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“Mrs. O, we have a missing child,” I announce as I climb back up onto the stage a few moments later.

“And a missing crown,” adds Marco.

“We’re going to go search for them both.  We’ll be back in a few minutes if you want to work on the next scene.”

Several seconds later, we approach the costume room.  The door is shut.  I reach out to open it when I hear a sudden thudding on the wooden door.

“Let me out!” yells a very irate voice.

“Anthony?!” Marco and Josh yell at the same time.

“Yes!” comes a relieved voice.  “Somebody locked me in here!”

“Did you find my crown?” Marco queries.

“No, it’s not even in here,” Anthony responds in a disgruntled tone as I open the door.  His face melts with relief.  “Thank you, Mrs. Franklin!  I was wondering how long I was going to be locked in here.”

“Anthony, did you see anyone?  Do you know who locked you in here?”

Shaking his head, Anthony responds negatively.  “No.  I was in the back of the room when I heard the door slam shut.  I heard somebody laughing too.”

I frown.  The culprit is still a mystery.  I don’t seem to be any closer to solving it either.  I am beyond frustrated.  The best I can do is to thwart the plans of the enemy.

“Come, boys.  Let’s return to practice.”

“But I don’t have a crown.  A king must have a crown!” Marco exclaims.

“It’s all right.  This is just a practice.  We’ll make sure you have a crown on the night of the pageant.”

Several minutes later, the three wise men enter through the doorway at the back of the auditorium.  One arrives crownless, but all three are bearing a big box in their arms.  They lumber down the aisle as Yoon plays swelling music in the background.  As they climb the stage steps, they begin to sing.

“We searched the starry skies at night,

Pursuing a king’s shining light.

Finally found the brightest star.

It led us kings from home so far.”

As they make their way across the stage towards the little toddler awaiting them on the left side, the second wise man trips over his shoelace, and the box in his arms goes flying forward to smack the next king in the head.  Only the third magus is singing when the pause ends and the time for the second part of the first verse arrives.

“We found a wee babe in a trough.

He was mild, meek, sweet, and soft.”

But Anthony ceases to sing when he realizes he’s alone.  Yoon hears the pause and stops playing the piano.  He waits for everyone to right themselves before starting the second part over.  Mrs. O hears the change and instructs the boys to begin again with their next lines.  They march across the stage as their voices ring out.

“We found a wee babe in a trough.

He was mild, meek, sweet, and soft.

Then no stately king did greet us.

Oh, no peaceful prince did meet us.”

The wise men stop in front of the humble home of Jesus and his family.  One of them knocks on the door.  It swings wide a moment later, and Joseph greets them with a beaming smile.  He welcomes them in.  As they stand before the slumbering toddler, the magi begin to sing the chorus.

“Who are you, tiny boy?

Could you be Heaven’s joy?

Who are you, sleeping babe?

Did you come us to save?

“We traveled far and wide.

We took a wild ride.

Just to come find the truth.

Did we come seeking you?”

As Yoon begins to play the interlude, the magi lay their gifts at the foot of the child’s bed.  One by one, the wise men kneel before the sleepy toddler.  Then their voices ring out in song again.

“We searched his tiny face for clues,

Pursuing Heaven’s brilliant hues.

We had come looking for our king.

For a joyous reason to sing.

“When we looked into his bright eyes

We then began to realize

A majestic king did greet us.

Oh, a peaceful prince did meet us.”

The magi continue to bow before small Jesus, who is played by Joseph’s little brother.  He’s trying valiantly to lie still, but the tiny two-year-old keeps wiggling under his covers.  Still, this doesn’t prevent the majestic magi from gazing at him as they croon loudly.

“Who are you, tiny boy?

Surely, you’re Heaven’s joy.

Who are you, sleeping babe?

You – for us – came to save.

“You traveled far and wide.

You took a wild ride.

Just to come bring the truth.

You came to bring us proof.”

Then Yoon begins to play a happy bridge.  A few beats later, the wise men finish the song.

“We are loved.

Oh, we are loved,

So very loved.

“God sent His little Son

To redeem us, every one.”

As the wise men finish singing the short bridge, they stand up and make their way out of the little house.  Then they’re traipsing down the aisle towards the door once more.  Back towards the East.  Or more accurately in our town, the south. 

Just then, another upset child runs up to Mrs. O.  I cringe as I wait to hear her news.  This doesn’t look good.