Transcript

The Muppet Christmas Carol

From Table Read Tuesdays · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 2 h 37 min · 20,634 words · 507 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "The Muppet Christmas Carol", an episode of Table Read Tuesdays published December 17, 2025 (2 h 37 min, about 20,634 words). It mentions 16 people, works and ideas, including Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Ebenezer Scrooge, Fuzzywig, Rinaldo Rizzo.

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 15:00: Instagram, Muppets Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchet, Faces of Wendy
  2. – 30:00: Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchet
  3. – 45:00: Bob Cratchet
  4. – 1:15:00: Fuzzywig, Ebenezer Scrooge
  5. – 1:30:00: Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet
  6. – 1:45:00: Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Ebenezer Scrooge
  7. – 2:00:00: Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Instagram
  8. – 2:15:00: Jim Henson, Captain Kangaroo, Tiny Tim
  9. – 2:30:00: Beetlejuice
  10. – 2:36:48: A Christmas Carol

Notable quotes from "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

  • All right. Well, welcome. our live YouTube audience if there's any of you out there to our reading of the Muppets Christmas Carol very popular with many of our folks in our…
    about Muppets Christmas Carol · at
  • All right. Hi everyone. My name is Heather Lee Cameron. I am a writer and I am an actor represented by Faces of Wendy. I live in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. she her pronouns.…
    about Faces of Wendy · at
  • Yes. my name is Dana. pronouns, they them. I'm in Central Texas. I'm super jazzed to be playing Bob Cratchet, as well as a couple other minor roles in there.
    about Bob Cratchet · at
  • Right now for something. So, when she gets done with that, she'll pop in over here and she's playing Tiny Tim and Mrs. Toiver or the Thief number two.
    about Tiny Tim · at
  • Because I know the back I know the story of A Christmas Carol like the back of my hand.
    about A Christmas Carol · at
  • In life, the Marlies had been business partners with a shrewd money lender named Ebenezer Scrooge. You will meet him as he comes around that corner.
    about Ebenezer Scrooge · at
  • Thank you. Welcome. [clears throat] Fuzzywig appears at the door of the factory.
    about Fuzzywig · at
  • I believe this was the first Muppet movie after Jim Henson died.
    about Jim Henson · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

Books & papers

Companies & orgs

  • Fuzzywig — Company · 5 mentions · first at
  • Faces of Wendy — Company · 1 mention · first at
  • Twice Upon a Time — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Promote a virtual production of season one of Twice Upon a Time in which I have three roles. It's a fundraiser for food banks and more information can be found on my Instagram at heather.lely.cameron.

Concepts & topics

  • Captain Kangaroo — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    They had to change it. You can't sing about like smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo for a kid show. I mean maybe Captain Kangaroo, but they find other lyrics to…

Sponsors

  • Instagram — Sponsor · 4 mentions · first at
    Roles. It's a fundraiser for food banks and more information can be found on my Instagram at heather.lely.cameron.

Full transcript with timestamps

I'll I'll I'm still with all the lines and everything, but you it's the song's yours if you want it.

I mean, it's a male It's a male role. It doesn't really matter. It's probably It's not even really in my range, but it's great.

Are you recording that? [snorts] Yes. Yes, I believe they're recording. We are recording and we are live on YouTube.

Figure out. I mean, it's a male it's a male role. It doesn't really matter. It's

Yeah, it doesn't matter. It's a male role. All right. Well, welcome. um our live YouTube audience if there's any of you out there to our reading of the Muppets Christmas Carol um very popular with many of our folks in our group um and we're excited to bring it to you. So we're going to introduce to you who we have and what they're reading um and I'm just going to call folks over in in player order [snorts] um and not necessarily in the order in which they appear. So we'll start off with um Jen if you could introduce yourself briefly.

Hi, I'm Jen from New Jersey. She her pronouns. I am doing the narrator. Um Charles Dickens because I am here to tell the story and um some bell and some assorted muffins.

Awesome. Uh let's go down to Petra. Hello. Uh Petra Steedman. Uh also findable in the States. Uh she her pronouns. I'm going to play Charles Dickens for part of this and also some other characters. So, that'll be fun. I'm not sure if the if the eyeliner is reading it's the only like blue thing I had, so hopefully. But, I mean, he's supposed to be a whatever anyway, so we'll go with that.

There you go. Sounds good. Uh, Haley. Haley, are you there? Hello. Hi everyone. Um, I'm in My name is Haley Byermeister. I go by she her pronouns. I'm from Houston, Texas. And I will be reading Rizzo today. And I think Daughter Mouse. Is that correct? Yes. And I'm excited to be here. [snorts] All right. Hi everyone. My name is Heather Lee Cameron. I am a writer and I am an actor represented by Faces of Wendy. I live in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Uh, she her pronouns. I'm a dual citizen. Love that. Um, anyway, today I'll be playing Capitalist Pig One, The Pigeons. I don't think I'll be singing though because I'm not feeling up to it.

Um, Scrooge for part of it cuz I insisted. I love villains. I'll be reading some actions and descriptions and I'll be playing Betina Cratchets as well, so that should be fun. And I love the diversity in the roles. And I'm actually in the middle of helping promote um a a virtual production of season one of Twice Upon a Time in which I have three roles. It's a fundraiser for food banks and more information can be found on my Instagram at heather.lely.cameron.

Awesome. And you can tell us more about it too at the end. Yes. All right, let's go down to Dana.

Yes. Uh my name is Dana. pronouns, they them. I'm in Central Texas. I'm super jazzed to be playing uh Bob Cratchet, as well as a couple other minor roles in there.

Okay. Um let's see. And after Dana, we had Marlo. Hello. Uh Marlo Shaw. Um she her. Um and I'm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Am I loud enough? I'm gonna assume yes.

Fine. Great. Okay. Um I'm plaguing um I keep wanting to say Bad Bunny, but it's Bean Bunny. Uh I'm one of the Scrooges. I'm friend one animal and Belinda Cratchet. Um yeah, there we go. [snorts]

All right. And who did I have next on the list? JC. Hello everyone. Hello, my name is John Clavven Gomez. My pronounce is they them. I'm from Manila Philippines in Southeast Asia. And I am playing the role of Gosser Fred Schoolmate One Singing Food, Peter Cratchet, Gentle Pig for, [snorts] and Businessman four. Um, you can find me on social media on my on my official account, the J JC Gomez official and my second account in social media is my podcast page. You can follow my podcast page called the JC Gomez Show. You can follow it on Instagram at JC Gomez Show and and I encourage also also to listen to my podcast the John Clavis Gomez show on Apple podcast and Spotify just if you are in Apple podcast and Spotify just search the John Clavven Gomez show and and currently it it has 60 episodes right now that's it thank you or

Vicki and then I'll brief. Hi, I'm Vicki Dykes. I'm an actor in central Alberta, a small town penhold. My pronouns are she, her. Uh, today I am playing livestock. Uh, crocodile puppet actions and descriptions in a couple of places. I'm a partygoer. And wait a minute, this is very small. Oh, gentleman pig number one and I am Scrooge for a little while.

Awesome. The last one I believe. Um, Aubrey and then Tori. Hi everybody. I'm Aubrey. I'm from California. Uh, my pronouns are I'm an experience, whatever you like. And uh, yeah, I'm a singer and a musician and an actress. And uh you can find me on Lucy and the Fair. Uh my album is actually on there. And uh yeah, and and for the parts that I'm playing, I'm trying to find them right now the moment because I forgot to put them up. Uh I am towns people, townsmen, and uh a cat. Uh and then I'm Marley in one of these parts. Uh, I'm a clerk three. I have a lot of tiny little parts. Jacob Marley.

Yeah, Marley. Marley, you know, just just a few smaller parts. It's It's all good. Awesome. I am happy I get to do all these little these all these little important little parts.

And you've also got friend three, gentle pig three, and old Joe. Just There we go. Yes.

Oh, yeah. No, no, of course. Like, I'm Yeah, I'm just happy to be here. And I got I get all these cool little supporting roles. They're awesome. Let's hear from

Hello, my name is Tori Estess. I'm a theater instructor and theater historian in the Kansas City area. My pronouns are she, her. I will be reading for the urchins, a bookkeeper, the other half of Marley and Marley, Robert, um, friend for the clock, and then the mysterious ghost of Christmas yet to come, which I'm very excited for. Uh in terms of social media, uh I am on Tik Tok. Uh theater inspires is is the username and I talk about theater, I talk about books, a little bit of everything. So feel free to join me over there. Happy to be here.

All right, let's hear from Jamie. Is Jamie here? Hi everybody. All right. Yeah. Uh that voice is Jamie Hill. I uh haven't been around in a while. I get to be a few fun things. I am a piggy with uh Heather first of all and um number one. Is it right? Or pig number two. And I'm horses singing and um Mr. Applegate the ghost of Christmas past which is like one of my favorites and friend too. And I get to do actions and descriptions in a bit. I uh I'm happy to hear everybody's voices. Hello to everybody. Uh I'm on many social media. Usually it's Jamie uh Jamie Hill voiceover uh atgmail.com and all those different apps and stuff. And um I go by she her and you know I'm open and also on the spectrum. So, if anybody needs uh to sit and chitchat, I'm here and let's have some fun tonight.

Awesome. Sounds great. And then we have um Elizabeth or Liz or Lizzy. Izzy. I'm not sure how you go by.

Um Izzy's fine. Okay. Um it was just my name and Yep. Um pronouns and where you're at and who you're playing. Um, I'm Izzy Lou. Um, I am playing quite a few small parts. I believe it's Sorry, it's my first time doing this. I'm

sorry. You're doing fine. Um, I'm playing Pumpkin, uh, Clerk 2, Scrooge five and six, I believe, and woman and then rag lady thief number one.

Yep. And then you have actions and descriptions nine. So, um I put you down at the end for that one so you can see everyone else. We pretty much read everything on the screen. So, if it's not a character, then those the rest of the the descriptions are the actions and descriptions. So, you'll see how everyone else does it. So, by the time you get to your part, you'll be just fine.

Okay. Gotcha. Um All right. Let's go down to Jackson. Hello everybody. I'm Jackson Gray. Um I'm an actor and community builder in uh smalltown Alberta and Canada. And um I'm going to be playing the ghosts of Christmas present which should be fun and a couple of other small roles. And it's going to be are good. It's glad to be back. So thank you guys.

I love your smile. It's just so angelic. Well, I do try. I do try. Speaking of glad you're back, the hair and the smile. It reminds me of a Zerfell from Good Omens.

All right, we got a few more folks and let's hear from Susan. Hi, I'm Susan Abby. I'm a she her in Portland, Oregon. Um uh you can find me on Facebook, especially if you need anything edited. Um [clears throat] I'm really really good. Try me. Um, tonight I'm going to play the uh crazy fish flinger, the uh Dr. Bunson honeydew, and an assortment of Scrooges back and forth across time.

Yes, I'm excited to see your progression of Scrooges. All right. Um, Sherry. Hello. My name is Sheri Lec. I'm from Newfoundland and I'm living in Montreal in Canada. Um, on socials I'm that misses on Facebook and Instagram and I'm uh happy to be here with all you fine lovely folks. Um, and then we'll have one other reader hopefully. Um, Jacqueline Elizabeth should be here. She's in rehearsals right now for something. So, when she gets done with that, she'll pop in over here and um, she's playing Tiny Tim and Mrs. Toiver or the Thief number two.

And, uh, if she doesn't pop in, I'll take those roles. So, we're going to go ahead and get started here. I'm going to put the script up on the screen. And, um, [snorts] if you're not in a scene, if you could go ahead and mute and try to remember to unmute before it's time for you to speak your part. Um, a couple quick things. This does have some singing in it, unlike most of the scripts we read. And the first song especially has like a lot of different characters, some of who share the same verse. So, um, if if you're one of those characters, you know, do the best you can. We don't expect you to actually we haven't practiced any of this. This is all cold first time for everybody. So, we'll just do the songs as best we can.

