VeggieTales: An Easter Carol

 

Mr. Nezzer (voiced by Phil Vischer) looks with disdain as he watches others get ready for Easter.

 Everyone is rushing around as they prepare for Easter. The Veggies sing "Another Easter Day." Laura Carrot (voiced by Jacquelyn Ritz) is outside St. Michael's Orphanage trying to sell lilies when Mr. Nezzer comes over to her. He tells her the lilies will just die, and Easter is about colorful plastic eggs. 

Laura: Your grandmother helped the orphanage. She always bought a lily at Easter. 

Nezzer: My grandmother made Easter! (So that's who did it! LOL). 

Laura leaves, and Mr. Nezzer tells her she didn't pay for the egg. She throws it back to him, now wanting it. 

The singing continues. 

Reverend Gilbert (Dad Asparagus- voiced by Dan Anderson) and his son Edmund (Junior Asparagus - voiced by Lisa Vischer) are outside St. Bart's Church. Edmund sees Nezzer and calls him "Old Man Nezzer," His father tells him his name is "Mister Ebenezer Nezzer." He says that Nezzer's family owned most of the land around there. (It's good to see the Squash Family doing so well). Edmund asks why Mr. Nezzer doesn't go to church, and his father tells him he used to go with his grandmother when he was younger. Edmund coughs and asks if Mr. Nezzer dislikes Easter, and his dad says he makes Easter eggs in the factory. (I would say that proves Mr. Nezzer likes money, not Easter). Edmund thinks perhaps he doesn't like church, so his dad tells him they will invite him later to go to church to see the unveiling of the new glass window.

At the factory, mechanical chickens are laying eggs. Cavis (Bob the Tomato - voiced by Phil Vischer) and Millward (Larry the Cucumber - voiced by Mike Nawrocki) are arguing over who will ask Mr. Nezzer to have Easter off. Millward is Mr. Nezzar's nephew. Mr. Nezzer comes out of a door, and they say hi, and he mumbles their names. He is upset that people plan to go to church instead of buying eggs. Cavis asks Mr. Nezzer about closing the factory on Easter. Mr. Nezzer gives them a speech about his grandmother "making Easter." He sings, "113 Years Ago." He tells them he can't stop the factory because he doesn't want to let his grandmother down.

Rev. Gilbert and Edmund enter the factory. Rev. Gilbert invites Mr. Nezzer to church, but Mr. Nezzer declines. He tells them all that the church is in the way. Ebenezer is planning to build Easterland. He wants to make the commercialized Easter last all year. He plans to tear down the church to make room for this plan which angers the others. (I would be angry too if someone wanted to tear down my church). He fires Cavis and Millard when they protest. He kicks all of them out of the factory. 

The four veggies are walking down the road, and the reverend tells them, "we just need to have hope." 

The Mayor (Scooter - voiced by Jim Poole) closes up the church and sees Laura. She asks him if it's true about the church. He says it is, and she is scared about what will happen to her and the other orphans. 

The reverend tucks Edmund into bed, and Edmund tells his father he's worried about the church. His father tells him he needs hope and quotes Hebrews 11:1. He leaves the room, and his wife is outside the door; they both look a little worried. 

Mr. Nezzer is sitting in his recliner at his house. He is looking at his plans for Easterland when he falls asleep. He is woken up by Grandmother (voiced by Tim Hodge). He thinks he is seeing a ghost, but she tells him there's no such thing as ghosts. 

Mr. Nezzer: Well, what are you then?

Grandma: You're having a vision.

Mr. Nezzer: A what?

Grandma: A vision. It's like a dream - with a point. 

Mr. Nezzer: A point?

Grandma: Which is exactly what you've missed.

Grandma sings, "You Didn't Listen, Ebenezer." 

She informs him he will have a second visitor coming at midnight. 

The clock ticks as Mr. Nezzer looks around nervously. He hears a crash and thinks maybe the visitor is early. 

