after
a book by CORRIE TEN BOOM and JOHN and ELIZABETH SHERRILL
called
“The Hiding Place” published by Hodder and Stoughton ISBN 0-340-20845-7
Corrie’s War is based on the true story of a Dutch family who hid Jews from the Nazis during the war.
In
1937, Caspar ten Boom, in his eighties, celebrated the centenary of his family
watch and clock shop in Haarlem. His two daughters Corrie and Betsie helped him
to run the shop, and it was in their house above the shop that they
successfully hid up to 12 Jews at a time from the Nazis.
The
family were betrayed and taken to prison - where Caspar (‘Papa’) died. The
sisters were transported to Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany where
they struggled to maintain their faith in a loving God. They led secret Bible
readings in their barracks until Betsie died. Corrie continued to encourage
other women prisoners until she was released, just after Christmas 1944! She
was able to share Betsie’s vision of faith and forgiveness with us.
As
the Nazi madness sweeps across Europe, two sisters risk everything for the sake
of others. Shadowed by danger and the threat of discovery they offer shelter to
persecuted Jews. Then a trap brings the family arrest. They are taken to a
prisoner of war camp.
But
their love of God and each other shines through even in the hell of
Ravensbruck!
(Permission to make a musical from the book was given by Bill Butler of Christians Incorporated -Ministries of Corrie Ten Boom)
PO
Box 2040 Orange Ca 92669
MUSIC and SONGS
1.Clockshop: SONG 1
2.Invasion (instrumental)
3.Netherlands Anthem (Instrumental off the radio)
4. Music 1C Clockshop Reprise
5.Jes are not allowed SONG 2
6.When you Pray/Whether to lie SONG 3
7.Music 3A Silent movie music-Building the hide
8.Mr Weinstock SONG 4
9.Music 4ATiming the hide
10. Surely SONG 5
11. The Raid Music 5A
ACT TWO
12 Father SONG 6
13.Music 6B Father Reprise
14.Music 6c Father reprise
15.Music 6D Train Music
16.Everything has a reason SONG 7
17. No hate, Corrie: SONG 8
18. Building a Road: SONG 9
19.Music Cue 9B “Stille Nacht” –voices only
20. Music 9C “Twinkle” from SONG 1
21. Endlessly/Long as the wind SONG 10
22. Reprise SONG 9 Building a road.
Selected Scenes below:
ACT 1: SCENE 1:CLOCK SHOP/PARTY
( Corrie and Betsie singing, Papa sitting,
-introduce the family to the guests as they arrive - flowers brought - reprise
of "Happy Birthday".)
(1837-1937 Horloges
- Ten-Boom on the shop sign)
SONG 1.CLOCK SHOP
CORRIE: Father's clockshop
celebrates its hundredth birthday
(sung) and there's never been a day like this they all say.
They
love to come here for a chat
He forgets to charge for this
and that
We'll wind the clocks then
turn the locks tonight.
PAPA:(spoken)
Welcome to our humble home
CORRIE:
Papa, this is Mr and Mrs
Wittgenstein
Mr & Mrs:
We've come to wish you and
your shop a Very
happy Birthday!
Mayor:
On behalf of the people of Haarlem
may we
wish a very Happy
Birthday to the Ten-Boom's
shop and all the
little clocks!
BETSIE: (sung)
Father's clock-shop celebrates its happy birthday
There's a drink for everyone
who's passing our way
Though
the town is dark and war may come
We're happy we can have this
fun
We'll dance away the night and
raise the roof
CHORUS: Happy
Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!
CORRIE:(spoken)"Father has been my guiding
light since
Mother passed away, and he
taught me all about the business
and how to be friendly.
Even on Sundays he is back
again when someone brings a
difficult problem. saying
"God who makes the planets
spin, help me get this
broken watch to turn!"
(inset
pictures of Corrie and her father when she was a 6
year old)
CORRIE "What is sex, Father?"
FATHER: "Corrie, take my bag!"
CORRIE: "It's
too heavy, father!"
FATHER: "Yes, and it's like that with knowledge
too, Corrie.
Some knowledge is too heavy
for children to carry.
When
you are older and stronger then you
will understand. Now you must
trust me to carry the
knowledge for you."
CORRIE,BETSIE and VISITORS:
(sung) Father's
clockshop celebrates its hundredth birthday
and there's never been a day
like this they all say.
We
love to come here for a chat
He forgets to charge for this
and that
We'll wind the clocks then
turn the locks tonight.
Happy Birthday, Happy
Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!
(cheers! Corrie arranges the family for photo.Finish
with photo flash.)
[**MAYOR:
Here's to the Ten-Boom's may they serve our
community for another 100 years.
(more cheers!)
VARIOUS:
Thank you for a lovely party, Goodbye
OTHERS:
Goodbye, Goodbye.**] (Optional Ending)
(Guests leave and family sit round table)
[BLACKOUT
with EFFECTS of INVASION
ACT 1: SCENE 6: SHOP & PARLOUR
(Corrie opens shop door and sees Mr Weinstock)
Song 4: MY NAME IS MR WEINSTOCK
WEINSTOCK:
My
name is Mr Weinstock, I'm pleased to meet you dear.
I've heard you
have a room for me
There are no children here?
My
name is Mr Weinstock, well have you got a room?
I will need to study
and
I need some food quite soon
I'm
a teacher and chief Cantor,
I won't let them
drive us down to Begging
please accept me as I am,
Find me somewhere I can wash my hands.
(spoken)
W: This is a Kosher House?…….. (On seeing Papa)
Who is this man? A patriarch like Isaac or Jacob, Father of nations!
(Betsie welcomes Jews in while song goes on)
CORRIE: This is our new guest Mr Weinstock.
