The year is 1776. It's America's first Christmas as a new country. In the former Colonies, where the Declaration of Independence was signed a few short months earlier, Christmas Eve is being celebrated with fervor. A few founding fathers and mothers gather together to joyously usher in the season.
Alas, young Yankee Doodle is not feeling the Christmas spirit this year. He has a terrible toothache, brought on by his excessive enjoyment of the Christmas sweets. The tooth must be pulled, which it eventually is, though not without much ado. Yankee feels sorry for himself and sinks into a bout of Yuletide blues. Some of his friends - Benjamin, Betsy, George and Thomas - try to cheer him up with personalized gifts, but to no avail. In fact, the whole lot of them become gloomy until they are visited by the Spirit of '76 - the Christmas Spirit of '76, that is. They are reminded of the importance of Christmas, which instantly helps their own Christmas spirits lift. They are once again part of the young nation's Christmas celebration. Of course, to make the holiday (and the musical) complete, Yankee Doodle receives his best and most famous Christmas gift of all, and the merriment of the season ensues!
What great fun to bring your students into the spirit of the Colonial period. Teresa Jennings' joyous, fun-loving musical features 5 original songs, and can be performed with one class or several, as the versatile script features short, adaptable lines that are easy to learn.