Description
The symbolism of the life of the Old Testament Joseph, and how his sacrifices, in a smaller manner, mirror the earthly life of Jesus.
This is followed by a Maundy Thursday Upper Room presentation.
Between each scene there is a three part narration, and the drama ends with a human video, (mime to music), of the “I’ve Just Seen Jesus” song by Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris. (“Human video” is a term for written dance/mime moves within the script, there is no video or music).
Easily staged 11 act presentation.
Cast: 48 (could be expanded or doubled up and many could be male or female)
- 13 for brothers and father
- 13 for Jesus and 12 disciples
- 4 women in Jacob’s family (to act as mid-teen to 40ish)
- Potiphar and wife Asenath (likely middle age or older)
- 2 guards (likely teen to 20s) (used as Potiphar & Pharaoh’s guards)
- Cupbearer and Baker
- Mary
- Martha (Mary’s sister)
- Salome
- Mary (mother of James the Younger)
- actors for human video (5 or more)
- 3 narrators
Bible Reference: various
Set: Set: May be as elaborate or plain as desired/available.
- All acts take place on a similar type of stage therefore very minimal, (or no), scene changes are required. Where scene or backdrop changes are done, this can be hidden by bringing spotlights
- down during the narration.
- Simple backdrops may be used to depict home of Jacob versus opulence of the dwellings of Potiphar and of Pharaoh, and the starkness of the prison.
- The table which will be featured in the final Upper Room scene can be in the background throughout all acts.
Lighting: standard with spotlight(s) to darken stage between acts
Sound: wireless mics if available
Song: “I’ve Just Seen Jesus” song by Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris. Music not supplied but available on the internet, please support the writers and performers.
SFX: animation of clouds moving
Costumes: traditional clothing, Joseph’s “coat of many colours, torn with blood stains
Props: Last Supper table, complete with food and drink, chairs
Special Instructions:
- NOTE: much duplication of roles can (and likely should) be done between the cast of Joseph’s family and Jesus’ followers. Combining the 13 actors would result in a total of 35 actors or less.
- Parts could be doubled up and many, (with the more obvious “brother” and “disciple” exceptions), could be male or female, any age.
- An option is available whereby the Upper Room scene could terminate at the same “foot washing” point as does the story of Joseph. This would also reduce the length of the drama.
Time: 120
Sample of Script:
Opening Narration:
offstage voices in the darkness
sfx: animation of clouds moving
Narrator1: This is the story of two men.
Two men, flesh and blood, who walked this earth.
Two men to whom were assigned incredible responsibilities
Two men with seemingly humanly impossible tasks.
Two men to whom the love of God was applied equally, but displayed uniquely
(slight pause)
Two men . . . .
(slight pause)
Similar yet worlds apart:
(slight pause)
Both men were greatly loved by their fathers.
Narrator2: Joseph, beloved son of Jacob.
Narrator 3: Jesus, beloved son of God.
Narrator1: Two men who were both servant and savior
Narrator2: Joseph, a recruited servant who lived to be an unintentional savior.
Narrator3: Jesus, an eager servant who died to be a deliberate savior.
Narrator1: Two men of great faith.
Narrator2: Joseph, whose daily life required his faith in the God outside himself.
Narrator2: Jesus, whose death and resurrection validated our faith that he was God himself.
Narrator1: Two men whose circumstances colored the fabric of their faith.
Narrator2: Joseph, became daily more convinced of the breadth of God’s holiness.
Narrator2: Jesus, who came to earth to know first hand humanity’s need for redemption.
Narrator1: Two men in whose life we see a faith of many colors.
(pause)
Two . . . men . . .
Act 1
bare stage, Benjamin, holding the colorful coat in his hands, slowly, dejected comes on stage, looks up, shakes his fists defiantly, holds his head in his hands, sobbing
Benjamin:
How could it happen?
Joseph! My brother!
Dead!
Killed by some animal!
Some ferocious animal tore my brother to pieces! Took his life . . . and he only seventeen!
The favorite son of my father Jacob, dead!
The son of my dead mother, Rachel, gone forever!
My brothers, the sons of my aunt Leah, and the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, have just brought the tragic news!
(pauses, sobs)
I must go to my father, try to comfort him, try to console him in his grief and weeping.