WEINSTOCK: My name is Mr Weinstock,
I'm
pleased to meet you sir,
It
has been such a struggle,
Now
I see you've calmed my fears.
Now
the very first thing I must ask you, is,
Will you let me smoke?
This old pipe has seen good days
And
-Just a minute-there's tobacco in it!
If the room proves to my liking
and
the decor not too striking
I'll be with you till this nonsense ends.
But
don't think we all have to make friends!
PAPA: You
are very welcome.
CORRIE:
I'll call you Mr Weinstock and
you
must keep your pipe.
My
Father smokes one when He can..please..
-have some fruit-It's ripe.
WEINSTOCK: My name is Mr Weinstock I'm a very
learned man
So keep me off the washing up-
I
don't dry pots or pans!
I will take my food in my room
Knock and wait I pray here at noon
Just remember I'm a devout man
Just remember I'm a private man!
OPTIONAL
DIALOGUE******************
BETSIE: Corrie, Mr Weinstock refused to do kitchen
duty again!. He has to………. study?!
CORRIE:If he wants to eat he has got to do his share
of the work. Where is he now?
BETSIE: In
the parlour. (Children poke their heads
around the door) Corrie he's
already been upset today. He found out
that we call him Eusie behind his back.
CORRIE:
Rules are rules. No one in this house is allowed to use a jewish name ,
not even Mr Weinstock. Does he want to get us all arrested!?........(To
the parlour)....Mr Weinstock my sister tells me you are refusing to do kitchen
duty.
WEINSTOCK: Miss Ten Boom I am praying....
CORRIE: First you refuse to work on Saturday because
it is the Sabbath, then you refuse to work on Sunday because it is our day of
rest.
WEINSTOCK: I was most simply trying to pay respect
to the practise of this house.
CORRIE:But today is Tuesday.
WEISTOCK: Tell me Miss Ten-Boom why have you found
it necessary to give me a nickname?
CORRIE: Mr
Weinstock you know that for security
reasons…
WEINSTOCK: (interrupting)
It is the kind of name you might give to a pet Cat. As a guest in your house am
I no longer entitled to have some respect?
CORRIE: We are getting completely off the subject.
WEINSTOCK: However,if it will give you both
satisfaction, have the courage to use the name to my face. If you want Eusie,
Eusie it will be....ladies. (He exits)
************************************************
CHILDREN'S DANCE:MR WEINSTOCK(reprise)
CHILDREN: (making fun of Eusie)
My name is Mr Weinstock I never wash my feet
I
always get up last of all - (Others) He's
praying! what a cheat!
I
pray when things need cooking and when washing
up
is done
My blessed prayers will foul us up for
what we need is fun (fun!Fun!)
My
name is Mr Weinstock Of a noble pedigree
(Woof!Woof!)
A
high class intellectual it is clear for all to see!
Washing up just makes my hands wet
Drying up will make my brow sweat!
Kosher wine is shaken not stirred!
Children should be seen and not heard!
No-one here may call me Eusie
I'm
a man of habit you see!
And though I may be JUST a useless man
Just remember I won't clean the pan (cleaning's woman’s work)
Just remember I don't smile at night!(or any day!)
ALL:
Just remember I am/he is always right!
ACT 2: SCENE 1: CORRIE IN
PRISON
(In
Scheveningen Prison - Corrie is separated from her father and sister and put
into solitary confinement. In a tiny room with only a stone floor and hard
wooden bed, she sits and wonders if she'll ever see her father again)
Scenery (2
medical screens-1 for Corrie's cell and 1 for Lieutenant's office)
[EMPTY STAGE-PIN LIGHT FROM WINDOW HIGH UP IN CELL
BEHIND HER]
SONG 6: " FATHER"
CORRIE:(Kneeling,she gets bread
out, picks up an ant on her finger and looks at it):
Looking down - all I can see
Little folk - small as can be.
Do
they think, Do they feel
They are loved - They are real
God
is with me everywhere I go!
CHORUS
Sometimes I feel like crying
Sometimes I feel like dying,
Father - You wait for me.
My
Father - He sees me crying
Father please stop me dying,
Father - please wait for me!
during instrumental section-Jews escape from Corrie's home
(Outside the Hiding Place in the dark... a
small torch light is seen)
KIK: It's me.. Kik. It's safe now. You can
come out.
WOMAN: Ah Thank God.
KIK: On the roof, quickly.
CORRIE:
I am not worried for me
Just to know that they're all free.
In
my heart hope is near -
For
I know you are here
You
are with me everywhere I go (I am with you)
CHORUS
Father, I still feel lonely,
Father I feel like only I am here in this hell
Father I'm truly sorry,
With all my heart -Here's Corrie
Father - I need you here!
(A female orderly,
Mien, brings Corrie food and comes to sell her cigarettes and asks if
Corrie needs anything
Corrie asks only for a Bible and news of her father)
MIEN; It's fever, you have typhus...Now I can get
you extras. This lot won’t feed a mouse.
CORRIE: I have family here,
my sister my father my
nephew, the Ten-Boom family, can you find out where they
are?
(gets louder)
MIEN: Schh! Listen, I can get soap, aspirin,
cigarettes, you
can pay me when you start getting mail. Soap 25
guilders, aspirin 50,cigarettes 100, almost
anything.
CORRIE: Can you get me a Bible?
MIEN: (laughs) A what? You won’t get very fat on one
of those! We get some weird people in here but Bible eaters? I can get whiskey
to help you forget this cesspit?
CORRIE: I don’t want to forget it ….. I need
something longer lasting that will help me through this.. this nightmare. Can
you find out if my family are alright, especially my father? (silence...Mien
leaves, Corrie tries to wrap up in her coat)
Music 6A - INSTRUMENTAL REPRISE
OF "FATHER"