And if you don't know the tune and you want to make up your own in the middle of this group song, go right ahead. We'll just see what comes out. Um, we're just kind of going to play it fast and loose and have a lot of fun. We're not going to take it too seriously. Um, and we'll just do the best we got. So, um,

pass picture. What's that? Oh, you want to take a picture? picture do that. Yeah, I always forget to do that. Um,

Chad, I'd just like to say, you know, as a neurode divergent actor, thank you for welcoming me to your space this evening and thank you for helping me feel welcome. It's nice to be here.

All right, you're welcome, Heather. All right, everyone smile. I'm going to take a group photo here and then we'll see what happens. So, three, two, one, for good measure. All right. All right. So, let me hit the share screen and Muppets Christmas Carol script. Okay, that was a different command. See, try that one. Hello. Sure. And I'll make it a little larger because right now it's really tiny. And let's go F11. And let's make that print a little larger for you guys. Let's get down to our first scene here. Actually, too, these are just a giant list of characters. How's that look for size folks?

Good. Is that good? Um, and one other thing I want to share about this, this script is um the closest I could find to the film script, but it's not as close as I could find to the movie script. Uh, that was the finished product. So, anything in blue, um, like where capitalist pig one and two are down here, uh, were added into the original script, which is one reason it took so long to get the cast list out. And for convenience sake, I added in sections along with who's doing the action descriptions and who's playing Dickens and Scrooge. Um, Scrooge is not in this first scene, though, so you won't see him there.

Well, you did a lovely job, and what we have here is wonderful and good enough. So,

so let's see. Section one starts off with Jen reading [clears throat] action descriptions. So feel free.

Exterior Victorian London street night. Snow falls gently on a bustling Victorian street. Gas lamps cast a warm glow on cobblestones. Street vendors mill about selling their goods and wares.

Well, that was a fine meal. Yes, it it was, wasn't it? Yes. Where should we go now? Let's have um lunch.

Oh, good idea. Come along, ladies. Here's a nice Christmas turkey. Turkeys, get your Christmas turkey.

As a cart full of squash passes, a young man grabs a pumpkin from the back and runs away.

Help me. I'm being stolen. Help me. Help me. Get your boomerang fish. Oh, guaranteed fresh. Throw the fish away and it comes back to me. Get them while they're fresh.

Pan over to an apple cart. Christmas apples. We got Macintosh. Christmas apples. Get your Christmas apples. Red delicious. Tuppins a piece while they last. Well, well, they aren't going to last long the way you're eating them. Hey, I'm creating scarcity drives the prices up. [sighs]

Rizzo. [clears throat and cough] Oh, hello. Welcome to the Muppet Christmas Carol. I am here to tell the story

and I am here for the food. My name is Charles Dickens. And my name is Rizzo Rat. Hey, wait a second. You're not Charles Dickens.

I am too. No. A blue furry Charles Dickens who hangs out with a rat. Absolutely.

Charles Dickens was a 19th century novelist. A genius. Oh, you're too kind. Why should I believe you?

Because I know the back I know the story of A Christmas Carol like the back of my hand.

Prove it. Okay. Uh there's a little mole uh on my thumb and a scar on my wrist from when I fell off my bicycle.

No. No. Don't tell us your hand. Tell us the story. Oh. Oh, thank you. Yes. [clears throat] The Marlies were dead to begin with.

What? Pardon me? That's how the story begins, Rizzo. The Marlies were dead to begin with.

Oh, what? What? What? Pardon me? As dead as a doornail. It's a good beginning. It's it's it's creepy and kind of spooky.

Thank you, Rizzo. You're welcome, Mr. Dickens. In life, the Marlies had been business partners with a shrewd money lender named Ebenezer Scrooge. You will meet him as he comes around that corner.

Where? There. When? Now, exterior London Street. The camera moves through the snowy street as Ebene or Scrooge emerg from emerges from the fog. A stern figure in black walking with a cane. People scatter as he approaches.

There he is, Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge. Say, is it getting colder out here? The town's folk begin a musical number about Scroo's reputation, describing his miserly ways and cold demeanor. Is everybody towns people? Okay. Me Aubrey, I think. Aubrey. Aubrey. That's your line.

I'll star singer. Do we lose Aubrey? All right. Well, I'll I'll recite it then when she gets

I know it. Okay. Oh, you know. Go ahead. Yeah. When a cold wind blows, it chills you. Chills you to the bone. But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone. It paints you with indifference like a lady paints with rouge. And the worst of the worst, the most hated and cursed is the one that we call Scrooge.

Unkind as any. And the wrath of many, that is Ebenezer Scrooge. Oh, there goes Mr. Humbug. There goes Mr. Grim. If they gave a prize for being mean.

Old Scoo loves his money cuz he thinks it gives him power. Became a flavor. You could bet he would be sour. Is the grosser. Even the vegetables don't like them.

There goes Mr. Skinint. There goes Mr. Greed. That's a undisputed master of the underhanded deed.

He charges folks a fortune for his dark and drafty houses. Us poor folk lives in misery.

It's even worse for mouses. I want some cheese. He must be so lonely. Must be so sad. He must be too extreme to convince us he is bad. He really He's really a victim of fear and fright. Look close and there'll be sweet uh there'll be a sweet man inside.

Nah, there goes Mr. Mr. Outrage. Oh, who's singing? There goes Mr. He has no time for friends or fun.

His anger makes that clear. Don't ask him for a favor cuz his nastiness is increase.

No crust on of bread on those is in need. No Jesus for uses. Scrooge liked the cold. He was as hard and sharp as a flint. Secretive, self-contained, as solitary as an oyster. There goes Mr. Heartless. There goes Mr. Cruel. He never gives. He only takes. Lets his hunger rule. If being mean's a way of life you'd practice and rehearse, then all that work is paying off. Cuz Scrooge is getting worse.

Every Scrooge is getting worse. Scrooge. Oh, that line was already Okay. Yeah, it just it goes straight to the humbug. Sorry.

Eenezer, that's your line. Um, Petra Petra, what about me? That you get you get Scrooge in the scene.

Oh, no. Cuz the the end of the song, he just turns around and like everybody's like stops and and goes off to do their thing. He just turns around and goes, "Humb" and walks into his office.

That's it. That's all you need to say. Oh, okay. I'm not reading action description, though.

No, you're not. Just the Humbug bit. Oh, humbug. I thought I was I'm not Scrooge. I'm Dickens.

Um, in this part, yeah, is I'm sorry. That's my fault. That would be Heather. Sorry. Um uh Scrooge walks into his office in a huff.

Whoa, what an unpleasant fellow. He was a tightfisted hand at the grindstone. Scrooge.

Dickens notices how dirty and obscured the window is. Boy, this really is a dirty city. [snorts]

You're telling me. Come here. Huh? Dickens picks up Rizzo and uses him to wipe the dirt and grime off the window for a better look. Thank you for making me a part of this.

Dickens drops Rizzo abruptly and turns back to the camera. Okay. He was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstoneone. Scrooge, a squeezing, wrenching grasping clutching covetous old sinner. Interior is Scroo's counting house. Day a cold, dimly lit office. Bob Cratchet works at his desk with fingerless gloves, occasionally blowing on his hands to warm them. Several clerks work nearby. Mr. Applegate, a nervous debtor, sits before Scroo's desk. As he watches Scrooge approach, he gives a loud gulp.

Bob Cratchets. Yes, Mr. Scrooge. Who is this? Mr. Applegate, sir. He's here to speak to you about his mortgage.

Please, Mr. Scrooge. I know you've you're [snorts] very angry about this. I didn't mean to fall behind in payments and Lord knows it is being Christmas and all. Oh, please don't shout at me, sir. And of course, little Gwen, her lungs aren't right. The doctors, the takes a chair, don't you? I mean, you can yell and scream and you're right. But it won't do cuz there's no good because I'm the stone and you can't squeeze blood from and that's the truth.

Scrooge takes Mr. Applegate by the collar and throws him outside. Oh, so thank you for not shouting at me.

72 74. Let us deal with the eviction notices for tomorrow, Mr. Crotchets. Tomorrow is Christmas, sir.

Very well. You may gift Rex then. Hands Bob a very large stack of papers. The clerks attempt to help him with the papers toppling over.

Let us help you, Mr. Cricut. Cratchet. Oh my, there are certainly a lot today. Let's get them. Okay. Okay. Look out on that end. Look out. Look out. Parks struggle under the weight of the invictions and wobble their way towards Crutchett's desk.

Christmas is a very busy time for us, Mr. Crutch. People preparing feasts, giving parties, spending the mortgage, money, money on frivolities. One might say that December is the foreclosure season. Harvest time for the money lenders.

The other clerks appear around him. Hey, boss. Ask him. Tell him. Mr. Crretchet,

come on. Do it now, boss. If you please, Mr. Scrooge. IT'S GOTTEN COLDER AND THE BOOKKEEPING STAFF WOULD LIKE an extra shovel of coal for the fire.

We can't do the bookkeeping. Yeah, all of our pens have turned into Oh, it's all frozen. How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly island?

The clerks quickly put on their island attire and sing. This is my island. This is my island in the sun.

Who am I roasting? I believe you've convinced them once again, Mr. Scrooge. Exterior London Street. At that moment, who should arrive at the door but Scroo's nephew? Fred, his only living relative.

Nephew Fred? I don't see him. Trust me. Fred. Scroo's nephew walks up behind Dickens and Rizzo and knocks at the door.

Hello, Uncle. You're very good at that, Mr. Dickens. Interior. Scroo's counting house day. Fred opens the door and cheerily walks in. A merry Christmas. God save you.

Merry Christmas. Exterior London Street. Look, it'll be warmer in there. Dickens and Rizzo run inside the counting house to listen in on the exchange. Interior Scroo's counting house day.

Christmas a hamburg. Oh, you don't mean that surely. Actually, I think it's colder in here.

Merry Christmas, you say. What right of you to be married? You're poor enough. What do I have to you to be this small? Your wish enough.

He got him there. The old boy's speechless. If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips would be cooked with his own turkey and buried with a steak of holly through his heart. Well, not quite speechless.

Oh, uncle nephew, you keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.

Christmas is a loving, honest, and charitable time and thought it's never put a squat of gold or silver in my pocket. I believe that Christmas has done me good and will do me good. And I say, God bless.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And how does one celebrate Christmas on the unemployment lie?

Interior counting house moments later. Now, in these times, it was customary on Christmas Eve for well-meaning gentlemen to call upon businesses collecting donations for the poor and homeless.

Two charity collectors entered the office. Collector 2, Beaker, echoes everything collectors one Honeydew says in his usual tone.

Mr. Scrooge, I presume. Me. Who are you? We are from the Order of Victoria Charity Foundation. We'd like to speak to you about a donation.

Mimi Moo. Ah, welcome. This jolly old gentleman is here is Mr. Scrooge. He's very generous to charities.

At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, many of us feel we must take care of our poor and homeless.

Me, me, me, moo, moo. Are there no prisons? No pearl houses? Oh, plenty of those, sir.

Oh, excellent. For a moment, I was worried. If some of us are endeavoring to raise a fund for the poor and the homeless, what might I put you down for?

Nothing. You wish to remain anonymous. I wish to be left alone. I don't make merry my selfish Christmas.

That certainly is true. And I cannot afford to make idle people merry. That is certainly not true. Don't you have other things to do this afternoon, my dear nephew?

Sadly, I do, uncle. So, I shall make my donation and leave you to make yours." Fred hands a few coins to the charity collectors and heads out the door.

