'Twas the Night Before Easter | |
---|---|
Directed by | |
Produced by | |
Written by |
Mike Nawrocki |
Music by | |
Distributed by |
Vivendi Entertainment |
Released |
2010 |
Runtime |
47 minutes |
Previous episode | |
Next episode |
'Twas the Night Before Easter is the 39th episode of VeggieTales, and the second Easter special.
Plot
Opening Countertop
Bob and Larry are hunting for Easter eggs, but Bob isn't really good at finding them. His friend ultimately finds all of them, including a giant golden egg. He's very curious to know what's inside, hoping it's a creme-filled bunny. The two get a video email from Timmy Tucker, who asks them if they'll have a show with eggs, candy, and bunnies, which gets Larry and him very excited. Bob then tells them that Easter is not always about that kind of stuff, and it can makes us forget sometimes the true meaning of the holiday, which leads to the episode's story.
Act 1
The story starts on a young reporter named Marlee Meade who does daily reports in her home town, Crisper County. However, she feels unsatisfied that she's not doing anything big that would help people make a difference. Marlee wishes she could do something related to theater, and her partner/friend Louis states there's something interesting down the street. An old theater owned by Prescott E. Huddlecoat is planning to be torn down since it's out of business for 15 years and plans to make it as a playground for the homeless shelter next to it. Marlee wants to keep it open since she has a show idea for Easter: a musical called "Up with Bunnies," which would make everyone feel happy about the upcoming holiday.
Unfortunately, the rehearsals aren't as good and they need a lead singer. Prescott gets a phone call from his brother Winston, a judge from "America's Got British Judges" that season 3 winner Cassie Cassava is heading back to Crisper County so she can attend her church service there.
Silly Song
- Main article: The Hopperena
Act 2
The next day at the theater, the same carrot couple from yesterday pass by the theater and see Cassie Cassava might be at the musical and go inside for tickets, which worries Howard.
Closing Countertop
Back on the countertop, Bob managed to help Larry get his egg open, but to the latter's dismay, it was empty.
Characters
- Bob the Tomato (Pastor Erwin)
- Larry the Cucumber (Louis)
- Archibald Asparagus (Prescott E. Huddlecoat)
- Petunia Rhubarb (Marlee Meade)
- Madame Blueberry (Mrs. B)
- Cassie Cassava
- Junior Asparagus (Joshua)
- Lisa Asparagus (Homeless Mom)
- Grandma Gourd (Mrs. Clark)
- Scooter Carrot (Bus Driver)
- Jimmy and Jerry Gourd
- Jean Claude and Philippe Pea
- The Scallions
- Laura Carrot
- Mr. Nezzer
- Pa Grape
- Percy Pea
- Miss Achmetha
- Mr. Lunt (Howard)
Songs
- VeggieTales Theme Song
- The Audition Song
- Lost Puppies
- Don't Cry for Me Easter Bunny
- The Latest Dance Craze with Jean-Claude and Phillipe: The Hopperena
- When I Think Of Easter
- The Bunny Song
- Up With Bunnies
- What Have We Learned
Features
'Twas the Night Before Easter/Features
Other Languages
- لية ي القيامة (Arabic) (Why the Resurrection)
- Det var kvelden før påske (Norwegian) (same translation)
- شب قبل از عید پاک بود (Persian) (same translation)
- Ночь перед пасхой (Russian) (same translation)
Television Airings
Fun Facts
Moral
- There's more to Easter than just candy. It's about God!
Explanations
- Thespian is a way to describe anything involving drama or theater.
- A quartet is a group of four people singing.
- A Baptismal is where someone is Baptized in water as they believed in Christ.
- A Youth Pastor is a leader of Youth events at a Church and Young adults too.
Trivia
- The show's original title was "The 27th Annual Crisper County Easter Pageant."
- This episode was released on the same day as Hosanna! Today's Top Worship Songs for Kids. It was also released exactly six years after Duke and the Great Pie War.
- This is the first episode for several things:
- The first episode where Petunia has a main role. In previous episodes, she was a secondary character alongside Larry.
- The first episode not to use a verse from Qwerty. (Sumo of the Opera doesn't count since a verse was used from his hard drive.)
- The first episode where Maggie Roberts joined the cast.
- The first episode where Keri Pisapia voices Laura Carrot.
- The first episode since Pistachio - The Little Boy That Woodn't to be animated by Huhu Studios.
- The first episode to have David Pitts as a producer since Moe and the Big Exit.
- This is the last episode for several things:
- The last episode to Petunia to wear her causal outfit until The VeggieTales Show
- The last episode where Petunia appears in until The Penniless Princess.
