Description

What was it like to be the nominal father of the one who was not only man but also God? What were Joseph’s thoughts and his fears, especially given the customs and traditions in the culture in which they lived? Was he truly OK to be, at best, the nominal father of his firstborn son? This is the Christmas story, but from a most unique perspective, through Joseph’s eyes.

  Time: 12 minutes
Cast: 2
Joseph, husband of Mary
Joseph’s father, aged and feeble

Set: a blank spartan set with some details or props to indicate a carpenter shop
Sound: lapel mics if available
 lighting: low-level spot to provide shadow
 Costumes: Biblical period, somber, earthy colors to show poverty

Props: carpenter tools
Music: none

Bible Reference: Luke 2

Special Instructions: Portray the many emotions of anger, fear, desperation, and joy

SAMPLE OF SCRIPT:

Lights up. Father is sitting in chair at center stage right, facing stage left so that audience sees his profile. Father holds apiece of wood in his hands.

Offstage Joseph’s voice: Father, it is I, Joseph. I have returned home, and Mary and our Baby Son are with me. Father, are you in?

Joseph enters through the door at Upstage

Father: Joseph! Is it you? Have my prayers been answered? Come to see me, son, that I may see you! The sight of an old man grows dim! Come near!

Joseph kisses his father’s cheeks, falls to his knees before Father, speaks:

Father, many times I was sure that I would never see you again. Oh how I longed to talk to you, to seek your advice, to again be a son and father.

Joseph rises, paces methodically back and forth during the balance of the drama. Father watches silently and intently as Joseph talks. Father should be relatively motionless in order not to distract the audience’s attention from Joseph.

Joseph: Ah , it is so good to be back in your carpenter’s workshop. I had almost forgotten the sweet smell of fresh cut wood, the crunch of the wood shavings underfoot, it seems so long ago, another lifetime. Oh, the memories which this room holds for me. Remember how as a child I used to come running in, tears on my cheeks, unburdening on you how the older, stronger children had been unkind to me. How they teased me about being the son of a carpenter! Oh, I can hear them now, their cruel comments taunting my wish to be a carpenter in this land where trees, and thereby wood, was scarce to the point of being rare! It seemed that always I came to you for advice, Father. Remember how you would always say: “Have you sought the advice of the Lord God Jehovah?” Early in life you indicated me to seek answers from the word of God.

The time when I came to you to discuss taking Mary as my wife. Remember how you said, “I believe that it is God’s will.” Always you taught me the importance of knowing God’s will.