Another 10 Short Christian
Plays
William Kritlow
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 William Kritlow
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Additional Permissions: If you purchase a copy for each cast member each play may be presented at least three times within a year from purchase of the cast member copies.
Cover Art by Sally Truong: sally@inkit-printing.com
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Table of Contents
Author's
Introduction
A Word About These Plays
The
Phone Call
It's Thanksgiving and her
son's in a war zone, undoubtedly in the enemy's crosshairs. He's to
call home at 4pm and it's now 5. Is he okay? Is today the day of
the worst news possible?
Illustrates Psalm
37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;Do not fret
because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings
wicked schemes to pass.
I
Just Don't Have It!
Valeria owes Stephanie some
money. Steph's cleaned her room. Worked hard on it, too. And
Valerie promised Steph would get paid for her efforts. But will
Steph get her money?
Illustrates James 5:3b
You
have hoarded wealth in the last days.
Rejecting
Sin Because Of God's Good Gifts
For
this Army Sergeant there are two reasons to obey. The first is being
disciplined if you don't. The second because of the good that comes
your way when you do. Add love for our savior to the list and those
are also the reason you obey God.
Ministry
or a Thing
The Women's Ministry at church is in
panic mode. They need a new ministry and they don't have much time
to find one.
Illustrates Ephesians 2:10:
For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Silver
Surfer Dude: I got a B
The Silver
Surfer Dude helps out Rebecca. She's in a real quandary. She just
got a B in Math and although the rest of the world thinks that's a
good grade, he father doesn't. And he's on the warpath.
Illustrates
Ephesians 6:4:
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to
wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Silver
Surfer Dude: Love Can Hurt
The Silver Surfer
Dude, soda jerk to the wave riders, helps out Rebecca. One of her
best friends is talking about running away - and not to the
circus.
Illustrates John
15:13:
Greater love
has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Waiting
for the Elevator
A well dressed woman, a woman
of power, prestige, one filled with her own self-worth meets a poorly
dressed woman at the elevator. Although the well dressed woman
believes she's on her way to greatness, the poorly dressed woman may
get there first.
Illustrates Matthew
3:7:
But when he saw
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto
them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?
The
Hot Fudge Sundae
Jacki has a heart to heart
discussion with a hot fudge sundae, one that seems to be calling to
her, and one she'd love to answer
Illustrates Matthew
6:13:
And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
The
Thread That Links Us (women) All
Performed
as a dramatic poem, this explores that most wonderful passage in a
woman's life, menopause.
Illustrates 2
Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be
exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there
was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to
buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (just kidding -
well, maybe not)
Mother's
Day
Have you ever had a conversation
like this? Far too many of us have. This was hard to write and it
may be hard to listen to. But in today's families it's a
conversation that takes place far too often.
Illustrates Acts
8:22:
Repent therefore
of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your
heart may be forgiven you.
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Just a word about these short plays
This is the 3rd volume of 10 short plays and like the others, most of these plays were presented as part of a worship service, often just before the sermon. Our goal was to bring alive the message the congregation was about to hear; to show them how the message translated into their everyday lives. By presenting the scriptural illustrations this way, we gathered up the congregation's attention before sermon and got it focused where the pastor wanted. Two of them, The Thread That Links Us (women) All and Mother's Day are unique, in form and length, and probably need a different kind of venue.
The dramas can generally be presented with one or two actors, with minimum sets and no scenery, which makes producing them easy.
These plays can also act as templates for your own imaginations. I strongly believe that a drama ministry is important to a church. These plays give you an idea of what worked for us, which should encourage you to create your own short plays, plays that may be more meaningful and appropriate in your church that these may be.
With your purchase of this ebook, I give you permission to put the plays on as often as you like for a year from the purchase date.
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Psalm 37:7: Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cast: Millie, 45; John, 45
Millie, in her mid-forties, sits staring at a phone. Her husband, John, has been in the family Thanksgiving Dinner and is entering the room, a study, in which Millie sits.
John: (to those at dinner) I’m sure Millie’s fine - Connie, that’s a wishbone – use your pinkie – not both hands. We’ll go around the table when we get back. Michael, sweet potatoes aren’t footballs – put it down. (turns to Millie – hesitates, knows the gravity of what he’s about to interrupt – steps to Millie) You cooked the turkey, Millie, you should be there to eat it.
Millie: I’ve eaten turkey before.
John: Watching that phone won’t make it ring any sooner.
Millie: It won’t ring any later. And he’s an hour late already.
John: He said around 4pm.
