INTERACTIVE PUPPET PERFORMANCE TAPES

“JINGLE BELLS” (WIDE OPEN) 4 min. 51 sec.

FOR USE WITH AXTELL PUPPETS

DIV. OF AXTELL EXPRESSIONS! (805) 642-7282

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY: STEVE AXTELL

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR: BILL BOLEY

MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS AND ENGINEERING BY: GREG JACKSON

RECORDED AT TREEHOUSE PRODUCTIONS AND AXTELL ENTERTAINMENT

LEGAL NOTICE: By purchasing this routine you have the right to perform this routine and its musical components in live performances only. Not for use on television or on video productions without written permission. Limited Warranty of 3 weeks to replace damaged media. No refunds on electronic media.

SEE OTHER AXTRAX PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE FOR PUPPETS AT www.axtell.com

CD TRACK #1: Rehearsal (Includes your practice lines (YOU) that you will perform live.)

CD TRACKS #2-6: Performance: Different voices you can choose for your puppet (Does not include your practice lines - use these tracks to perform live.)

CDTRACK #7 Special FX: (All music and special effects used in the routine so you can use them in live cueing if desired)

PAUSES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE RECORDING TO ANTICIPATE AUDIENCE LAUGHTER

YOU CAN MODIFY THE (YOU) LINES TO FIT YOUR PERSONALITY. REWRITE AND BE CREATIVE!

SOUND ADVICE: You can perform this routine by playing the CD on a quality "boom box" portable stereo player in small areas, or over a professional sound system in large areas such as an auditorium or outside. Do not play on a small inexpensive CD player because the sound will distort when you try to play it loudly.

The CD should be played with plenty of volume. Kids will be laughing hard and will miss the routine if it is too quiet, and adults may keep laughter to a minimum for fear of missing parts of the program. The volume of the CD should be set about the same as if you were speaking over a microphone to be heard by the group, or louder.

It is best to have the CD played over a public address system and have the soundman preset the volume level to be

compatible with the your microphone level.

OPENING MUSIC

Y Hello everyone. I’ve got someone I’d like to introduce you. This is my friend from Cleveland.

Can you say “hello” to the folks?

P Hello to the folks! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. (LAUGHTER)

Y Now, why don’t you tell them your name.

P Ah.....ah! Ah, ah ha ha ha ha ha ha...........(lip smacks) (LAUGHTER)

Y What? Go ahead and tell them your name.

P I forgot it. (LAUGHTER)

Y You forgot your name?

P Yup. I forgot my name. Could you tell them my name for me?

Y Surely… (You start to tell them but he interrupts).

P Shirley! That’s right. That’s my name! (To audience) My name is Shirley! (LAUGHTER)

Y No, your name is not Shirley, your name is (name of puppet). Now go ahead and sing that Christmas song I taught you.

NOTE: You can name your puppet any name you choose.

P What song?

Y (Whisper in his hear) Jingle Bells.

P Oh yeah, that song.

Y Do you remember it?

P Well, I remember all of it except for one part.

Y What part is that?

P The WORDS! (LAUGHTER)

Y Well, I’ll help you with it. You go ahead and announce the song to the audience.

P Ok. I will now sing a very popular Christmas song, one that everybody knows called...a...a...what’s it called again? (LAUGHTER)

Y Jingle bells!

P Oh yeah, Jingle Bells. Okay, I’m ready. Hit it, maestro!

(intro piano roll)

Me, Me, Me

(Piano hits the one isolated note repeatedly and deliberately!!!!)

Me....Me....Me.....Me...Me.....

(piano hits 2 sour notes together)

There you go perfect! (LAUGHTER)

(piano roll)

NOTE: Have the puppet sing out toward the audience, and only look over to you when he talks to you, or when he needs a prompt from you.

Jingle Bells......What’s next? (LAUGHTER)

Y Jingle Bells!

P I just sang that! (LAUGHTER)

Y Again, you sing it two times.

P You’re kidding! (LAUGHTER) ‘Musta been a 2 for 1 special! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! (LAUGHTER)

Y Now go ahead from the beginning.

P Okay, here we go....

Jingle bells,

Jingle Bells... (looks at your)

Y (Spoken) Jingle all the way.

P Jingle all the way through the whole song? (LAUGHTER)

Y No, there are other words. Now start over, please.

P Okay. Here we go from the top and I ain’t gonna stop.

Y (Correcting his English) I’m NOT going to stop.

P Good, cause I ain’t gonna stop neither!

Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way....ooooooh.....I’m sorry. (looks at you for prompt) (LAUGHTER)

Y Oh what fun.

P I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself! (LAUGHTER)

Y No, (name of puppet), that’s the next line in the song.

P Daaaaaa, oh yeah! That’s right!

Oh what fun

It is to ride in a ... (looks at you)

Y Well, what’s fun to ride in?

P A roller coaster. (LAUGHTER)

Y Yes, well, but the song says “a one horse open sleigh”!

P A one horse open sleigh? (LAUGHTER) Why only one horse? Can’t he have a friend with him? (LAUGHTER)

Y I didn’t write the song, (name of puppet). Just sing it with one horse, okay?

P This is a very sad song.....

(SFX: Violin)

NOTE: Violin begins to add sorrow to the bit - roll your eyes and shake your head with your eyes closed getting annoyed as he speaks.

…I bet the one horse is very lonely. It probably wishes he didn’t have to work on Christmas, I bet the little horsey wishes that he was with his family so he could open presents and.......

(cover his mouth and hold it closed)

P ...mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Y Could you just finish the song, please?

P (Shakes head “yes”, while you’re still covering his mouth) mmmm-humm!

Y Okay, great! (Release him) You were doing real good, (name of puppet). Now, go ahead- from the top ...ready?

P W’okay!

Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way.

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.....

(With puppet’s mouth open, start to move his head forward and stop as if he forgot the next word, then turn his head toward you for a prompt)

Y “Hey”.

P What?

Y “HeY”!

P (Yelling) WHAT?

Y “Hey” is next in the song!

P There’s hay in the song? (LAUGHTER) Oh good - at least our little horsey will have something to eat for Christmas.

Y (start to say something)

P Jingle bells,

Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way,

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh, hey! ........

(You’re really excited and counting the beats with your hand)

Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way.

And now the big finish...

Oh what fun it is to ride in a

one ... ( Looks at you - you nod approvingly and then he looks to audience.)

horse.... (Looks at you - you nod approvingly and then he looks to audience.)

o-... (Looks at you - you nod approvingly and then he looks to audience.)

pen...... (Looks at you - you nod approvingly and then he looks to audience.)

NOTE: You are really excited for him to finish the song, nodding in approval on each word)

Roller Coaster! Ha ha ha ha ! (LAUGHTER)

NOTE: You throw your hand into the air giving up, and just laugh it off.

CLOSING MUSIC

Y Thank you! Give him a hand!!

NOTE: This makes a great closing act for a Christmas show.

THE END