Billing

Based on the animated television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (adapted from a story by Robert L. May and the song by Johnny Marks) and the stage production directed and conceived by Jeff Frank and First Stage with scenic/puppet by Brandon Kirkham.

Requirements

You must give the authors/creators billing credits, as specified in the Production Contract, in a conspicuous manner on the first page of credits in all programs and on houseboards, displays and in all other advertising announcements of any kind.
Percentages listed indicate required type size in relation to title size.
[Licensee]’s
production of
(33-1/3%)
 
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
(100%)
 
Based on the animated television special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” adapted from the story by Robert L. May and the song by Johnny Marks
(50%)
 
Music and Lyrics by
Johnny Marks
(50%)
Script Adaptation by
Robert Penola
(50%)

 

Developed by Character Arts Creations, LLC
(25%)
 
Originally produced, directed and conceived by Jeff Frank and First Stage with scenic and puppet designs by Brandon Kirkham*
(25%)
Arrangements by
Timothy Splain
(25%)
 
Orchestrations by
William C. White
(25%)
 
*CHANGES TO THE TITLE PAGE BILLING:
If scenic and puppet designs from the reference materials are not incorporated, do not include the following credit: “with scenic and puppet designs by Brandon Kirkham”
SHORTENED BILLING:
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in advertisements of 1/4 page size or less, where only the title of the Play, performance dates and venue are provided, the following “shortened billing” is permissible:
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
 
You are required to include the Authors’ biographies in all programs of the Play that include biographies of any other creative team members. Bios can be found on the MTI website at: http://www.mtishows.com/about/author-bios
LOGOS:
The official show logo is included in your standard rehearsal set free of charge and MUST be used for all productions.

Video Warning

In accordance with the Performance License, you MUST include the following warning in all programs and in a pre-show announcement:

ANY VIDEO AND/OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PRODUCTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Included Materials

ItemQuantity Included
LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK25
LOGO PACK DIGITAL1
PIANO VOCAL SCORE2
PRODUCTION HANDBOOK DIGITAL1
TYA PERFORMANCE TRACKS1

Production Resources

Resource
CUSTOMIZABLE SHOW POSTER
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON?
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT LARGE
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT MEDIUM
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT SMALL
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT X-LARGE
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT XX-LARGE
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD LARGE
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD MEDIUM
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD SMALL
PRODUCTIONPRO-DIGITAL SCRIPT/SCORE
STAGE WRITE APPLICATION
SUBPLOT CUSTOMIZED SHOW POSTER
Rudolph saves Christmas and goes down in history in this family classic!
Show Essentials
21
Roles
+ Ensemble
G
Rated
2
Acts

Full Synopsis

Act One

Sam, a talking snowman, explains to the audience that Christmas was almost cancelled one winter. He introduces us to Christmastown (the North Pole). Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus enter, bickering over whether Santa is eating enough. Sam marvels at the excitement of the season ("A Holly Jolly Christmas").

Donner and Mrs. Donner name their newborn baby reindeer Rudolph and discover that he has a unique quality: a red nose that lights-up! Santa enters and assures Donner that if Rudolph's nose stops shining by the time he's grown up, he has a chance to join Santa's reindeer sleigh team ("Jingle, Jingle, Jingle"). Donner decides to hide Rudolph's nose.

A year passes, and Donner is raising Rudolph to be like all of the other young bucks. Sam introduces the elves, hard at work in Santa's castle, getting toys ready for Christmas Eve (“When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter”). Hermey, one of the elves, is tired of making toys and wants to become a dentist. Boss Elf reprimands him, telling him all elves are supposed to make toys and nothing else.

Donner makes Rudolph wear a fake nose, despite his objections.

Another Christmas goes by. Rudolph meets Fireball, a fellow young buck. Fireball takes him to the Reindeer Games, where Rudolph catches the eye of Clarice, a doe. Coach Comet enters and has the young reindeer line up to learn to fly. While Rudolph waits for his turn, Clarice comes up to him and introduces herself. When it's his turn, Rudolph successfully flies on the first try, impressing everyone - including Santa. Rudolph's fake nose falls off, and everyone starts calling him names. Coach Comet kicks him out of practice. Clarice finds Rudolph and walks home with him, unphased by his nose. She encourages Rudolph to have a more positive outlook about his future ("There's Always Tomorrow"). Clarice’s Father finds them and orders Clarice to go home. He warns Rudolph to stay away from her

 Boss Elf has the elves perform a new song for Santa ("We Are Santa's Elves"). Boss Elf finds Hermey working on a doll's teeth and yells at him for skipping chorus practice. After Boss Elf storms out, Hermey declares that he quits.

After leaving Santa's castle, Hermey meets Rudolph and the two immediately bond over being different from everyone else ("We're A Couple of Misfits"). Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster appears nearby, and the two hide, fearing Rudolph's nose will attract the Bumble. Feeling guilty about how he treated Rudolph, Donner sets off to find him. Mrs. Donner and Clarice also search for him.

Yukon Cornelius, a prospector, finds Rudolph and Hermey stuck behind a snow bank. Bumble appears again, but this time Cornelius chips away at the ice, enabling them to float away from Bumble. Cornelius invites Rudolph and Hermey to tag along with him in his quest to get rich and famous ("Fame And Fortune").

Act Two

Sam explains that Hermey and Rudolph have joined Cornelius, who only has silver and gold on his mind ("Silver And Gold").