My father has said that in mourning he will go down to the grave, to Joseph, his beloved son.
And so it shall be for myself.
My tears shall never dry until I too am dead, in the grave, with my brother Joseph!
Benjamin goes off stage
lights down briefly, back up as Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah come on stage, Leah very sad, the other two women are smiling
Bilhah:Now perhaps our husband will treat our sons as equals, rather than slaves!
Zilpah:Yes, a lot of good the dreamer’s dreams will do him now.
Leah:What are the two of you talking about, and how can you rejoice when the son of our husband is dead?
Bilhah:As good as dead, for sure!
Zilpah:Things will not be as favorable for Joseph in Egypt is my guess!
Leah:What is going on here, what foolishness are you two speaking?
Zilpah: You mean your sons didn’t tell you?
Leah:Tell me what?
Zilpah: Oh I just naturally thought that since all of his sons were together on this that you would be told that . . .
Leah, angry: Zilpah! You may be the mother of my husband’s sons, but please don’t forget you are also my handmaiden! Now before I have you flogged, speak up, and quickly!
Zilpah,frightened: Well, our sons, yours included, were at their wits end with the high and mighty antics of the favorite son Joseph, so they resolved, once and for all, to do away with the boaster.
Leah:Do away? . . . You mean . . . they .. killed their own brother Joseph?
Bilhah: No, thanks to the cold feet of your son Judah, not killed.
Leah:Judah saved Joseph? Where then is Joseph, . . what of Joseph’s blood soaked coat?
Zilpah,proud: That was my son’s idea. Asher killed a goat and dipped that despicable coat in the blood, tore the coat to make it look like an animal attack. Perhaps now my sons will be acknowledged for being wise and discerning in their own right!
Leah:Fools! Perhaps now all of our sons will be put to the sword if word of this ever leaks out!
Bilhah:The boys were only reacting to Joseph’s incessant ridicule over him being so much more of everything noble than any of our sons!
Zilpah:There is a limit to what one can endure! All his latest dreams . . our sons bowing down to Joseph, our son’s wheat sheafs bowing down Joseph’s wheat sheaf! Why even his own father rebuked him for that!
Leah:Joseph has not been an easily reared child, for a fact. But no one deserves such treatment from his brothers.
Now then, before I ask Joseph to apply the lash, tell me what has become of Joseph!
Bilhah:Well all the others except your Judah, your other sons included, wanted to kill Joseph, and that justifiably for all the scorn Joseph had heaped on the heads of his brothers. But your Judah had his own dream, talked the others into selling Joseph to a group of traveling Midianites. As we speak the dreamer boy is on his way to slavery in Egypt!
Zilpah:You must admit, a brilliant scheme by your Judah!
Leah: May I not wish that I had never birthed the fool!
Zilpah:Leah, Leah, no worry, he was not killed, he is safely on his way to Egypt . . . Safe, yet no longer an irritant to us and all his brothers.
Leah:Why did Joseph ever favor you? You are my maidservant and my disgrace! . . . You say he is safe! You fool! Exactly how long do you think Joseph will live as a slave in Egypt? As sure as his brothers put a knife in his heart, he has been sent to his death!
Dinah and all sons except Benjamin come on stage
Dinah, to Leah:
Mother, nothing we say will comfort Father. He just keeps calling for Joseph, saying that he wishes to be in the grave with Joseph and Rachel.
Leah: Poor Joseph! (angrily looks at the sons) And you fools, do you not realize what have you done?
Simeon, a coy smile on his face, looking to the others: Surely Mother, I have no idea what you are talking about. Do we dear brothers?
Leah: You fools! I have heard the entire ridiculous story of your unprecedented ignorance!
(to Rueben)
And you especially! The eldest! Surely you might show a smattering of intelligence!
Rueben, great fear: Mother, I swear, when I arrived and found that Joseph was not there I tore my clothes in anguish for what has been done!
Leah, in Rueben’s face, screaming: Indeed! You tore your clothes did you? You tore your clothes?
Better that you had slit the throats of yourself and all this motley group of brothers!
Better that you die at your own hand than at the hand of your father!
Dan: Father will never know if we do not tell him.
Bilhah: Listen to Dan! My son is wise and speaks the truth