Thank you very much. Okay. Oh, Uncle, come and have Christmas dinner with me and Clara tomorrow.

Whatever. Did you get married? Why? Because I fell in love. That's the only thing in the world sillier than a merry Christmas.

It's no use, uncle. I shall keep my Christmas humor more to the last. A merry Christmas to you.

Merry Christmas, friend. Merry Christmas, Bob. Buck. Fred exits in the charity collector's remain a little uncomfortable.

Uh, now then, sir, about the uh Scrooge slowly looks up at them, his gaze icy. Donation. Well, now, let's see. I know how to treat the poor. My taxes go to pay for the prisons and the poor houses. The homeless must go there.

But some would rather die. If they'd rather die, then they'd better do it and decrease the server population.

Me moo. Oh dear. Oh dear. This is the door. You may use it. All right, Beaker. Come along. I think we've taken enough of Mr. Scrooge's time.

Me. Charity collectors exit dismayed. Scrooge slams the door, then hears someone singing Good King W's loss outside. He opens the door and looks around for the voice. God Kingless looked [singing] out on the feast of Steven through the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even bright that night. He trails off when he sees a stern looking Scrooge staring at him.

What do you want? Um, Penny for the song, Governor. Scrooge slams the door in his face and gets back to work. That evening, Scrooge continues to scribble away by lamplight as Bob Cratchet approaches his desk. Interior, Scrooge's counting house, Christmas Eve, late afternoon. Bob Cratchet nervously approaches Scroo's desk. The other clerks watch anxiously.

Excuse me, Mr. Scrooge, but it appears to be closing time. Very well. I'll see you at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow's Christmas. 8:30 then, if you please, sir. Half an hour off hardly seems customary for Christmas Day.

Hardly customary. Not at all. How much time off is customary, Mr. Crutch? Um why? Um well, the whole day.

Yes. Yeah, that's right. The whole day. The entire day. No, no way. That's the frog's idea.

If you please, Mr. Scrooge, why open the office tomorrow? Other businesses will be closed. You'll have no one to do business with. It'll waste a lot of expensive coal for the fire.

Yes, that's definitely a point. That's a point. That's right. It's a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every December the 25th.

But as I seem to be the only person around who knows that, take the day off. Y old man.

Y we love you, Ebenezer. Will you stop it? Thank you, Mr. Scrooge. Exterior London Street night. Scrooge fetches his hat, coat, and cane from a stand and moves to the door. Scrooge calls to Bob as he exits the building.

Be here all the earlier the next morning. Okay, sir. Okay, sir. You better move it.

As Scrooge walks home, Charles Dickens and Rizzo follow at a distance. Mm- with their employer gone at last, Bob Crouchet and the bookkeepers immediately began that most pleasant of activities, the celebration of Christmas.

He's gone. Gentlemen, let's close up for Christmas. There's magic in the air. The world is at care. The promise of excitement is one night. Sleepow. [singing] There's no such thing as strangers when we're having fun. After all, there's only one more sleep till Christmas. [singing] And joyous

employace [singing] and keep alive. Sorry, my cat likes this song. [singing] We're shining like the sun and every sleep till Christmas. [singing] After all, there's only one more sleep till Christmas [singing] day. As he sings, Bob closes up shop and heads home, passing skating penguins and frolicking people. We see a shivering bean bunny as he steps into his humble home. In another part of town, Gonzo and Rizzo arrive at an imposing building. Exterior Scroo's house night. A gloomy brick building looms in darkness.

Dickens and Rizo ride up on a horse. Scrooge lived in chambers which had once belonged to his old business partners, Jacob and Robert Marley.

Have some bread? Not while I'm working. Okay, suit yourself. The building was a dismal heap of brick on a dark street. Now, once again, I must ask you to remember that the Marlies were dead and decaying in their graves.

Yuck. That one thing you must remember or nothing that follows will seem wondrous.

Why are you whispering? It's for dramatic emphasis. Oh, Scrooge appears outside his door, removes his keys from inside his cloak, and pauses outside it. As the doorner begins to morph into a face, Scrooge slowly backs away, frightened.

Jacob, Molly, the horse Dickens and Rizzo are sitting on rears up and knocks him off. Scrooge jumps back further, then slowly approaches the door again. All seems normal. He must have been imagining things.

I'm bug. Scrooge steps inside the door. Charles Dickens appears to be knocked out from the fall. Rizzo is checking his pulse.

Oh, Gonzo, speak to me. I mean, Mr. Dickens, Charlie, are you hurt? Dickens abruptly sits up, knocking Rizzo over.

To say that Scrooge was not startled would be untrue. Still, the moment had passed, and the world was as it should be.

He ain't hurt. He ain't hurt. Didn't even break his concentration. What? Nothing.

Come on, Renzo. We'll follow him in [snorts] a minute. I had a little bag of jelly beans over here.

He digs through some nearby snow. Will you just get over here? All right. They edge towards the front door. As Dickens tries to walk in, the door closes and hits him in the face. Steady, steady.

Looking back into the camera in pain and speaking nasily due to his squash nose, Scrooge makes his way up the stairs. Scrooge made his way up the staircase, carried not a button for the darkness. Darkness was cheap, but Scrooge liked it.

Hey, uh, this is getting scary. Interior. Scrooge's house. Night, dark, and fur boating. Scrooge walks up the stairs holding a candle.

But the incident at the door had made Scrooge wary. Before he shut himself in for the night, he searched his rooms. Okay, that does it.

Exterior Scroo's house night. Dickens and Rizzo watch from below as the light moves through window to window upstairs.

Pardon? How do you know what Scrooge is uh what Scrooge is doing? Uh we we're down here and he is up there.

I keep telling you storytellers are omnisient. I know everything. Hy toy, Mr. Godlike smarty pants. H

to conduct a proper search, Scrooge was forced to light the lamps. A light appears in an upstairs window. How does he do that?

Interior Scroo's house night. Scrooge walks through the house on edge, jumping at every shadow in the dark. As nothing seems to materialize, he settles in for the night by putting on his best robe, night cap, and eating some bread by the fire. The doorbell rings suddenly. Scrooge glances nervously towards the door. It rings again. [clears throat] The fire in the fireplace dies down and he is once again in darkness. A spectral sound echoes through the house. Chains rattle. Two ghostly figures appear. Jacob and Robert Marley, bound in chains laughing.

Look at this rude. Looking older and MORE WICKED THAN EVER. I KNEW HE WOULDN'T DISAPPOINT US.

They both burst out laughing. No. In life, we were your partners, Jacob and Robert Marley. It looks like you, but I don't believe it. Why do you doubt your senses?

Because a little thing can affect them. A slight disorder of the stomach can make them cheat. You may be a bit of undigested beef, a blob of mustard, a crumb of cheese. Yes, there's more of gravy than of grave about you. The Marley brothers begin laughing again. More of the gravy than of grave.

What a terrible pun. Where did you get those jokes? Leave it. Leave comedy to the bears. Ebenezer.

Wake up, Robert. Don't criticize me. You always criticize me. We were always heckling you.

It's good to be heckling again. It's good to be doing anything again. NO. Why do you come to me? The Marley's warned Scrooge through song about the chains they forged in life. Marley and Mar just ignore the needy. We specialize in causing pain, spreading fear and doubt. I don't remember how this goes. For some reason, and you could not pay the rent to simply throw you out. Oh, that that was the year we evicted THE ENTIRE ORPHANAGE.

I REMEMBER those little dykes all standing in the snow bank with their frost spitten teddy bears.

When Molly and Molly [singing] a heart painted black, we should have known that evil deeds would put us in the shackles. Captive bound where trouble ironed exhausted by the weight as freedom comes from giving love. So prison what comes with hate and

my friends you were not unfeilling towards your fellow man. [cough] True. There was something about mankind that we loved. I THINK IT WAS THE MONEY. Doom Scrooge, we're doomed all for all time. Your future is a horror story written by your crime. Your chains are forged by what you say and do. So have fun. When life is done, a nightmare awaits for you. [singing] Or Molly and Molly. and [singing] the chains rattle ominously as the music ends. They multiply. They multiply and tangle, creating an elaborate web that starts to consume Scrooge as well as them.

What are these terrible chains? The chains? We forgive life by our acts of greed.

You wear such a chain yourself. Hump bug, speak comfort to me, friends. Comfort?

You will be haunted by three spirits. Haunted? I've already had enough of that.

Without these visits, you could not hope to avoid the path we tread. Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one.

Can't I just meet them all at once and get it over with? [snorts] When the bell tolls one.

The Marley's fade away, their voices echoing. Molly Molly [singing] Molly. The chains clank into darkness, leaving Scrooge alone. exterior Scroo's house night. [sighs and gasps]

And with that, the spirits of Scroo's partners vanished into the darkness, leaving him once again alone in his room.

Whoa, that's scary stuff. Hey, should we be worried about the kids in the audience?

Nah, that's all right. This is culture. Oh. Uh, jelly bean, huh? I have in my pocket all along.

What? Interior Scroo's house night. Scrooge puts his candle on his nightstand and gets into bed with a fire poker.

I'm a bug. Exterior Scroo's house night. Come on. And I really hate this. Rizzo is standing on top of an iron fence. shaking.

You wanted to know what was happening. Scroo's bed chamber is on this side of the house. Now jump.

There's only two things in life I hate. Heights and jumping from them. Too late now. Come on, I'll catch you.

You got to save my little broken body. YEAH. [screaming] RIZZO jumps off the fence with a scream. Dickens misses catching him completely. Rizzo crashes to the ground.

Missed. Oh, wait a second. I FORGOT MY JELLY BEANS. Rizzo climbs through the great of the fence he has just jumped over and returns with his bag of jelly beans. Charles glares at him.

What? You can fit through these bars. Yeah. You are such an idiot. WHAT? WHAT? HEY, WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?

EXTERIOR. INTERIOR. Scrooge's house. Night. Scrooge lies on his bed asleep, breathing heavily. Charles, Dickens, and Rizzo are attempting to climb up the house by tying a rope around a tree. Rizzo climbs to Charles Dickens back as they climb.

Oh dear. Scrooge slipped into the empty silence of a dreamless sleep. You know, a guy could break his tail falling out of this tree.

You want to see what's going on, don't you? Yes. Look, there's Scroo's window. Oh, yeah. The clock begins to strike. Scrooge opens one eye. The candle snuffs out. Expect the first GHOST WHEN THE BELL tolls one.

The clock chimes. A bright white light emanates from Scroo's window. The ghost of Christmas past materializes. An ethereal childlike figure. I am

spirit. Are you the spirit who whose coming was foretold to me? I am. But But you're just a child.

I can remember nearly 19,000 years. I am the ghost of Christmas past. Christmas has brought you here.

Your welfare. By night's unbroken rest might aid my welfare. Your salvation. Then take heed and come.

The ghost leads Scrooge to the window. Scrooge looks down, bewildered. I I beg you, spirit. I am mortal and liable to fall.

A touch of my hand and you shall fly. Exterior Scroo's house night. Scrooge touches the ghost's little baby hand and the two of them immediately fly out the window with Charles Dickens and Rizzo still in the tree. Dickens begins to aim his grappling hook toward them.

What are we doing? Nothing. What? Just hold on. They both scream as the grappling hook catches and the two are flown into the air over the city of London. Exterior London skyline night.

Hello London. Goodbye lunch. They continue flying. Parrot. Uh yes. Uh nothing. Below them. Dickens spots something.

Oh look, Rizzo. I don't want to look. Uh-oh. Spirit. What is that light? It cannot be dawn. [clears throat]

It is the past. Look, it's beautiful, Rizzo. Mommy. They plunged through the light into the past. Exterior Victorian village day.

