Drama on Social Values

A the Nazarenemas Odyssey By John McNeil Summary A narrator retorts a journey of disc overy into the true meaning of Christmas, with Easter in view. This play was designed as a vehicle for participation by tot on the wholey date groups of a Sunday School, who appear in sequence from youngest to oldest. There are 2 alternate versions of this script. The first- family is written for a S starthern Hemisphere pass Christmas, the second for a Northern Hemisphere winter Christmas. Script 1 vote opineer What does Christmas mean to you? Is it a family come in-together, a big feed, Father Christmas and al single that?Or what? You know, weve inherited a lot of European customs in our Christmas, perhaps when we should moderate been developing our own style of things. So while picnicking in vociferous sun on the beach, we windlessness sing a song or so a white Christmas, and hunt for mistletoe. Bit silly when you conceive of ab unwrap it, isnt it And subsequently any, if the mid dle of winter is the proper time for Christmas, then maybe thats when we should occupy ours? Its a thought. choir(Starts recounting in background) bank clerk But on that points always 1 thing you can count on at Christmas, and thats carols.Used to sing them myself once when I was a kid. How did they go? (Hums to himself. )Away in a manger, no trot for a bed. Yes, something corresponding that. (Finishes off write of carol. ) gathering of children(Pre-schoolers they wander on) vote counter Kids I think kids were made for Christmas. Its in truth their time, with all the goodies we pile on them. split up and lots of goodies. (Turns to group)What does Christmas mean to you? ( vote counter asks several questions, such as, Whats the first thing you do Christmas morning? Where do you go for Christmas? Did you ask Santa for anything special? etc. After they take a crap given their answers, cashier suggests they go and sit in a corner, and pretend theyre opening their Christm as stocking, quietly acting step forward what they hope to discovery inside. ) Its a here and now like watching yourself, isnt it You know, theres something else astir(predicate) Christmas I was going to mention to you, but its slipped my mind for the moment. Itll come back to me. Singing? chorus(5-7 years they send on, singing carol) Narrator(When they have finished singing, asks questions of some of the choir, such as, Who are you singing ab out(p)? Whos he? etc. Finishes with, Where are you going now? ) Choir off to church. Bye bye (They file off. ) Narrator(Turns to group still acting on floor. )Arent you lot going to church too? Group Yes. Come on, lets go. (They get up, look to see if anyones watching, and give way off playing with toys. ) Narrator I guess church is different things to different hatful. Jesus? I k saucily Id heard the ready before. His birthday or something. I wonder what sort of birthday he had. What would it have been like to be there then? Animal s(7-10 years. File on, chattering among themselves.Perhaps a donkey, cow, goat, sheep, dog, etc. They have just been in the manger when Jesus was born, and now they regularise each other what they think of Jesus, looking at it from an animals point of view. ) Choir(At rear, sing Away in a Manger quietly. ) Family(Four children in congo line. When the animals have finished their discussion, the family comes on, honking, making other car noises, and comments such as why cant we find a good place for a picnic? Did you bring your swimming costume? Mummy, can we have lunch now? What are all these animals doing on the road? etc.They tour the stage once, and then exit out front. As they go, one of the animals a lamb is knocked over, and it lies down crying. ) Narrator Hey, youve knocked over a lamb Come back (Goes over to the lamb, and picks it up, carries it down the aisle. Other animals file down in procession after. ) Choir(Enter singing. They do one verse or chorus only. ) Paper boy(Enters, waving papers. )Paper Extra Read all about it Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Hit and run driver wounds family pet Read all about it Paper Narrator Thanks, Ill buy one of those. (Paper boy exits. Newsreader(While the voice is reading, choir hums a verse of its song. )Here is the news. The year 1AD was marked instantly by the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem. Three travelling salesmen offered prizes to the mother, Mary, for having the first baby of the new century, and local farmers have given a years supply of groceries dethaw. Several informants are offering to write biographies of the child, but a prophet named Isaiah claims he already has copyright on the story. King Herod has sent a telegram of congratulations, and says he is planning a special reception for the family ut the parents are understood to have declined the offer. A new song for the event has been written by a local choir of angels. Its selling well, and is expected to top the charts this week. Narra tor Hold on a minute. Whats going on here? Who is this Jesus person bothones talking about? Choir(Starts another verse of song. ) Narrator(Breaks in at end of verse. ) directly hold it You still havent answered my question. Reporter(Enters, explains he is from the local radio station carries a tape recorder. Asks some members of the choir what they think of Christmas, who Jesus is, etc. Choir( Finishes song. As they do, Paper Boy comes back through. ) Paper Boy Extra Extra Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Paper Choir(Start to file out after Paper Boy. ) Narrator Hey, where are you all going? Choir(Some members turn back and call out)To worship Jesus. Were going to church, etc. Narrator(Picks up paper, starts looking through it again. ) electric shaver(10-13 years. Same sex as Narrator. Enters carrying a notify. ) Narrator Hello, what have you got there? kid A establish for you. Narrator A