A thick fog has spread all over the North. Rudolph, Hermey, and Cornelius are lost and arrive at the Island of Misfit Toys. The island's inhabitants, the Misfit Toys, tell them why they're here and how they wish they could be given as Christmas gifts ("The Most Wonderful Day of The Year").

The Misfit Toys bring Rudolph, Hermey, and Cornelius to King Moonracer, ruler of the island. Moonracer allows them to stay the night if they promise to return to Christmastown and tell Santa about the homeless toys. Not wanting to endanger his friends by attracting Bumble with his nose, Rudolph decides to set out on his own ("There's Always Tomorrow (Reprise)").

Rudolph returns to Christmastown and can't find his parents. Santa tells him they and Clarice have been gone looking for him for months. With Christmas Eve only two days away and no Donner, Santa is worried his sleigh won't be able to take off. Determined to fix this, Rudolph promises to find his parents and Clarice - just as a giant snowstorm hits Christmastown ("The Snowstorm").

Rudolph goes to Bumble's cave to find them and sees that they are held captive. Rudolph faces off against the Bumble, only to be knocked unconscious. Hermey and Yukon Cornelius, who have been looking for Rudolph, show up just in the nick of time. Yukon fights the Bumble and tragically falls off the cliff.

Back in Christmastown, Sam tells us that the elves have prepared a new musical number for Santa (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”). Santa joins in and loves it, just as Rudolph, Hermey, Donner, Mrs. Donner, and Clarice return. Santa promises Rudolph that once the snowstorm has passed, he will find homes for the Misfit Toys. Boss Elf tells Hermey that he can open up a dentist's office after Christmas. Donner apologizes to Rudolph for being so harsh to him. Yukon Cornelius miraculously returns and brings along the newly tamed Bumble, who puts the star on top of the tree.

It's Christmas Eve, and all of Christmastown is rushing to get ready ("We Are Santa's Elves (Reprise)"). The storm hasn't gone away, and Santa resigns to cancelling Christmas, but then has an epiphany: Rudolph's bright nose can guide the sleigh! Santa asks Rudolph to lead the sleigh team. Christmastown rejoices ("Holly Jolly Christmas (Reprise)").

The Misfit Toys worry that Rudolph forgot his promise - only to see Rudolph and Santa arrive to deliver them children around the world (“Merry, Merry Christmas To You”)!

And, as Sam says, "the rest is history" ("Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer").

Casting
← Back to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Cast Size: Large (21 or more performers)
Cast Type: Ensemble Cast
Dance Requirements: Standard

Character Breakdown

Rudolph

A young buck. Youthful; physically agile; winning performer; vulnerable but strong; a solid singer.

Sam

A snowman. A warm, middle-aged man with a relaxed demeanor. A powerful storyteller who never gets in the way of the story he's telling. A knowing sense of humor; an appealing, warm singing voice. 

Gender: male
Age: 40 to 60
Santa Claus

Larger-than-life personality; cheerful but distracted. Agelessly youthful, but should read middle-aged. Should not be cast as heavyset. Strong singing voice.

Gender: male
Age: 40 to 60
Hermey

An elf. Charmingly apologetic, but with inner strength. Strong comic sensibility; must move well and have a strong character voice.

Clarice

A young doe. Youthful; physically agile. Strong, willful, loving, flirtatious, must have a lilting pure soprano voice.

Gender: female
Yukon Cornelius

A prospector. Tall, large man who should read mid-40s; instantly likable character; slightly absent-minded; physically agile and strong comedic ability.

Age: 40 to 50
Donner

Rudolph's father (can be double-cast as Boss Elf). Physically agile; tougher on the outside than he is on the inside.

Gender: male
Mrs. Donner

Rudolph's mother. Maternal, soft-spoken, quietly strong. Warm mezzo

Gender: female
Mrs. Claus

Feisty, matter-of-fact, inherently warm. A strong belter.

Gender: female
Fireball

A young buck. Featured member of the chorus; young, sparky, boyish - will also understudy Rudolph. 

Gender: male
Coach Comet

Reindeer Games Coach; Clarice's father (can be double-cast as Yukon). Physically agile; featured member of Santa's team; leads the reindeer games with coach-like quality.

Gender: male
Boss Elf

(Can be double cast as Donner) Humorless manager of the elves' workshop; innate comic sensibility. Also plays Blitzen in the finale sequence. 

King Moonracer

King of the Island of Misfit Toys. King Moonracer is conceived as a large stage puppet; his personality must come through his voice, which projects a strong, decisive personality; stern but warm.

Gender: male
Bumble The Abominable Snow Monster

The Bumble is actually a series of three-dimensional puppet/set pieces, with a distinctive growl and series of sound FX

Charlie

A jack-in-the-box, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Doll

A girl doll, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Spotted Elephant

An elephant with spots, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Train

A train engine with square wheels, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Bird

A bird that swims, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Cowboy

A cowboy who rides an ostrich, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Plane

An airplane that doesn't fly, one of The Misfit Toys (puppets with performer-puppeteers who voice these toys). The Misfit Toys, Satna's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Blitzen

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Dasher

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Dancer

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Prancer

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Vixen

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Cupid

One of Santa's Reindeer. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

The Elves Chorus

6-10 children. The Misfit Toys, Santa's reindeer, and the Elves chorus should be double-cast as needed.

Critical Reaction

"It's holiday magic for all."
- Broadway World

“This holiday classic will delight children, people who have children, people who like children, people who once were children.”
- Global Dispatch

"A real crowd-pleaser."
- Chicago Sun Times