Hey, we're going down. Hang on, Rizzo. The deep lower. The dip lower. So, as Scrooge and the Ghost fly in the sky, Dickens and Rizzo are flown through the trees, upsetting many of its inhabitants.

Sorry, madam. Pardon? Pardon me, sir. Look out, Rizzo. They emerged from the forest with a chicken.

Rizzo, this is Louise. Yeah, we've met. The ghost of Christmas past sets them down gently in a village.

And so they arrived in Ebenezer Scroo's childhood. That was the worst trip of my life.

Well, it's over now. Yeah. Safe at last. No, no, no. Oh, no. Stop. Nice kitty. Nice kitty. Ow. OUCH. I'M FROM NEW JERSEY. WOW. It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odors. Each one connected with a thousand thoughts and hopes and joys and cares long, long forgotten.

Scrooge stops in front of a schoolhouse as boys run out, dismissed from class. That's my old school. I was a boy here. That That's Henry and Edmmond, my my best friend. Hello, boys. Hello. But these are but shadows from your past Ebenezer. They can neither see nor hear you. Come, let us go inside.

Rizzo, stop playing with THE CAT. HELP ME. Save me. Help me. Save me. Help me. Save me.

FOLLOW ME. HELP ME. SAVE ME. [screaming] THEY followed Scrooge and the ghost into the schoolhouse and shut the door behind them. Interior village schoolhouse day.

And what a flood of memories came back to him as Scrooge beheld his old classroom.

You know it all so well, Spirit. The desks, the the smell of the chalk. I chose my profession in this room. Yes. And is he too familiar?

The camera pans to a young boy sitting at his desk alone working. Scrooge beheld a small boy, a boy he knew. Oh, very well indeed.

What happens? It's me. Hurry. Listen, sir. The last coach is Libby. Come on. He's never gonna uh he never goes home for Christmas.

Who cares about stupid old Christmas? I was often alone. More time for reading and study. The Christmas holiday was a chance to get some extra work done. A time for solitude.

Charles Dickens and Rizzo sit on a shelf above watching the scene. Bratz don't understand these things.

You were never l a lonely child. I had 1274 brothers and sisters. Sheesh. Rats don't understand these things. Let us see another Christmas in this place.

They were all very much the same. Nothing ever changed. You changed. We watch the classroom as young Scrooge walks to the window. And as he turns, he's now a little older and again a little older until we see him as a teenager. The years performed their terrible dance, and in a moment Scrooge had seen his child, entire childhood pass. He saw his old school room age and decay.

So, Master Scrooge, graduation day. That's my old headmaster. This man taught me my greatest lesson.

Stand up. Build your life as the school is built. Work hard, work long, and be constructive. Oh, Ebenezer, life is a golden opportunity. Today, you go forth into the real world. You must keep your nose to the grindstoneone. Work hard, lad, and one day your life will be as solid as this very building.

The shelf Dickens and Rizzo have been sitting on crashes. I've been meaning to fix that shelf.

Yes, headmaster. Well, young man, you have been apprenticed to a fine company in London. Today, you become a man of business.

I'm looking forward to it, Headmaster. You will love business. It is the American way. [snorts]

Sam Oh, it it [clears throat] is the British way. Good. Yes, headmaster. Come, Scrooge. There is much much to see. The ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge through another light, whisking them away to their next destination.

Exterior fuzzy wigs factory night. A moment later, Scrooge found himself standing on a city street looking at a building he had not seen in years.

Tell me, Eeneer, Scrooge, do you know this place? know it. My first job was here. This is Fog's old rubber chicken factory.

The camera pans to show Dickens and Rizzo sitting on a ladder leaning up against a street lamp.

Once again, it was Christmas Eve. Night was falling and the lamp lamp lighters were plying their trade.

Dickens moves his flame to light the lamp and catches Rizzo's tail on fire. Hey, hey, HEY. [screaming] LIGHT the lamp. NOT THE RAT. LIGHT THE LAMP. NOT THE WHAT ARE YOU DOING? [screaming] MY APOLOGIES. Put me out. Put me out. Put me out. Put me out. Put me out. PUT ME OUT. PUT ME OUT.

RIZZO. Looks down and spots a bucket of icy water on the ground. Rizzo. What? Dickens pushes Rizzo into the bucket.

Oh, thank you. Welcome. [clears throat] Fuzzywig appears at the door of the factory.

There he is. All Foswig himself. Look, my lads, dusk has fallen. The lamp lighters are at work. It's Christmas Eve for certain. An

employer. He was as hard as ruthless as a rose petal. It's time for the party to begin.

It's the Fog Wigs Christmas party. Rizzo, come on. Just grab hold of the stick.

Interior Fuzzywig's factory night. Merry Christmas. Thank you. Merry Christmas. Excuse me, everyone. Can we have some quiet, please? Dickens enters the factory carrying Rizzo frozen on a stick. A chicken wearing brightly colored features on its head walks by.

Whoa. Oh. Dickens smashes frozen Rizzo against a barrerow, freeing him from the ice. I

suppose I should be grateful for that. You're welcome. [clears throat] Everyone, please, please, can I have your attention for a moment?

We hear two young men on the second floor in a familiar fit of laughter. Scrooge looks up.

Look, it's the Molly brothers, my old partners, as they were at. [clears throat and cough]

Can I have your attention, please? [cough] [clears throat] That's better. Welcome to Fuzzywig and Mom's annual Christmas party. At this time in the proceedings, it is a tradition for me to make a little speech. And it's a tradition for us to take a little nap.

Pay no attention to them. My speech. Here is my Christmas speech. [clears throat and cough] Thank you all and merry Christmas. That was a speech.

IT WAS DUMB. IT WAS OBVIOUS. It was pointless. It was short. I [screaming] LOVED IT. I'm bored with the speech. Let's dance, son. The crowd cheers.

Hey, here's Mrs. Fuzzywick to start the party. Where to go, ma? Hit it, boys. Charles, Dickens, and Rizzo walk through the party, taking it all in.

Hey. Hello. Hey, look. There's a buffet over there. I'm kind of hungry in this pretty la.

Ah, forget it. Mother always taught me never eat singing food. We see Scrooge as a young adult. Enter the party and make his way towards Fuz Fuzzywig.

It's a pleasure having you here at the party. Please enjoy yourself. Excuse me, Mr. Fuzzywig. Bring one over there for the accounts. Do you know how much the firm is spending for this party?

Master Scrooge, this is Christmas. It's a time for generosity. Stop working. Enjoy yourself. Go meet some people. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go. Go. Go ahead.

Animal and his band strike up the music and the crowd starts dancing. Robert and Jacob Marley are even in the swing of things.

You dancing fool. Fuzzy wig has a young girl Belle on his arm showing her around the party. Bill, you know I love these annual Christmas parties. I love them so much. I think we'll do it twice a year.

Belle bumps into a man passing by. Excuse me. Oh, excuse me. Oh, Master Scrooge. [clears throat] Excuse me, Belle. I'd like to introduce you to Ebenezer Scrooge, the finest young financial mind in the city. Ebenezer, this is Belle, a friend of the Fuzzywig family.

I am pleased to meet you. I'm glad you two finally met. Do you remember this meeting?

Remember? Yeah, I remember. There was of of course another Christmas Eve with this young woman some years later.

Oh, please do not show me that Christmas exterior forest day. A bright light fills the screen and as it fades, we see Scrooge and the ghost outside in a snowy clearing. Young Scrooge and Belle are sitting on a bench. Another year before our wedding, Ebenezer.

Well, it can't be helped, Belle. How could we marry now? There's not even enough for a decent home. The investments haven't grown as they should.

So, you said last year, business continues to be poor. You're a partner in your own firm now.

And barely clearing expenses. You said the partnership was the goal. This This is for you. I love you, Belle.

You did once. There was a time when I was sure that you and I were truly one. That our future was forever and would never come undone. And we became so close to being close. And though you cared for me, there's distance in your eyes tonight. So we're not meant to be. The love is gone. The love is gone. The sweetest dream that we have ever known. The love is gone. The love is gone. I wish you well, but I must leave you now alone. There comes a moment in your life like a window and you see your future there before you and how perfect life can be.

But adventure calls with unknown voices pulling you away. Be careful or you may regret the choice you made someday. When love is gone. When love is gone. The sweetest dream that we have ever known. When love is gone. [singing] When love is gone. I wish you well, but I must leave you now alone. It was almost love. It was almost always. It was like a fairy tale. We'd live out, you and I. And yes, some dreams come true. And yes, some dreams fall through. And yes, the time has come for us to say goodbye.

Scrooge watches despondent as Belle stands up and walks away from him. Dickens and Rizzo look on the scene. Rizzo is sobbing.

Oh, Rizzo. Show me no more. Why do you delight in torturing me? I told you these were the shadows of the things that have been that they are they are. Do not blame me. Leave me.

Scrooge sits down, covering his face. The scenery fades around him. Interior Scroo's house night. Scrooge is back in his bedroom, clearly shaken by what he's just seen. Dickens looks in through the window.

Scrooge was left alone and exhausted in his bed chamber, and thus he remained till the nearby clock began to strike the hour.

A clock chimed. So startled start. What was that? 2:00. Oh, is it too early for breakfast?

Yes. Oh, good. Supper time. He [clears throat] grabs a snack from his pocket and eating.

Scrooge knew that the second of the ghost was due to appear. Yet now, as the clock finish striking,

nothing. A warm light suddenly shines from the adjacent room, and the ghost of Christmas present appears. A large and jolly spirit, laughing heartily.

Oven and now a now mean better men. Scrooge rises from his bed and enters the room cautiously. It's filled with baskets of food. Candles light the room, giving it a warm glow.

Come in and know me better, man. Did I already say that? You did. I am [clears throat] the ghost of Christmas present. This is the night before the dawn, before the day of Christmas. Did I tell you I'm the ghost of Christmas present?

You did? Yeah. Come in and know me better, man. You're a little absent minded spirit.

No, I'm a large absentminded spirit. My mind is filled with the here and now and the now is Christmas. I don't believe I've ever met anybody like you before, sir.

Really? Over a hund a,800 of my brothers have come before me. 18,000. Imagine the grocery bills.

Have you noticed that everything seems wonderful at Christmas? Uh, in all honesty, spirit, no. Perhaps I've never understood about Christmas.

Before this day is done, you will understand. The spirit rushes to the window. Dickens and Rizza were peering through.

Oh no. Oh no. The window bursts open and they both fall to the ground. We shall go out into the world.

I suppose you enjoyed that. Of course. Exterior alleyway dawn. The ghosts of Christmas present and Scrooge appear out of thin air.

May I welcome you to Christmas morning. The sun suddenly rises over the buildings and the street is populated with joyful laughter as kids throw snowballs and carol sing. The ghost of Christmas presents sings a song about Christmas spirit. It's in the singing of the street corner choir. It's going home and getting warm by the fire. It's true. Whenever you find love, it feels like Christmas. A cup of kindness that we share with another. A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother. In all the places you will find love, it feels like Christmas.

It is the season of the heart, a special time of caring, the way of love made clear. It is the season of the spirit. The message if we hear it is making it last all year. [clears throat and cough] It is h it's in the giving of the gifts to another. A pair of mittens that we made by your mother. It's all the way that we share our love. The feel like Christmas and the part of childhood we always remember. It is the summer of the soul in December. Yes. When you when you do your best for love, it feels like Christmas.

It is the season of the heart. It is a season or of the heart, a special time of caring. The way of love made clear. It is the season of the spirit. The message if we hear it is making it last all year. It's in the singing of the street corner choir. It's going home and getting warm by the fire. It's true. Whenever you find love, it feels like Christmas. It's true. Whenever you find love, it feels like Christmas. It feels like Christmas. It feels like Christmas.