present Thats very kind of you, seeing its Christmas. Can I open it now? ( sister smiles an d nods. (Narrator reaches in and takes out a hammer, and two pieces of wood. Comments on each. and then reaches in and takes out a doll dressed in babys clothes. Child takes them all off the Narrator, and cuddles the doll. ) Narrator What is this all about? Why are these things in this sack? Child(Whispers in his ear. ) Narrator Are you sure? Thats in there? (Child smiles and nods. Narrator looks inside again, puzzled. )Who are you? Child Just someone you knew a long time ago, when you were my age. (Child takes the doll, hammer and pieces of wood and sits down to one side of the stage. ) Television crew(Five or six of them.They are making a film, though the audience doesnt know this yet. They enter and act out the scene where the Pharisees come to Pilate and try to get him to indict Jesus. In explaining why they hate Jesus, they should bring out the reasons he is Saviour of the world. ) Produce(Comes on carrying a video camera. )Okay, cut it there. I didnt like that scene. Well tr y it again in a moment. In the meantime, take five. And will the actors for the Crucifixion scene get ready please. (Director exits. ) Choir(Enter and sings. While they sing, the TV crew stand round to one side, pretending to drink cups of coffee.Child academic session with the doll in the corner starts to hammer the two bits of wood together, in between verses. As the choir finishes, the actors break into laughter at a joke. one and only(a) of the actors, laughing, chokes and falls unconscious to the floor. Members of the choir go over and pick him up, carry him out. Rest of the choir file after, singing. When theyve finished, Child finishes hamemring the two pieces of wood, holds the result up so the audience can see it is a cross. Child looks at the Narrator. ) Child Would you do this to a baby? Then why do you do it every day to a grown man? Child goes over to Narrator, drops the doll at his feet, and goes out. Narrator stares at the doll, then bends over it, crying. As Narrat or is bent over, Questioner enters. Narrator looks up at Questioner. ) Questioner Well, what do you think now? Narrator Why did he/she do that? Questioner We all do. Narrator But why did they kill Him? He was such a good man. There was no need for it? (Stands up, picks up sack, throws it over shoulder. )Such a good man, and they killed him. (Starts to go. ) Questioner Where are you going? Narrator To see if I can find out where they took him. Questioner But what have you got in that sack?Narrator A Christmas present. This sack is my life. The Child told me it contains everything that ever happened to me. Questioner keep a minute Dont you see? Thats what Christ died for. So we dont have to carry all our sins around with us. Christ died, but He to a fault rose fromt he dead. Hes alive now, and wants to giveyoulife. Narrator You really mean that? Questioner Of course. 500 populate saw Jesus not long after he rose from the dead, and millions since have turned to him and found that hes still real. He loves you. Let that sack go. Narrator(Looks at sack questioningly, shrugs shoulders and lets it drop. )Hey, youre right.Suddenly theres no load. QuestionerThe Bible says, God loved the world so much, He sent us his only son, Jesus Christ so that whoever believes in him wont die, but will be given everlasting life. Narrator Thats tremendous. Its the best Christmas present I ever had. Youve got to tell me more. (As they exit, Choir and plication sing a further song. ) Script Narrator Christmas What does it mean to you? Is it a family get together, a big feed, Father Christmas and all that? Or what? You know, weve inherited a lot of European customs in our Christmas, maybe we should have been developing our own style of things.Why is it we dont have Christmas in the middle of summer with fireworks and camping and cookouts and . . . we already have a holiday then, dont we. Mens Quartet (Starts singing Deck the Halls in background) Narrator But theres always one thing y ou can count on at Christmas, and thats carols. Used to sing them myself once when I was a kid. How did they go? (Hums to himself. ) Have Congregation sing Good Christian Men Rejoice. Group of children (Pre-schoolers they wander on) Narrator Kids Now that I think of it, kids were made for Christmas. Its really their time, with all the goodies we pile on them.Lots and lots of goodies. (Turns to group) What does Christmas mean to you? (Narrator asks several questions, such as, Whats the first thing you do Christmas morning? Where do you go for Christmas? Did you ask Santa for anything special? etc. After they have given their answers, Narrator suggests they sing a pair off songs (Away in a Manger, ). When they have finished they go and sit in a corner, and pretend theyre opening their Christmas stocking, quietly acting out what they hope to find inside. ) Narrator Its a bit like watching yourself when you were young, isnt it Those were the days . . .You know, theres something else about Christmas I was going to mention to you, but its slipped my mind for the moment. Itll come back to me. ( 5-7 year olds enter dressed as carollers and chatting quietly) Oh yes, Singing Congregation sings Angels from the realms of Glory Choir (5-7 years they file on, singing carol) Have this group do two or deuce-ace songs. Go tell it on the mountain Hark the herald Angels Ring the bells Narrator (When they have finished singing, asks questions of some of the choir, such as, Who are you singing about? Whos he? etc. Finishes with, Where are you going now? Choir Off to Our Christmas program at church. Bye bye (They file off. ) Narrator (Turns to group still acting on floor. ) Arent you guys going to church too? Group Yes. Come on, lets go. (They get up, look to see if anyones watching, and run off playing with toys. ) Narrator I guess