Outside his gate, Millward is with Cavis, and Millars knocks over a garbage can, which is the crash Ebeneze heard. They are trying to steal the plans for Easterland to save the church. Millward doesn't want to steal, however. Cavis tells him they are only borrowing them, but Millward isn't very convinced but continues on with the plan to steal the plans. (I was surprised it was Bob's character and not Larry's that wanted to steel). 

Mr. Nezzer is drinking tea while he anxiously awaits the visitor. He plans to stay away but falls asleep right after saying he's gonna stay awake.

Outside, Millward is helping Cavis over the wall but stops when the Constable (Jerry Gourd - voiced by Mike Nawrocki) walks passed.

A blue egg music box starts to play music in Mr. Nezzer's house, and an angel with a blue dress comes out of it. She smacks him with a key to wake him up. He figures out she's the visitor. Her name is Hope (voiced by Rebecca St. James). They fly out the window, so she can show him things. She tells him, "you just don't see what's right in front of you," and he crashes into the cross at the top of the church. He tells her he is going to build Easterland there. Hope tells him she heard, and they go inside. He tries to talk to his Grandma, but Hope informs him this is "Easter Past," and his grandmother can't hear him. His grandmother tells the younger version of him that you can't have Christmas or Easter without the other. Young Ebbie is trying to sell another kid an egg, however. Adult Nezzer tells Hope he still doesn't understand "that Christmas thing." He says the stained glass widow picture was pretty, and she tells him, "it's a pity you're gonna knock it down." 

She takes him to his house, and he thinks he's done until he sees himself. She informs him it's "Easter past a year ago." There's a knock at the door and Seymour (Pa Grape -- voiced by  Phil Vischer). He has invented "Easter-ma-phonia." The two of them sing "Boids" (which has the same beat as "Rock Island Stubborn" from "The Music Man"). Mr. Nezzer tells Seymour he's going to make Easter bigger with plastic eggs. However, Seymour tells him, "Easter isn't about plastic eggs and bunnies and baskets." 

Hope asks the present Nezzer if he paid Seymour. He tells her he gave him an annual pass to Easterland with 10% off at the gift shop. (That'll put food on the table). 

Back outside, they are back to "Easter present." They go to the Asparaguses' house. The mayor is there, discussing how Nezzer's grandmother paid for the stained glass windows, including the new one they are preparing to unveil. The mayor becomes angry but then calms down and says Mr. Nezzer needs to learn what Easter is about. (Yep, can't get mad at a person who isn't there yet). Nezzer says he gets it, "The factory is what Easter is about. The eggs, the baskets..."

Hope: You don't get it, do you. They're talking about the hope of Easter. The hope of Easter changes everything. 

Nezer continues on about the factory, and Hope gets frustrated. 

Edmund comes out of his room with his crutch. He tells his parents he doesn't believe Mr. Nezzer is a bad man. He says that Mr. Nezzer just doesn't have what they have, "the thing that lets us celebrate Easter all year long." He starts coughing, and his mother takes him back to bed. 

Mr. Nezzer asks what's wrong, and Hope informs him that this could be Edmund's last Easter. Ebenezer doesn't understand how Edmund's parents can know their son could die and be so calm. Hope asks him if he's ready to listen. He nods, and they suddenly appear back in the church. 

Hope sings "Hope Song" as she takes him through the stained glass pictures starting with Christmas and ending with Easter. She gets the crucifixion and stops singing. Ebenezer asks where the hope is, and she tells him that it's not the end of the story and that if it was, there would be no hope. She then continues to sing, and the new stained glass picture of the risen Jesus is shown. 

Hope: The hope of Easter is life everlasting. If you believe in who He is and what He did for you. If you believe. Of course, we all have to live with our decisions. 