I had no idea. I wish to see my friends. Ken, show me family. Interior Fred's house Christmas day. Scrooge and the ghost appear in a living room with a family celebrating Christmas.

It's It's Fred, my dear nephew, and his wife Sierra having Christmas with friends.

Dickens and Rizzo are hiding behind a fruit bowl. Hey, look, fruit. Well, there now. We've had the plum padding and sung the cars. What now? May love please.

A game Fred? Yes, we must have a game at Christmas. [snorts] Oh, yeah. I wondered about the texture. H

Oh, I'm sorry. You're okay. Scrooge, let's play a game. Do people play games at Christmas? I love games.

Um, Rizzo, you know that fruit is wax. Oh, yeah. I wondered about the texture. JC, darling,

let's play. Yes and yes and no. A wonderful game. Oh yes. Ah, that's a great game. Albe it.

Yes. Let Fred be it. He always thinks of good things. I do have a good one. Lara, guess.

What's a vegetable? No. No. A mineral. No. I never have done. What else? What else indeed? Is it found on a farm?

Never in the city. Usually a handsome cat. Certainly not. How about a dog? No. A cat? A

cat? first. No. Wait then. Is this an unwanted creature? Up then mouse. No, a rat.

You called a cockroach. No, a leech. Oh dear, it's too wonderful. Wait, wait. I know an unwanted creature, but not a rat, a leech, or a cockroach.

Then what? Then what? Then what? IT IS SCROOGE. YES. WONDERFUL. YES. There's much to see

no more. I wish to see him no more. They are transported to a far off street. Those are Christmas presents.

Here, why have we come to this odd corner of the town? It's Christmas here, too. You know, that's Bob Cracket house. Bob Cratchet's house.

Dickens and Mizo used the ladder to climb up to the rooftop. Perhaps it was the spirit's own generous nature and his sympathy for all poor men that led them straight to the home of Scroo's faithful clerk. As Dickens climbs to the top, Rizzo is eagerly smelling through the chimney.

Goose. There's They're cooking goose down there. Rizzo, get out of the way. Knocks Rizzo away.

Hey, hey, hey, don't be sweeping the chimney now. You're blocking the smell. This is Bob Kratch's house.

How do you know that? You just told me. Well, I'm un unusually trustworthy. Who's that?

Mr. Cratcher. No, of course. Dude and the ghost look through the window. Mrs. Cratchet is in the kitchen humming as she cooks.

Peter, do not stop turning that spit. That is the whole secret of a properly roasted goose.

It smells so good, mother. It does, doesn't it? Oh, that smells wonderful. though falls into the chimney.

Oh, good grief. Hey, I'm stuck. GET ME OUT OF HERE. [screaming] I knew you weren't suited for literature.

Lands on top of a goose roasting over an open fire. At least I landed on something soft and hot HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT.

Back in the kitchen, Mrs. hatchet is snacking on something, attempting to hide. A young girl, Belinda, popped up behind her.

Mother, mother, mother, I I thought you said we couldn't eat the chestnuts until Father and Tiny Kim got home.

I I wasn't eating them. I was I [clears throat] was merely checking them to see if they were not burnt. It's a chef's thing, dear. And do not shout, Patina. I'm Belinda.

Another young girl, Betina, identical to the first, popped up. Betina. Uh, of course you are Betina.

Linda. Whatever. Outside, Froo and the ghost hear singing behind them. They turned to see Bob Kratchet and his son Tiny Tim on his shoulders approaching the home. They both reprised the ac cappella version of One More Sleep till Christmas song. [snorts]

It's a season when the saints can employ us to spread the news about. Come on, son.

Yeah. Let's go see if Christmas dinner is ready yet. Oh, yeah. Yes. Careful. Bob and Tiny Tim enter the home. They can sneaking into the door behind them.

Merry Christmas, everyone. Daddy, and Betina left to Bob in an aggressive embrace. Peter joins in.

Merry Christmas, girls. Merry Christmas, Peter. Merry Christmas. Children, children, children. Now it's time to set the table. Go ahead.

Wait for me. Merry Christmas, Emily. Merry Christmas, Cratchy. Mrs. Cratchet hugs Mr. Cratchet.

Amy Dickens finds Vizo, who's trying to cool off. I fell down the chimney and landed on a flaming hot goose.

You have all the fun. Oh, Peter, the Christmas dinner. The goose. The goose. Tiny Tim, in an attempt to keep up with the other children, elapses into a fit of coughing. His parents rush to him. Oh, no, no, no, no. Now, son, son, now you've gotten too excited. You go sit in your chair a moment. Okay, rest. Just rest a moment. [clears throat] How was he at church?

As good as gold and better. He told me that he hoped that people who saw him in church might and that it might be pleasant for them to remember upon Christmas Day who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.

Scrooge and the ghost of Christmas present continued to peer in through the window.

A remarkable child. And with that the crus came to what was surely the happiest single moment in all the live long year. Such a meager feast,

but very much appreciated. I pay Bob such a small amount. Mr. Scrooge, believing Bob is speaking to him stands up.

Bob Bob Crotchet. He walked through the door into his home. It only seems right that I should lift a glass to my employer. I give you Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast.

Founder of the feast. Indeed. If I had him here, I would give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I bet he would choke on it.

Choke. Choke. My dear, the the children Christmas day. A well, [clears throat and cough] I suppose that on the blessed day of Christmas, one must drink to the health of uh Mr. Scrooge, even though he is odious, stingy,

wicked, unfeilling, and badly dressed. Belinda and Bina look at each other with a gasp.

To the founder of the feast, Mr. Scrooge. To Mr. Scrooge, he'll be very merry and happy this day. I have no doubt.

No doubt. No doubt. Cheers. God bless us everyone. Annie Kim sings a little song. Life full of sweet surprises. Every day is a gift. The sun comes up and I can feel it lift my spirit. Fills me up with laughter. Fills me up with sun. I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong. Bless us all who gather here. The loving family I hold so dear. No place on earth compares with home. And every path will bring me back from where I roam. Bless us all that as we live. We always comfort and forgive. We have so much that we can share with those in need. We see us around us everywhere.

Let us all love each other. Lead us to the light. Let us hear the voice of reason. [singing] Singing in the night. Let us run from anger and catch us when we fall. Teach us in our dreams. And please, yes, please bless us one and all. Bless us all with playful years, with noisy games and joyful tears. We reach for you and we'll stand tall. And on our praise and dreams we ask you, bless us all. We reach for you and we stand tall. And in our prayers and dreams we ask you, bless us all. [cough] After Tiny finishes singing, he begins coughing again. Huge Christmas spirit whose hair and beard have suddenly gone gray.

Spirit, let's take all our seats now. Let's have dinner. Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.

That is the future. My realm is the past. However, I see a vacant seat by the chimney corner and a crutch without an owner. In these shadows remain with uh unaltered, I believe the child will die. When then if he going to die, he had better do it. and decrease the surplus population.

Oh, spirit. As the Cratchet family vanished into the darkness, Scrooge kept his eyes upon Tiny Tim until the last.

Come, my time grows short. The siege fades. The scene fades to black, leaving Scrooge and the ghost a Christmas present in the darkness. The ghost's hair and beard has gone from auburn to completely white.

Spirit, do you grow old? Uh, I do. Are spirits lives so short? My time upon this globe is very brief. I believe it will end upon the stroke of 12. The clock begins to strike. Dickens and Rizzo watch from the clock tower. Uh one

now. But spirit, I have learned so much from you. Um, three. Nothing Scrooge could do or say could stop the relentless march.

Four of those terrible bells. Five. Oh, spirit, do not leave me. Think I must. In fact,

you have meant so much to me. You have changed me. And now I leave you with the Christmas or the ghost of Christmas yet to come.

You mean the future? Must I go forth and know much better man. The ghost lacked their fades, leaving Scrooge alone in the snowy cemetery. Scrooge hears a rumbling sound as a giant cloud of mist surrounds him. It clears and Scrooge turns around to see a shredded figure before him.

Am I in the presence of the ghost of Christmas yet to come? The figure nods. Spirit, I fear you more than any spectre I have yet. Dickens and Mizo peer out from behind a door.

Oh, this is too scary. I don't think I want to see anymore. When you're right, you're right. You're on your own, folks. We'll meet you at the finale.

Hey, duck inside. I am prepared to follow and to learn with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?

The spirit touches his shoulder and gestures onward. Oh yes. Yes. The night is waning fast. Lead on, spirit. The ghost of Christmas yet to come leads him through a dark portal and onto a dark rainy street. Exterior London night. A group of business people gossip. I don't know how much about it either way. I only know he's dead.

Yeah. Yeah. When? Last night, I believe. Wonder what he died of. H I never thought he'd go.

Well, I don't know or care why he's gone. I just like to know what he's done with his money.

Oh, that's right. What did we all? [snorts] Well, he didn't give it to me. door to me.

Well, it's likely to be a cheap funeral. I don't know a single soul would go to it.

I [snorts] don't mind going. What? Oh, if if lunch is provided, the men I say Oh, speaking of lunch. Oh, good lord. Look at the time.

Yes, we we must be off. I know some of those gentlemen, spirit. [snorts] Of what poor rich do they speak?

The spirits point into an alov and Scrooge find a group of thieves looking [clears throat] into their last bounty. Interior old Joe's alley night. Miss Dilbert and the other gather with stolen goods. So, buck from the old house of sadness, I see that they didn't die years ago. The old skin platelet.

Well, let me see what you got for old Joe. Eh, what you got for me to remember him by?

Joe, get off. Well, I got these collar buttons from his dress. Earth, mother of pearl.

No, no. I got this bad curtains. Very fine. Dash. Very cheap at the mask, but worth a few coins.

I've got his blankets. It's like it Well, why miss? They're still gone. I don't pay extra for warmth. You know,

you should. Oh, it's the only warmth he ever had. turns in to be a ghost of a ghost. [snorts]

I understand, spirit, the case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life turns that way now. Merciful heavens, let me see some tenderness connected with this world or I'll be haunted by that terrible conversation forever. The ghost takes him by the soldiers and points him to the door of the Cratchet house.

It's Bob Cratchet's house. Oh yes, spirit. A place of joy and laughter. Thank you for bringing me here. It's so quiet. Why is it so quiet, spirit? The ghost points to the door again. Bruge looks through the window. Mrs. Cratchet is crying in the kitchen. Interior Cratchet house night.

Oh, mother, you're crying again. Oh. Um, no. It's just it's just the [cough] the lamp light hurts my eyes.

Not Not Tiny Tim. There. There. My eyes got weak in the in the dim light. I would not want to show weak eyes to your father when he gets home for anything in the world. And he he should be back now.

I think he's walked a little slower this past two evenings. Enter. Hello my dears.

Hello girls. Hello, Peter. Hello, children. Please, um, [clears throat] please go set the table. Thank you. How is the churchyard?

Oh, it'll be lovely, Emily. It would have done you good to see how green the place is. I picked a spot for Tim where you can see um it's a it's a spot on the hill and uh you can see the ducks on the river. Tiny Tim.

Tiny Tim always loved watching the ducks on the river. Oh, Spirit. Oh, Spirit. Must there be a Christmas that brings this awful scene? How can we endure it?

It's all right, children. Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it. I'm sure we shall never forget Tiny Tim or this first partying that there was among us.

The family bows their heads silent as the camera pans to the fireplace when an empty chair and walking stick sit. The stereo graveyard night. Scrooge and the ghost of Christmas yet to come walks through the gates. Must we return to this place? There's something else that I must know. Is that not true? Spirit, I know what I must ask. I fear to you. But I must. Who was the wretched man whose death brought so much glee and happiness to others? The ghost points to a gravestone nearby, obscured by frost, Scrooge approaches it, but before he can read the name, he quickly turns back to the ghost.

