer, and Walter] "Well, ain't that a true blue Christmas Miracle." [Gestures for everyone to return to the living room] "Come join us. We're just about to open presents."

As 'The Overture' plays, the scene jumps to everyone in the living room. The kids are exchanging and opening gifts while the adults talk incoherently. Marie and Walter are on the couch, looking through the storybook. The scene then focuses on the Grandfather Clock; he winks and smiles as he chimes the hour before the end credits appear on the screen.

End of A Merry Muppet Mashup