She mimics him and his statements earlier about the church. She then shows him "Easter Future." The church gets destroyed, and they run outside. He falls to the ground, and Laura asks him to buy a pencil. He is surprised she can see him. Winston (Jean-Claude Pea - voiced by Mike Nawrocki) chases her away, and she tells him she has no home. Hope explains to Nezzer that because there's no hope, there's no orphanage. 

Charlie Pincher (voiced by Tim Hodge) steals the pencils from Laura and runs. The Constable tells him to stop but then says he isn't going to do anything. Hope tells Nezzer that without hope, The Constable is no longer brave. 

She brings him to a graveyard where he sees Edmund has died. (Aww, poor Edmund. He was such a good asparagus). Nezzer is upset and wants to change the future, so it's not how she just showed him. She goes back into her blue egg, and he runs to the church, yelling for the destruction to stop. 

He suddenly wakes up in his house. He goes over the blue egg and asks if it's too late. He then opens his window and sees Laura, and asks her what day it is. She tells him it's Easter Sunday. Happy it's not too late, he throws her a money bag. He starts to leave to go to the church, turns back and tells the portrait, "Happy Easter, Grandma," and grabs the blue egg Hope was in, and leaves. He tells the people in the church that the church won't be destroyed. 

Meanwhile, Millward and Cavis are still trying to get the Easterland plans. Millward says he can't do it anymore, and Cavis tells him not to quit. Nezzer comes out and wishes them a Happy Easter. (They were totally oblivious that Mr. Nezzer wished them Happy Easter). Nezzer leaves the gate open, and Cavis runs in to get the plans telling Millward to "keep watch." 

At the church, peas are outside, ready to destroy the church. Inside, Rev. Gilbert tells his congregation it is the last service in the church. The peas come inside and are prepared to destroy it when Mr. Nezzer tells them not to touch the church. He says he knows he was wrong. 

Millard runs into the church yelling for help because "the factory is gonna blow." He says Cavis is trapped inside. 

Cavis is in the factory trying to escape. Mr. Nezzer comes in to save him, but Cavis thinks that Nezzer is coming to get the plans. He starts to tell Mr. Nezzer off but then realizes Mr. Nezzer came for him, not the plans. Nezzer sees the egg pressure and tells Cavis they don't have much time.  

Cavis: Too bad we can't fly.

Nezzer: Maybe we can. 

Mr. Nezzer has the controls, and a claw machine grabs Cavis and puts him into a cart. Mr. Nezzer gets into the cart as well. They start going in circles in the air. Mr. Nezzer hands Cavis the controls and tells him, "don't push the yellow button until I say so." 

Outside, the others are trying to figure out how to get them out. 

Back inside, they are spinning even faster. The egg meter goes to red, and Mr. Nezzer and Cavis go flying out of the factory. They land on a roof and slide down. Next, they start bouncing from one awning to another. Then finally, land on the ground. They get out of the cart, and Cavis kisses the ground. It starts to rain plastic eggs. Nezzer says they are all free this year. 

Edmund asks Mr. Nezzer what he's going to do.  

Nezzer: What am I gonna do? I'm gonna do what matters most. Reverend, with whatever money I got left, I'm gonna help you fix up that orphanage. And I'm gonna make sure that boy gets his medicine. 

Rev: Your grandmother would be proud

Nezzer: I think she is.

Cavis asks him how he can afford all that with the factory being destroyed when a safe suddenly flies out and lands near them. It opens, and there is a lot of money in it. (Why doesn't this ever happen to me? LOL). 

Nezzer: Well, why are we all standing around here. It's Easter Sunday.

Edmund: God bless us, everyone.

Everyone starts to sing "Another Easter Day" again as they head back into the church. 

Nezzer goes to a cross, says, "I'll see you later, " and leaves a lily there. (I was trying to figure out if it's his grandmother's grave and he's telling her he will see her later, or because it's a cross, was he telling Jesus he'd see Him later)?

The closing credits come up. 

(This was such a great show to watch. I loved "Hope Song" That Rebecca St. James sang).