Answer me one more question. Are these the shadows of things that will be or are they the shadows of things that may be only? The ghost points to the gravestone yet again. Gage steps toward it. Still intreating the ghost.

The these events can be changed. A life can be made right. Scrooge is close enough to the gravestone to brush off the snow. As he wipes it away, he says his name, Ebenezer Scrooge. Oh please Spirit. No, hear me. I am not the man I was. Why would you show me this if I was past all hope? I will honor Christmas and try to keep it all the year. I I will live my life in the past, the present, and the future. I will not shut out the lessons the spirits have taught me. Tell me that I may sponge out the writing on this stone. Oh, spirit, please speak to me.

Fuj kneels and buries his face into the fabric of the ghost robe. As he does so, he falls forward and the robe becomes his bed sheet.

Interior Scroo's bedroom dawn. He sits up realizing he may have been given another chance. [snorts] I'm home. Yes, the bed posts were his own. The bed was a zone. The room was his own.

Dickens and Rizzle appear again outside of Scroo's bedroom window. Interior Scroo's bedroom Christmas morning.

Hi guys, we're back. We promised we would be, but the thing that made Scrooge happiest of all was his life lay before him, and it could be changed. I will live my life in the past, the present and the future. Oh, Jacob and Robert Marley. Oh, heaven and the Christmas time we praised for this day. I say it on my knees. Jacob and Robert on my knees. Groo notices the big curtains that have been stolen in the dark in the ghost's vision. Oh, they're not torn down. They're here and I'm I'm here. And And oh, more is the miracle. Oh. Oh, I don't know what to do. I'M AS LIGHT as a feather. I'm as happy as an angel. I'm I'm as merry as a school boy.

Do you think it's safe for us to be up here? Scrooge is saved. What can happen to us now?

Yeah. Scrooge flings open the window, knocking Dickens and Drizzle to the ground once more.

London Street Christmas morning. Scrooge falls down from the window. You there boy. But me. Um that is um what me sir? What's today?

Pardon? What's today, my fine fellow? Today? Well, uh, today is Christmas Day. It's It's Christmas Day. I haven't missed it. The spirits did it all in one night. Oh, they can do anything they like. OF COURSE THEY CAN. OF OF course they can.

Um, of course they can. Do you know the poultry shop in the next street? Yes, sir. I do.

An intelligent lad. A remarkable lad. [snorts] Do you know whether the prize turkey has been sold in the window?

Oh, um, the one twice as big as me. It's still there. Oh, it's a pleasure talking with you, lad. Go and buy it.

Be serious. I am serious. Buy it for me and I'll give you a shilling. No, no, I'll give you five shillings.

Rude tosses down a purse to for the boy. Wow. [gasps] The boy was off like a shot, so eager. The boys, in his excitement, runs into Dickens and Rizzo and knocks them both over.

Um, sorry. I'll bring it to Bob Cratcher's house. Oh what a surprise it'll be. It's twice the size of Tiny Tim. And a few moments later, dressed in his finest, Scrooge appeared on the streets of the city to wish Merry Christmas to all the world.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Everyone was out and about this fine morning, and he soon encountered two familiar faces.

Mr. Scrooge. Pardon me, gentlemen. Uh, but about the charity donation you asked me for yesterday.

Yes. Put me down for, Scrooge whispers an amount in his ear. Both of the charity collectors gasp. [gasps] That much. Not a penny less. A great many back payments are included in it, I assure you.

Oh my goodness. Oh, I don't know what to say. I just wish there was something we could give you.

The second collector takes off his scarf and offers it to Scrooge. A gift for me? Oh. Thank you. Thank you 50 times and a merry Christmas.

Pleasure turkey, Mr. Scrooge. Follow me, lad. Scrooge sings a little diddy here as he sings his gleefully distributes gifts to his tenants, family, employees, and neighbors. With a thankful heart, with an endless joy, with a growing family, every girl and boy will be nephew and niece to me [singing] will bring love, hope, and peace to me. Yes. And every night will end. And every day we'll start with a grateful prayer and a thankful heart. With an open smile and with open doors, I will bid you welcome. What is mine is yours. With a glass raised to toast your health and a promise to share my wealth.

I will sail a friendly course. File a friendly chart on a sea of love and a thankful heart. [singing] Life is a journey. Who knows when it ends? Yes. And if you need to know the measure of a man, you simply count his friends. Stop and look around [singing] you. The glory that you see is born again each day. Don't let it slip away. How precious life can be. With a thankful heart that is wide awake, I do make this promise. Every breath I take will be used now to sing your praise and to beg you to share my days with a loving guarantee that even if we part I will hold you close in a thankful heart.

I will hold you close in a thankful heart. Exterior Cratchet House Christmas Day. Bob Cratchety opens.

Uh m Mr. Scrooge. Um, you sir were not at work this morning as we had discussed.

Oh, but but but but Mr. Mr. Scrooge, we did we did discuss it. It's it's Christmas Day. You you gave me the day off.

I Ebanis Scrooge. Would I do a thing like that? No. I I mean, yes, BUT BUT BUT YOU DID. OH, Bob Cratchet. I've had my fill of this.

And I have had my fill of you, Mr. Scrooge. Emily. Emily. Mr. Scrooge. And therefore, Bob Crouches.

And therefore, you can leave this house at once. And therefore, I'm about to raise your salary. Oh, and I'm about to raise you right off the pavement and out to pardon.

Pardon? Pardon? Yes, Bob. Raise your salary and pay your mortgage on this house.

Please, sir, come inside. Interior Kratchet House Christmas Day. Bob Cratchet, would you and your family care to join us for a little turkey dinner on this fine Christmas day? Merry Christmas.

Scrooge opens the door wider to let carry the I see you of gifts and food. [clears throat]

And Scrooge was better than than his word. He did it all and infinitely more. And uh Tiny Tim

and Tiny Tim who did not die. Oh, isn't that swell? To Tiny Tim, Scrooge became a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old city ever had. And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May it be truly said of us and all of us. And so as Tiny Tim observed,

God bless us everyone. God bless us everyone. The love we found. We can never quite the love we found. The love we found, [singing] the sweetest dream that we ever [singing] known,

the love we found. [singing] The love we found. [singing] We're never alone. We

did our best in this matters. Nice story, Mr. [clears throat] Sweet. Nice story, Mr. Dickens.

Oh, thanks. If you like this, you should read the book. That was awesome. Everyone did such a great job. That was so great. I loved all the choices. That was amazing.

Great job, everyone. Yay. You all did great. I need to go now. It's 12:00 a.m. in my country. I need Oh my goodness. Get some sleep.

All right. Go. Bye. I should get going as well. But next time, I'm so glad everyone was here for this. Merry Christmas everybody. Happy New Year. Don't think we're meeting

if you're catching until July, right? Who? January. Yeah, January. Okay, then I will see you guys in January.

Y'all have a wonderful Christmas. Happy holiday. Happy holiday. Bye. Happy holiday.

Merry Christmas and happy new year. Bye everybody. Happy holiday. Merry Christmas.

Yes, J. Yes. Merry Christmas, Joyce Kwanza. Best of us for the rest of us. Blessed you. Whatever you celebrate, go forth and have a good one.

Yes. Bye. Merry Christmas. Yes. I'm so tired. So, have a good evening. I have a question for you before I leave. Uh, do we have next week on this December?

No, we have we're done for December. We'll start again in January. I have no idea what we're reading next in January. We still working on our schedule. So, give me scripts, guys. No one sent me any scripts yet.

I I'm almost ready. Send you some, Catherine. I'm almost ready to send you mine.

Almost no one sent me scripts. So, all right. Cool. Anyway, have a good night. I want to stay in touch. I left my Instagram in the chat.

And if you can stay, we'll take a quick little break and then discuss it for a little bit and then call it a night. So, we we'll keep it short. I promise. [snorts]

Okay. I've been sick all day, so I'm gonna go pass out now. Oh, good job, everyone.

Good night. I need to eat for my lunch. Bye. Bye. Five minutes. Okay. Bye. Bye.

Nice to meet you everyone. Yep. Bye, Jacy. All right. It's about 10 after the hour. or if there's anyone who wants to stay and we'll chat for a little bit and then uh and then call it an evening. So, but yeah, go ahead and take a 10 minute or five 10 minute break. So, seven minute break I guess by my clock.

Sounds good. I'll take the live stream still up. I need a cup of tea. Oh, yeah. Me, too. Or another cup of tea, I should say.

I got the puppet out. Oh, how cute. There's Penelope. Penelope's got the little girl. Look. Oh, yeah. She's going to be fun. Did I get a better computer underwear I got for Christmas? 10 minutes in there. So, um, put a nice background on.

Okay. All right. That was fun. Yep, it was. Move my room back a bit. Oh there. Long time no see. Okay, wait there. Now you can hear me. Hi Vicky. Long time no see. It's only been a few months. months and months.

That was fun. And we proved with the last song why we don't do more than one person singing,

right? Yeah. Oh, funny. I'm going to respectfully argue it's just we don't do more than one person singing if we haven't practiced or not everybody knows the song terribly well as well as could be expected.

We don't practice, right? And with past shows and it was more than one person singing together. It never worked out. So, we really should have had one person do that last song.

Well, Zoom actually has changed their audio settings so that more than one person can sing together. Like I I know some choirs who use Zoom and do rehearsals on Zoom.

It's just that we have to like actually do the audio settings portion with everyone and test it. Like it's just a question of like making it like putting the settings on and stuff. That's all.

Yeah, I know. And I was going to do that today too, but I was having such technical difficulties earlier. I didn't have

I think it was fine for just a little celebrating. I mean, that's kind of what would organically happen, you know, everyone would be in a different key, a different

Exactly. I think it's like everyone trying to sing happy birthday like it's just what happened when you're not a choir. Like

Yeah. And every time another song was sung, it was like, "Okay, now what was my my song again?" So I'd hide myself and I'd Google it and go, "Right, it's easy. Come on." But then someone else would sing and I'd go, "Uh oh."

I have the same problem with accents. If someone if I'm supposedly speaking say a Scottish accent and then someone speaks a French accent, oh my gosh, it's totally gone. You know, every time someone changes an accent, I'm like, how does that one sound again in my head? So, [snorts] yeah.

But you guys did lovely. It was so much fun to uh to watch you all. I was singing this song and I was like, why am I singing it like Belle from Beauty and the Beast? like the opening number. That's the tune that was stuck in my head.

I'm going to argue a lot of like the default music that we picked tonight for the songs unless you were at unless it was like spot on to the original was like we were also kind of going with Beauty and the Beast

to you know I listened to the song for Tiny Tim right before I like got on and I'm not going to lie, I was like yeah yeah I'll be fine. And then I totally forgot the tune so I was like let's just make it up friends. Yeah,

I thought that everybody who made it up came up with a perfectly lovely tune. And if people aren't like where they obsessively watch this movie every year for decades, you never know and be different. So

I was like, it's going to be what it's going to be. It's fine. I heard I heard I heard part of that tune when you started, Jackie. I Oh, she she studied the tune.

Listen, it's what came in my mind. I was like, oo, this kind of feels like it fits the rhythm. Well, and if you notice too, I mean, you know, some script writers when they write musicals write the tunes also. This particular script, I'm not even sure who wrote it because there is no attribution on the front. It's just a list of characters, but it just says sings a song. They don't even have any lyrics in there.

The songs were written by Paul Williams. You okay? [snorts] Oh there are there somewhere out there we would be able to Yeah. Uh

yeah, it was really hard to find a a script version of this that wasn't just a transcription from somebody watching the movie and typing as they go along.