Christmas is different things to different people. Jesus? I knew Id heard the name before. It was His birthday or something. I wonder what sort of birthday he had. What would it have been like to be there then? Animals (7-10 years. File on, chattering among themselves. Perhaps a donkey, cow, goat, sheep, dog, etc.They have just been in the manger when Jesus was born, and now they tell each other what they think of Jesus, looking at it from an animals point of view. ) Angels We Have Heard on High O Little Town of Bethlehem A Child is Born Choir (Sing Away in the Manger with congregation) Narrator I wonder what it was like on that morning in Bethlehem. If the people back then were anything like they are today, It must have been an interesting scene. Paper boy (Enters, waving papers. ) Paper Extra Read all about it Jesus born in Bethlehem. Confusion abounds Read all about it Paper Narrator Thanks, Ill buy one of those. Paper boy exits. ) Narrator Here is the news. The year 1AD was marked today by the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem. Three traveling salesmen offered prizes to the mother, Mary, for having the first baby of the new century, and local merchants have given a years supply of groceries free. Several authors are offering to write biographies of the child, but a prophet named Isaiah claims he already has copyright on the story. King Herod has sent a telegram of congratulations, and says he is planning a special reception for the family but the parents are understood to have declined the offer.A new song for the event has been written by a local choir of angels. Its selling well, and is expected to top the charts this week. Narrator Hold on a minute. This cant be what really happened? Who is this Jesus person everyones talking about? Scripture reading Luke 21-7 Narrator (Breaks in at end of verse. ) Now hold it This still isnt clear to me. No one has really answered my question. Scripture reading Luke 28-20 Paper Boy Extra Extra Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Paper (Exits) Choir (Start to file out after Paper Boy. ) Narrator Hey, where are you all going? Choir Were going to worship Jesus.Do you want to come along? Narrator No, I think Ill just read more about it. (Picks up paper, starts looking through it again. ) Scripture reading Luke 221-22,25-38 Child (10-13 years. Enters carrying a sack. ) Narrator Hello, what have you got there? Child A present for you. Narrator A present Thats very kind of you, seeing its Christmas. Can I open it now? (Child smiles and nods. ) (Narrator reaches in and takes out a hammer, and two pieces of wood. Comments on each. Then reaches in and takes out a doll dressed in babys clothes. Child takes them all off the Narrator, and cuddles the doll. Narrator What is this all about? Why did you give me these things? Im not sure a dolls quite my style. There must be something else. Child (Whispers in his ear. ) Narrator Are you sure? Thats in there? (Child smiles and nods. Narrator looks inside again, puzzled. ) Who are you? Child Just someone you knew a long time ago, when you were my age. (Child takes the doll, hammer and pieces of wood and sits do wn to one side of the stage. ) Song (During the song, the Child sitting with the doll in the corner starts to hammer the two bits of wood together, in between verses.As the choir finishes they file out, singing. Child finishes hammering the two pieces of wood, holds the result up so the audience can see it is a cross. Child looks at the Narrator. ) Scripture reading Isaiah 531-12 Child Would you nail a baby to this cross? Then why did they do that to Jesus? (Child goes over to Narrator, Places the doll at his feet, and goes out. (Narrator stares at the doll, then bends over it, confused. As Narrator is bent over, Questioner enters. Narrator looks up at Questioner. ) Questioner Well, what do you think about Christmas now?Narrator ( Still thought about his gift) Why did he/she do that? Questioner He wanted you to understand what Christmas was all about. Its not about presents, packages, trees or tinsel. Not even about carols. Its about God coming to Earth to do something no-one else could do. Narrator But why did they kill Him? He was such a good man. There was no need for it? (Stands up, picks up sack, throws it over shoulder. ) Such a good man, and they killed him. (Starts to go. ) Questioner Where are you going? Narrator To see if I can find out where they took him. Questioner What have you got in that sack?Narrator A Christmas present. This sack is my life. The Child told me it contains everything that Ive ever done wrong or that has ever happened to me. Questioner Wait a minute Dont you see? Thats what Christ came and died for. He wasnt just a good man, He was God in the flesh. Christ died, but He also rose from the dead so we dont have to carry all our sins around with us. Hes alive now, and wants to give you life. Narrator You really mean that? Questioner Of course. 500 people saw Jesus not long after he rose from the dead, and millions since have turned to him and found that hes still real.He loves you. You can let that sack go. Narrator (Looks at sack questioningly, at first cannot drop it, but finally shrugs shoulders and lets it drop. ) Hey, youre right. Suddenly theres no load. But why did God do it that way. I would have done things differently . . . Special Music He Became a man like me Questioner The Bible says, God loved the world so much, He sent us his only son, Jesus Christ so that whoever believes in him wont die, but will be given everlasting life. Narrator Thats tremendous. Its the best Christmas present I ever had. Youve got to tell me more. As they exit, Choir and congregation sing Joy to the world. ) .. John McNeil 1973 All rights reserved This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at emailprotected net. nz Or at 36B Stourbridge St, Christchurch 2, New Zealand.