The first step in writing a melodrama: coming up with the conflict, said Lori Adams-Miller.

Everything else will follow, said Adams-Miller, who wrote the Iron Springs Chateau’s 2024 holiday show, “Christmas Magic … or … Where in the World is Santa?”

“It’s basically coming up with a conflict and then a solution — making sure that the good guys always win. It’s a pretty easy formula. Then, obviously, you try to have something of a plot,” Adams-Miller joked.

The melodrama, which is also being directed by Adams-Miller, will debut Friday and run through December.

The family-friendly play follows two elves — Jingle Kringle and Happy — searching for a missing Santa Claus. In this story, Mrs. Claus enlists the elves’ help after Santa is kidnapped by an evil magician named Morlock Grimspell who is upset to find his name on the naughty list. And if he can’t get presents, no one can, Adams-Miller said.

“It’s a typical melodrama where good needs to triumph over evil,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s all musical, comedy.”

After a Christmas sing-a-long intermission, the cast will return to perform vaudeville-style musical numbers — and they won’t shy away from some potential audience participation. Expect jokes, crazy costumes, song and dance.

“There’s something in it for everyone. We even have a number with one of our gentlemen singing ‘Me and Mrs. Claus’ and it’s super fun,” Adams-Miller said. “We usually bring the audience members into our show by either going out into the audience and making them a part of the number, or even bringing people up on stage.”

Since this will be the debut of the melodrama, Adams-Miller is looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction.

“I love it when it’s a new show,” she said. “I’m not in the show, I’m directing it, so I’m interested to stand in the back and see how people react to it. I’m excited about how they react to it, if it’s a show we might use again.”