Millie: 5pm isn’t around 4pm. He’s late.
John: He’s got responsibilities - important responsibilities that could delay his call.
Millie: That’s why we sent him a satellite cell phone. How much did we spend on that thing? All Donnie has to do is take it from his pocket and phone. Press it to his ear and hit one button. He’d do it – if he could. You know who the real villain of this piece is?
John: Who?
Millie: Ken Barckley. He’s the one who suggested Satellite phones.
John: But Ken’s a smart guy. You know he worked on the Moon Lander when he was only 14.
Millie: He swept the floor.
John: But it was the Moon Lander’s floor. And now he works on the Global Position Sensing System. That can find anyone anywhere. That says he knows everything about satellites.
Millie: No. It just says he’s nosey.
John: (hands on shoulders for comfort) Come on, now Millie, I’m sure Donnie’s okay. Maybe you ought to step back from it for a minute. Come back to the table. We were about to go around it and tell God what we’re thankful for. Maybe it would help to count a few of our blessings right now. Relieve the tension a little.
Millie: I’m not sure I’m up to counting blessings. (takes exception) Relieve the tension? I’m not tense. I’m scared to death. He’s in a rifle company in Afghanistan. He’s being shot at. People are shooting at him. And he’s an hour late to call. He knows I’d be scared.
John: He was late calling last Thanksgiving and he was at Pendleton.
Millie: They weren’t shooting at him at Pendleton. The greatest danger at Pendleton was the coffee. You know, maybe you guys ought to do the “what we’re thankful thing without me.” I’m not up to it.
John: But we have so much to be thankful for, Millie. So very much.
Millie: John, someone is trying to kill my son. My son, John – trying to kill my son. Am I thankful for that? Am I thankful that the sum total of my life has been reduced to sitting in a dark room waiting for a phone to ring? Or am I thankful that God’s putting me through all this? Am I thankful that God’s torturing me? Torturing me. This is torture.
John: I know, Sweetie. I know it is. And it’ll end when God wants it to. You know what we’re thankful for? We’re thankful that God’s in control and He loves us – He loves all His children. He loves you and me and he loves Donnie. His will’s the best for all of us. That’s what we’re thankful for. He takes really good care of us.
Millie: So this is the best for me? This? Sitting here staring at that thing? For how long? Another hour? (eyes up) How long do I have to sit here, Lord? – two hours – three? How long, Lord? (actually to the Lord) How long, please, Father – I really don’t know how long I can take this -
Phone rings. Millie grabs it.
Millie: Oh, Donnie. You’re okay. Oh, thank you, Lord. Late? No, I hardly noticed. It’s incredible to hear your voice,
John: (smiles – returns to doorway – sees what’s been going on) Okay, folks, we know God’s at work in here. Let’s gather around the table and tell each other how he’s at work in our lives. Connie, weren’t you suppose to keep the marshmallows out of Susie’s hair? No, wishbone injuries are not covered by workman’s comp – yes, even if we don’t provide hard hats.
The End
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James 5:3b - “You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”
Cast: Valerie, 10-year old girl; Stephanie, 9-year old girl
Set: Over by the piano. A doll sits on the piano.
At Rise: Valerie and Stephanie enter fighting.
Valerie: I just don’t have the money, Stephanie.
Stephanie: But, Valerie, you said you did and I did the work.
Valerie: I thought I had it, STEPHANIE, but I don’t.
Stephanie: But you said you did, VALERIE.
Valerie: It doesn’t matter what I said. I don’t have it.
Stephanie: I cleaned your room.
Valerie: And you did a great job. Except over there in the corner – but that’s okay.
Stephanie: And I need that 5 dollars.
Valerie: And if I had 5 dollars, I’d give it to you.
Stephanie: How could you hire me to do your room and not have the money to pay me?
Valerie: I made a mistake. I thought I had it, but don’t. You’ve made mistakes before, haven’t you?
Stephanie: Believing you, for one. I owe that money to Jenny. She loaned me her lunch money and now she doesn’t have money for lunch.
Valerie: Make her a sandwich.
Stephanie: I need that money, Valerie.
Valerie: I haven’t got it. I’ll have to owe it to you.
Stephanie: Jenny’s going hungry.
Valerie: And I feel her pain.
Stephanie angry, but giving up, exits
Valerie grabs doll, opens back battery compartment and takes out a roll of bills. She counts out loud to 22.
Valerie: That’s 5 dollars more than I would have had. (she kisses money and stuffs it back into the doll and exits with it)
Exits.
The End