Yeah. Um this was the only one I could find with what set up like a film script. But again, I don't know I don't know where the origin of this particular film script came from. It was just a Google search. So I don't know how much of it is original to the uh the original script and how much of it is again someone writing their own version of a film script version rather than a transcription. So [snorts] because they were most of the lines were very similar between the three different scripts that I found.

Yeah, I think the lines were pretty close. Um yeah, I liked it. Funny. It was fun for us. So I hopefully

Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Hopefully anyone watching would enjoy it. I found it interesting. Somebody in the chat brought up the fact that Sam the Eagle is supposed to have a song. There's like songs on the soundtrack that aren't in the movie. The one that I personally recommend everybody listen to is um a song by uh Honeydew uh by D um Honeydew and Beaker. It's yeah, I mean it's exactly what you would imagine for a song from those two, but I highly recommend just listening to it just for the experience. It's pretty good. So,

I saw there's a post going around and it's a Swedish chef beaker and animal. Um, I can't remember the song now, but it it's really good. animal keeps going out to get something different to

so something about bells. It wasn't silver bells. Didn't the muppets do the carol of the bells or something? Or am I misremembering that?

Um I got to watch it now. They they do so many is the problem. Like I I just saw one that's like it's like a multi-layered um like beaker harmonizing and singing with himself like like a bunch of it's like five or six different windows and I'm like I

have seen this thing like three times in the past week. I cannot remember what song it is. I'm like

I know they a version of Bohemian Rap City like that to Yeah. window. One of my personal favorite songs that ended up on like the new Muppet Show like Sesame Street or whatever was um they did a cover of Flowers on the Wall, but it's uh it's like Beaker who can't sleep and so the rats are singing. It's really funny, but he it's like obviously they had to change it. You can't sing about like smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo for a kid show. I mean maybe Captain Kangaroo, but they they find other other lyrics to play. But I really liked it and I was like this is actually really fun. And you know, the the ubiquitous necessary explosion over the course of the song is like, "Yep, there you go. There's there's the Muppet signature. There's the touch I wanted."

Yeah. So, well, does anybody have any trivia about the movie? Vickiy's laughing because she knows I'm like the queen of trivia over here. I don't even know if it's true, but I saw a post recently that said at first they weren't going to make like their own puppets for the three ghosts and they were just going to have one of the muppets do it, but then they like refashioned the script and made the ghosts, which I think works better.

Yeah. This being one of those things where it's like there's only so I mean there there are ways they could have repurposed the characters to do it, but I really like that they went kind of different with it. And I think they also tried to pay some homage to the descriptions in the book. I [snorts] mean, obviously there's differences, but I think they really did a good job with like what they elected to to come up with for for the ghost in this one.

I believe this was the first Muppet movie after Jim Henson died. Oh, I because it was his son that did this one and Muppet Treasure Island. I know. Yeah, this was this was Brian's directorial debut, but I'm trying really hard to think if this was the first movie or if there was another one cuz Jim died in what, 1990, wasn't it? I'm trying to remember because I remember a cartoon that was in the newspaper after he died and it was I think Mickey Mouse like sitting on the log next to Kermit and like giving him a hug after Jim died and I was like that was really sweet. But h [sighs] all I know is he was 53 and he died of pneumonia. So exactly when it was but I know it was like right around either end of the 80s or beginning of the 90s. May 16th 1990.

There you go. Yep. I was a wee kid, but I still remember it. I was like, that the the guy that like all the all the movies I liked is when I was little, you were four last year. I don't care. The the guy, why? And then I was like I'd see video of him in like other movies and it's like, no, no, he's he's like, "No, no, that that's that's old video, sweetie." I was like, "Come here."

That was Jamie's over there talking to You're good. Yeah, I'm trying to get Toki over here. He went I let him outside.

So, it looks like Jim Henson released Muppet Vision 3D. Or not. He didn't release it, but it was released Muppet Vision 3D after he died. That was 1991. So, he worked on it, but the Christmas Carol one did was released the year earlier. Um, so there was

I guess I have to go. It was nice to sit here and chat with everybody back here for a second.

Joined us. So good to have you back. I know. It's been a little while. I uh I do I'm doing a couple live shows. Not really. I had just healthies and and life stuff. So now I'm coming back. Now I got to get an agent and go scare people again. Um, no. Maybe maybe make maybe voices and make people laugh and you know, I'll do the puppet stuff still, but I might still scare people again. So, you take

those of you who don't know, but Jamie, she does horror movies and she's she's been in a few and and some of them have won awards, you know, not the Oscars, but hey, it doesn't have to be an Oscar.

There you go. Yeah. No, there's like there's like recognition stuff at TIFF and stuff like that. So,

if it's a couple of them, there you go. Were you in? Yeah, I am. Oh, wow. That's crazy. Very cool.

I should say you should go watch it. It's on TV. Ah, yep. Yeah. And we make lots of indie stuff here. So like rotes and I'm haunted and you know there's a bunch of stuff contamination came out in Calgary. It's going to come out in like uh Vancouver and Toronto next year in January.

So you guys are out there. I did some scaring with my friends. Those are my haunt friends turned filmmakers.

So I'm sure there will be more and you know Alberta crew just be watching. Okay.

You have a following. Yeah, it's kind of neat. It's nice to see everybody though. And you know, if anybody else is doing the other like live shows around, I hope I get the word with you soon. And if not, then um always just message and say, "Hey, and you know, you're in town."

I follow her. She's never noticed me, but I have a disguise on. Yeah. I've been lucky enough to work with you in person and it's an honor. So,

I love working with you. Good evening. And Petra is just honey. This has been such a treat tonight.

It was such a good cast and having having you guys back just it was a Christmas present. A

honestly this was kind of the one I was like I can actually swing this and make it work and have like coverage for stuff. I was like I can actually make it. So I messaged Catherine. I was like do you still need stuff? She's like yeah I currently only have Kermit the Frogcast. And of course my dumb blonde self was like oh so like nobody else is is going to the thing. I was like I'll take whatever role. And then it's like oh no no like 20 people signed up. I just don't know who's playing what. Oh, get it. I was

also speaking uh going off of Dana's point about the um uh originally it was going to be the Muppets before they created new uh characters for the ghost. The only one I remember is that Gonzo was supposed to be the ghost of Christmas yet to come. So he was not going to talk, but you were going to see his hook nose hanging out of the out of the hood, which it literally would have been funny.

They went the opposite way to make the ghost of Christmas future legitimately scary. Yeah, honestly I it's it's a really good look. And I like the whole like the the the morph blend whatever uh CG computer animation thing that they used to like blend the the the time looping thing. I was like that's actually a pretty cool effect. So I was like that's nice.

I was like this close to having to not come tonight and I thankfully stayed. I was so happy I chose to stay. Oh, we're happy to have you.

I was like, I got an offer from my work. They're like, we need a host tonight. Do you want to come in? And I was like, I have plans.

Well, we appreciate you choosing us over over capitalism. So, I mean, that's all art over capitalism, baby. Yeah. Yeah.

I I had a lot of laughs tonight. It was good. It was good to be back. I missed everyone and I missed the feel and reading a script again. So good.

Yay. Like fun time. Hopefully we'll see you back again in the in the new year. So

I'm looking forward hopefully my rehearsals in the new year Monday and Wednesday. So I get Tuesday off usually. So

it should be fun. Yeah. To come in. Yeah. I'm excited. So, a random bit of trivia that I do like about this is if you've ever seen the original theatrical trailer when this was getting released, they actually reused music from Beetlejuice.

So, yeah, go back and watch it. You can find the the trailer on YouTube, but there is a re that is why it has never been on any of the home video releases. It's not a special feature on anything. And if they're talking about it, they you usually get a clip. You don't get the trailer, but you can watch the trailer on YouTube. And some most of the versions still have the music in it, but I was like I always found that funny. I was like, why isn't there a trailer anywhere? And it's like, oh, cuz they're not using music from their stuff.

Get it. It's one of those random things. And I still like the the subtle nod to um Michael Kane in the I think it's one of the final scenes of the movie. There's one of the shop things is um Michael White and that was actually Michael Kane's birth name. and he likes to joke like like literally he had picked a different name because he's like I don't think Michael Mikkel White's gonna really play on on stage or something. And so his his uh what do you call it? Agent calls him and he's standing at a phone booth in some square. I never remember if it's London or New York, but he stands there and he's like he's on the phone and his agent's like, "You got to pick a new name, dude. The the name that you picked like somebody else picked it." and he turned and there's a marquee for a movie theater and he's like I think I'll go with Michael Kane because apparently they were playing the Kane mutiny and he loved to joke that if

he had turned to the right instead he would have been Kim Michael 101 Dalmatian I think you're pulling our leg there Alfie but it was a good one I was like that was funny and he played it just ser I mean he's he treated you know repurposed couch scraps as like members of the royal Shakespeare Company. He played this thing like a heart attack. Just serious as you can get it. And it works. And again, it's like you can tell when you're playing off the puppets as opposed to forgetting like that they're not puppets because you still have people who are like on the Muppet Show.

It's like they can't they can't help but look down at the person that's operating the puppet as opposed to, oh yeah, I'm I'm just going to look Kermit in the eyes because, you know, I'm playing a scene with Kermit. And it's like, yeah.

And for those Petra out in YouTube land that may not know who Michael Kane is, shocker, could you please refresh memories for what part he was playing? Just

Oh, if you are have somehow never seen The Muppet Christmas Carol. Um, thank you, I guess, for for choosing us as your as your introduction, but otherwise, I'm going to I'm going to need you to just very calmly um hold hold up a hand. either hand is fine and just kind of give yourself a smack across the face for never having watched it before and then go watch it and the tall imposing gentleman who for the you know the the love of middle-aged men everywhere is doing this when he did this is his version of dancing this is his version of getting down into a groove is Michael Kaine so if you happen to go see it he was in several other things and did voice work and you know was an actor for several several years but this is quite possibly one of his best roles and he was phenomenal and and yes, please go um watch it if you there are versions available. Uh most local libraries have a copy if you don't feel

like uh you know handing over your shillings to Mickey Mouse in this uh in this denzian future that we find ourselves in sometimes. But um yes, please please go watch the movie if you haven't already. And um if you haven't seen the movie, I mean again, thank you for for choosing us. anybody that's watching this on streaming right now and if you uh have seen it then thank you for watching our interpretation of uh of of this performance because um obviously we're all here because we love the movie too and we were happy to perform it for anybody who is here and for each other which is always nice because we like getting together and doing this stuff and playing up one another which is fun.

Awesome. I really liked your description of Michael Kane, too. Oh, thank you. That was great.

I've actually I usually have a running trend in these or I've never actually watched the movies, but I have watched this movie.

Oh, good. This has been one I have actually watched. It's been like six years, but I have watched it. So, I feel like that's an accomplishment. I think almost every other script I've been in I've never watched.

Right. That's funny because I feel like I only pick the ones that I've seen or like have an attachment to to read it.

Yeah. No, I think it was like this one. You haven't seen, Dana. There's a lot of things you you know, there's a bunch of scripts I read that I've never seen anything of. And I'm like, "Oh, that's really interesting how they did that." You know, and you don't always know [snorts] what you're getting into, but it's a really nice challenge to go blind into a script and like, "Okay, what's my character like? I have no idea." And halfway through you're like, "Oh, it's the bad guy. I'm playing the bad guy."

Yep. That was me and Casablanca when the first And that might have been interesting.

It was so much fun. And actually today I talked to someone and they're like, "Do you know what Casablanca is?" I was like "Uh I

I've been in it." Yes. I'm like, "I still haven't watched the movie, but I was in it for voice acting."

