A Christmas Line: Teacher's Handbook

Beck and his collaborators have engineered a musical that actually works in elementary and middle school settings: the script demands virtually no scenery or props, the dances teach themselves through Broadway-style clarity, and unison and 2-part voicing mean you're not fighting vocal development issues while rehearsing staging. The humor lands because it's written for kids, not at them.

Imagine a bustling North Pole talent agency where the audition scenes crackle with humor, recognizable characters deliver both comedy and genuine musical moments, and the energy never sags. The Broadway-style songs are singable without being dumbed down, and the unison sections give newer singers something they can succeed at while the 2-part passages add texture and interest for experienced groups.

Elementary and middle school choir directors staging a full-length holiday musical without deep technical resources or advanced singers. This works equally well for general music teachers running a school assembly or annual holiday revue, and for smaller programs where casting flexibility and minimal set demands are essential.

• Teach the choreography early and separately from the singing. The handbook includes easy dance routines designed to build confidence in non-dancers, so block them in rehearsals before you layer in full vocal performance.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish tempos and to build independence in your singers. It also frees you to watch and adjust blocking during run-throughs without conducting.
• Cast the speaking roles (especially Santa, the never-seen director) with clear diction and comedic timing in mind. The script carries much of the show's energy, so these voices matter as much as the singers do.
• Plan for multiple dress rehearsals with full staging and sound if possible. Young performers gain enormous confidence when they've performed the complete show with all technical elements at least once before opening night.

Schedule this as your main winter concert if you want a complete evening of entertainment rather than a collection of separate pieces. The 72-page handbook contains everything you need to mount a full production, making it ideal for a single December performance or a spring musical theatre unit. It also works beautifully as a standalone assembly piece or as an enrichment project in a combined choir and drama collaboration.

• Reading unison and 2-part voicing with rhythmic confidence
• Performing choreography synchronized with vocal lines
• Stage presence and character work in a musical theatre context
• Following a conductor while maintaining blocking and positioning
• Ensemble blend and intonation in quick-moving scenes with multiple character voices