- The last appearance of Scallion #1 until Veggies in Space: The Fennel Frontier
- This is the last episode where Miss Achmetha speaks until The VeggieTales Show episode The Power of Love, as well as the last episode where she is voiced by Charlotte Jackson.
- The last episode where Larry says "Oh my Goodness".
- This is one of the only episodes where Bob and Larry don't greet the audience.
- In the teaser that was released from the previous episode, there was concept art that Marlee was going against someone else instead of the church. According to Mike, the script was different compared to the final product. So it might be possible the concept art from the teaser was from the original script idea.
- The characters who auditioned were:
- Jimmy and Jerry Gourd
- Howard Greenman
- The Scallions
- Percy Pea
- Mr. Nezzer
- Pa Grape
- Laura
- The French Peas
- Miss Achmetha
- This is the only Easter special filmed in 16:9.
- This episode was released on the same day as Hosanna! Today's Top Worship Songs for Kids and the Blu-Ray/DVD reprint of Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie by Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
Remarks
- Even though Qwerty's off on the episode due to it being Easter, he's still on showing the video message. It's confirmed by Mark and Mike that the program is off and Bob and Larry are just using the computer manually.
- Erwin's outfit on the DVD cover and menus are different from what he wore in the episode. It might be suggested it was a prototype outfit.
- The eyelid colors on Scallions #2 and #3 are different than normal.
- In The Audition Song, The French Peas claim to be auditions 5-9, however, this is technically untrue, as the Scallions, Mr. Nezzer, Pa Grape, Laura Carrot, and Percy Pea auditioned before them, therefore making them auditions 4-10. So, technically, the French Peas would actually be auditions 11-15.
- Also during the song, Mr. Nezzer states that he is auditioning because he is "trying to impress his boss." This is somewhat ironic, given how he has played several boss-type characters himself in many previous episodes.
- As stated in the commentary, Junior's size has been reduced in this episode. This is mostly because he looked off next to his mother.
- Speaking of which, Lisa Asparagus is only credited as "Homeless Mom," and her actual name doesn't appear with the brackets.
- If you look at the calendar, the first day of April is on a Saturday. Calculating the real calendars, it's possible the story takes place in 2006, not 2011.
- Considering snow fell the night before Easter, it's possible Crisper County is in the north.
- The credits state it released in 2010, but it didn't release until March 2011. It may have been when it was completed in production.
Goofs
- During the camera turn on some of the citizens singing in the church, there's one guy who doesn't sing and appears to be frozen. This can be noticed in the widescreen version.
- Louis was missing his tooth when Prescot said "Quartet" and again in one shot before Howard made the theatre go berserk.
- Even though Prescott was wearing a different suit when he entered the church, it briefly changes to his normal one when Pastor Irwin looks at Marlee suspiciously, but in the next shot, it changes back.
- Similarly, Prescott is seen wearing his costume for Up with Bunnies when he, Marlee, Louis, and Cassie are backstage, but when Petunia reminds the group that it is time to start the finale, he is seen wearing his regular suit.
- Miss Achmetha's name is mistakenly spelt as "Miss Akmetha" during the credits. This was the same issue during the credits for A Snoodle's Tale.
Inside References
- As many fans have pointed out, the story structure is similar to The Star of Christmas (eg. the main character wants to do something, but it goes wrong). It was later confirmed by Mike that it was done this way.
- One of the Peas has the same hat from Sippy Cup.
- The mini library from Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving appears on the streets.
- The Scallions singing in a barbershop trio-esque style is similar to what they did in the ninth silly song.
- Benny was on the street eating a donut, like he did in his debut silly song.
- Miss Achmetha sings Lost Puppies during her audition.
- Archibald said "That was interesting" 10 years ago.
- A snippet of the Bunny Song can be heard in this episode.
- Petunia was a television reporter in an earlier episode.
- Madame Blueberry's hat and Petunia's coat come from LarryBoy and the Bad Apple, although Madame Blueberry's hat is recolored in this episode.
- A mechanic part from Gary rolling away from one room to another would be a reference to Are You My Neighbor?
- The way Prescot acknowledged he's British is what he did in Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed
- The beds in the Homeless Shelter are the same ones from It's a Meaningful Life
- The snow footprints are identical to ones in Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving
Real-World References
- The episode's title refers to the classic story, Twas the Night Before Christmas.
- Tums are antacid that help relief heartburn problems.
- This episode contains many American Idol references:
- "America's Got British Judges" is a parody of both that show and America's Got Talent.
- The talents being judged by three people is similar to American Idol's judging system.
- Cassie being a winner in "America's Got British Judges."
Fast Forward
- Okrahoma would later be referenced in Beauty and the Beet
- "No can do" would later be said in Veggies in Space: The Fennel Frontier