I still remember. I think they did an experiment. Oh god, was it like five? It might have been 10 years. I don't know. Time is um sands through the hourglass or these Swiss cheese holes that are forming in my brain. I'm not really sure. But um yeah, I do remember I think they did an experiment where they took the original script under the original name, which was Rick's Cafe, American or something, and asked people to read it or read like scenes from it and see if they would be interested in watching the movie. And like an overwhelming majority of the people they asked were like, "This movie would never get made. This is absolutely boring. We don't care about this." And when you're like, "Yeah, you're reading the script Castle Blanca." They're like, "Hooray."

I was talking about the other script that we read, obviously. No, of course. Yeah. It's hilarious. Oh,

well, in a big tribute to Rob Reer um Reiner um The Princess Bride, that script got sent to a dozen or so publishers before um it Del Rey decided to take it. They all said, "No, this will never sell. This will this will be awful." Yeah. And

so, you know, because of her efforts um and I don't know [clears throat] if you know Del Rey, but Del Rey is as in Del Rey Books, the fantasy series and a whole bunch of those

um 4 foot something height um woman suffering from dwarfism and she became a publisher and she took the princess bride. She took novelization rights for the Star Wars movies um before they were even movies. you know, she made a whole bunch of things happen that other people just like, "No, this will never work." And you know, you get one person's perspective and that's all you need. [snorts]

I feel like writing out there if you got folks are writing and keep submitting your scripts because it'll get to the right person somewhere. I feel like there are so many cult classics that like almost never got made or like didn't do well when they got made, but then people like found them later and like they kind of gained a follow. I think like the I mean Blockbuster, RIP, but um you know Blockbuster and like the the home video rentals and sales and stuff like that were huge in getting a lot of films that were like oh like I watch that every year or yeah I w I like burned a hole in my copy of the VHS when we were kids or you know DVDs or whatever and it's like yeah everybody like it bombed in the mo in the movie theater cuz like you know you had a few people who were like oh yeah that's cool and then nobody Nobody would have cared and it would have just been a barely recognizable blip on the

radar of history and then all of a sudden it's like everybody decided, oh that's the one I want to get for my buy for my rent to get a third free, you know, movies and they started going back and getting it again or whatever. And it's just like it's these weird little coincidences and then you have like complete scripts that are brilliant that are just like they're like, "Oh yeah, we're in pre-production. Oh well, we cut it." or you have a completed movie and they're like, "Uh, we decided to kill it for a tax write-off. Sorry, you'll never get to see this work." And it's like, [sighs and gasps]

I can only imagine like the deep frustration for people growing up in the '9s and there were just kind of like the movies that were just sort of always playing like on a channel somewhere. you just kind of ended up watching it a thousand times

in a way that like now with streaming like we don't like not everybody has the same streaming service or like you get access to like so many things that I feel like we don't necessarily have the cultural moment of like we're all watching this movie because it's like right on cable

or like somebody decided to run like a 24-hour marathon of this that or whatever and it's just like you know it's like the type of thing that's just always on during the holidays and you haven't watched it before. And now it's like streaming, we are both inundated with choice. We're we're spoiled for choice and we have to choose what we're watching. And so it's like you either watch the thing you've watched 20 times before or you watch like the the weird new, you know, niche TV show or the huge, you know, explosive expansive worldbuing whatever thing. And it's like somewhere in the middle. I I think somebody um over the last couple years has commented there is no like there's no midsize movie anymore. You had like the the super small budget independent films and then you had the blockbusters and you had a lot of movies in like the late 90s, like the mid to late 90s and then the like up until about maybe 2010

where the budget was like 70 to 100. like you could make a decent movie for like $100 million or less or like you know 50 million was a respectable budget and you didn't have to work that hard to get your money back and then all of a sudden it's like these things just exploded and now it's like it's like a quarter of a billion dollars getting spent on marketing and and special effects and like you know paying you know a bunch of these bigname actors and it's like you so rarely not it's like a never thing but you so rarely get people who are you who have never done this before. You so rarely get like a new breakout person because the same 20 people or so are counseling roles. I thought it was interesting for um Oh god, I'm going to I'm going to wreck his name for a second because it just went out of my head. Um Yorgosanthamos, God, Greek bastard. Um no, he just did a Beonia, which is a redo of a South

Korean film called Save the Green Planet. and he casts Jesse Plemens and Emma Stone because he has to put Emma Stone in all of his projects. I think he's contractually obligated or something. But they the third sort of major character in it was I think a a neurode divergent person who had like never acted before and I was like way to swing on the fences on that one. And the guy does like a pretty decent job playing this character. And I was like, "Huh, I mean, cool. Hopefully this inspires more people to put random people out there in in roles and and see how they do."

Yeah. So, we're random people. Yes. And those of you out there who are casting, remember us.

Yes. I'm not saying entirely, but like, you know, if possible, if you can, if you feel like I don't know, taking a taking a real chance. You know, try casting a neurode divergent person in a neurode divergent role. Try casting non-binary in a non-binary role. And if you're going to write it, don't have it one way or the other. It's like I find it amazing that Star Trek is still kind of pushing boundaries because they just cast, you know, a trans actor in a not just like a couple years ago, but like they they're casting, you know, characters who are, you know, gay or queer in the in the alphabet family um to play characters that are that in the in the in the future space. And I love that. And it's like you have a non-binary character being played by a non-binary actor and it's like this should not be such a crazy concept and yet it kind of is like you you have the ones who you know get cast in movies and

it's like well the it's a gay character but we need them straight passing. Um I I don't have the time to write out exactly what all is wrong with that sentence so I'm not going to. But yeah, I mean I I get it. The the purpose of an actor when possible is to push themselves and and you know, you don't necessarily want to play against type, but you can you can expand your boundaries and and go past your horizons and you know, break out of your your little niche box, which is great. But at the same time, it would also kind of be nice if maybe um instead of casting the super rich, conventionally attractive, you know, cishat actor that we've cast in 20 other roles um over the last couple years, uh if you're writing a gay character, maybe consider writing, uh you know, hiring a an actually gay actor. Or, you know, if you're writing a neurode divergent character, maybe consider hiring a neurode divergent

actor. Take a chance on an unknown. It's not like it it's a gamble that never pays off and I think it would definitely you know shake up the industry if possible which is something I think might be needed from time to time shake the dust off. Star Trek has a long history of that, you know, and even with Star Wars, they uh one of the one of the sequels, seven, eight or nine, you know, they hired folks who did not fit your traditional um version. Maybe it was Rogue One. I can't remember [clears throat] which one, but anyways, you know, they got some of them got a lot of flack for that and then other people were like, "There's a character that looks like me. I want to go see this movie."

Yeah. You know, makes a huge difference to see yourself represented in film. It does.

Well, I need to leave. I have a show to go watch. Oh, okay. What are you going to go watch? I've got to like stage show or like show.

No. Fallout season 2 just came out tonight and Oh, I've been told it's already out, so I might go watch it, but

Oh, fine. Leave us for the Radiated Zombies. I enjoy you all. I'll see you in January. Have a great new year.

Bye. Night, too. Had an early morning. Good night, Azerail Junior. It was nice meeting you.

Good night, everybody. Good night. It was You did great. Dana is gone. Trying to I loved her singing. I wanted her to know that. I'll see her again. [clears throat] Okay. [gasps] All right. [clears throat] Well, on that note, this was fun. Hopefully, I can be back next year. We'll see what my schedule turns out to be. But it was lovely seeing you and everybody that I hadn't seen before. It was nice meeting you. And

yeah, Jackie, do you have anything you wanted to add? Any like um do you need actors for anything that you want to promote or anything you're doing since we are still here?

I don't know. need is a strong word, but um I always invite people to join my group. We are this Sunday evening going to be doing a Christmas Carol and then next Sunday evening we'll be doing Pride and Prejudice. Um and so in honor of um of Jane Austin's 250th anniversary like birthday today.

Um so yeah, people are more than invited. They can join if they would like to. I I'm free for Sunday.

I would like to I would like to make a record of how many times I can be in A Christmas Carol in one season.

Well, yes. Vicki is reading Christmas Carol on Saturday, too. The traditional version.

Yes, that's what we're doing, too. Traditional version. Fabulous. Excellent. So we'll we'll see you on Sunday. We make the group hopefully

today. Is this going to be over Zoom or in person? Okay. Yeah, it's over Zoom. Okay.

Yes. Uh YM Artiste. Is that Yes. With an E. That's your group. Yes. Oh, yes. I can put the group in the chat. Um

or you could just message me. Either way works. But I try to post in that group whenever I try to organize something. And in the new year, my January is looking insane. So, I don't know if I'll do anything in I shouldn't do anything in January to be honest, but I probably will.

Well, hooray and congratulations for having an already insane next month. So, like way to start off your year. You're going to be busy. This is good.

Maybe. Hopefully. I don't know. Is it good? I If it If it's good, I'm happy for you.

It is and [clears throat] it isn't. I'm I'm the cat knows very well the continuously busy actor director. Like I I'm non-stop. I'm always working on two or three projects live at a time. But that being said, like it can be good, sometimes it's not good because it depends on who you're working with. If people are very organized then then it's great and but most time whether it's community theater or professional theater many of very often it's not very organized and therefore it's not awesome. It's a mixture.

Yeah. And you remember way back in the day I was the ghost of Christmas past and so we had like color coordination for all the the ghosts. So, like the ghost of Christmas present was dressed in gold and I was the ghost of Christmas past and I was dressed in white. And so, it's like I've got my super long pale hair and like this, you know, white blouse and like a a white flowy dress and everything. And they decided to have a fog machine to like, you know, have this little puff of of smoke like announce me and make me look otherworldly and everything. And they couldn't find the shut off button. So, I'm in this little curtained area and there's just all of this like fog building around me. And all of a sudden I like open it up and there's this huge like wall of misting that just went forward and you couldn't see me because it's pro, you know, I'm you know the color of a salting cracker and um dressed entirely in white that's

only slightly different from my skin tone. And so the guy playing Scrooge is like, "Oh, who are you? Wait, where are you?" And it was a great it was a great moment that I still remember after several years. time.

All right. Uh Jackie, I uh clicked into your Facebook group and so we'll see what happens. But in the meantime, I'm a bounce. So, I was here for the food and uh I ate and I think we all did. So, the the you know, we we'll leave the crumbs and uh I will see you guys later. And I hope everybody has a fantastic holiday and a wonderful new year. Just fingers cross that I'm not slipping anybody off. It's I'm crossing my theory. I'll I'll turn crossing my fingers that we all just have a really good next year cuz

Yeah, we need it. We need it. We do very very much. Come on, 2026. Yeah. Come on. We need you. We need you to be good. We need to be good. Okay, bye. On that note, I think we'll call it a night and

yes, say goodbye to all of you out there in YouTube land and have a wonderful rest of your year and we'll catch you back up in January.

Yes. God bless you everyone. A perfect Hm.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "The Muppet Christmas Carol"?

In order: 0:00 Instagram, Muppets Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchet, Faces of Wendy; 15:00 Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchet; 30:00 Bob Cratchet; 1:00:00 Fuzzywig, Ebenezer Scrooge; 1:15:00 Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet; 1:30:00 Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Ebenezer Scrooge; 1:45:00 Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Instagram; 2:00:00 Jim Henson, Captain Kangaroo, Tiny Tim; 2:15:00 Beetlejuice; 2:30:00 A Christmas Carol.

What is mentioned in this Table Read Tuesdays episode?

16 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchet, Ebenezer Scrooge, Fuzzywig, Rinaldo Rizzo, A Christmas Carol. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Muppet Christmas Carol"?

The episode runs 2 h 37 min; the transcript is about 20,634 words in 507 timestamped sections.

More from Table Read Tuesdays

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.