Description
God finds the sin on earth is more than he can bear.
God devises a plan which means sacrificing his own son. Although receiving opposition from Satan, the people on earth for which the plan was devised, even from his church . . God realizes this is the only way mankind can be saved.
Useful at Christmas but appropriate at all times, excellent for dinner theatre and outreach.
Cast: 14+
- 14 (plus non-speaking extras)
- Mary
- Joseph
- Gabriel – angel
- God
- Satan
- Simeon
- Anna
- King Herod the Great
- Caesar Augustus
- Joazar, high priest
- Herod Antipas
- Pilate – Roman Emperor
- Caiaphas – high priest
- Offstage voice of Jesus
- there COULD be some doubling up with Herods, high priests, Caesar Augustus, Pilate, Antipas but ENSURE that they are not confused as the same persons)
Bible Reference: Matthew & Luke accounts of Jesus’ birth and death
Set:
- Set: (Set I is center stage, Set II is stage left, Set III is stage right)
Scene I – Set Ia – Home of Heli (Joseph’s father)
Scene II – Set IV – Heaven (on upper level if possible)
Scene III – Set Ia – Home of Heli
Scene IV – In the sanctuary
Scene V – Set Ib – Home in Bethlehem
Scene VI – Set II – Herod’s Castle
Scene VII – Set II – Herod’s Castle
Scene VIII – Set Ib – Home in Bethlehem
Scene IX – Set II – Herod’s Castle
Scene X – Set Ic Cross, Set II Herod’s Castle & Set IV HeavenSet III – Choir (wherever space is available)
Set locations determined by actual sets or simply by isolating spotlights, (even scrim). If Set IV and/or Set III can’t be accommodated on stage the action could be pre-recorded and projected.
Sets can be as basic or as elaborate as desired
Sound: wireless mic
Song:
- Director’s choices as appropriate. Suggest Mary’s Song (The Magnificat).
Lighting: as available
SFX:
- Sounds of nails pounded, lightning, thunder, earthquake
Props: scroll
Costumes: traditional
Special Instructions:
Time: 90
Sample of Script:
Scene I – Set Ia – Home Of Heli
Mary & Joseph come on stage
Mary: Joseph, you have done wonderful work here in our honeymoon room.
Joseph: Mary, perhaps you have forgotten . . I am after all a carpenter.
Mary: I do love and respect your father, Heli.
Joseph: And he is taken with you as you very well know.
Mary: My parents are fond of you as well. . . But . . . about your ketubah . . .
Joseph: My marriage contract? . . . Did your father feel the Bride Price I offered was insufficient? . . . I worried about that, I could . . .
Mary: Noooooo! . .. See that’s just it. . . My father was shocked that the sum was so large. He said that amount is as large as the price expected when a betrothed woman is divorced.
Joseph: Well divorce only happens if the bride is found to not be a virgin.
Mary: Well you know I have never been with another man . . and it will never happen!
And . . . Joseph . . . I was so very proud when Father told me of the amount of your Bride Price! . . . My older sister always bragged about how much her husband had paid to my father for the right to wed her. . . . She is now so annoyed with her husband, calling him cheap!
Joseph: Mary, your father knows full well that the Bride Price paid by the groom is not only to reimburse the bride’s family for the cost of raising their daughter. The size of the Bride Price is a clear message sent as to the feelings of the groom toward his bride. . . And in that regard I only wish I had been able to make the sum ten times greater! . . . And with my carpentry business now flourishing I know that I shall soon have that amount and much more at my disposal.
Mary, proud: My father says . . . “That Joseph ben Heli is an up-and-comer in the community and will surely soon be a greatly respected leader in the temple!”
Joseph, proud: Well, surely I do have aspirations Mary.
Mary: Oh Joseph . . . I am so happy! . . . I worry, sometimes.
Joseph: Worry? . . Worry because you are happy?
Mary: Well, it’s just . . . I mean . . . Nothing could go wrong, spoil our happiness . . Could it?
Joseph, firm: Perhaps you forget Mary . . . I am here, and I am not without the ability to protect you!
Mary: I know! . . . It is only a childish reaction of mine. . . I do know all will be well. . . And soon I will be a married woman!
lights off
Scene II – Set IV – Heaven
God is seated
lights up
God: Messenger, your services are required.
Gabriel comes on stage, face to the floor
Gabriel: I am forever at your service, Creator.
God: You are forever faithful, Messenger Gabriel. . . But now, your most important assignment.
Gabriel: I await your instructions, Creator. Every task assigned to me brings me unspeakable pleasure.
God, points downward:
On earth . . . over there. . . . You see a young girl and the young man to whom she is pledged to marry.
Gabriel, looks down, smiles:
Yes, Creator. . . I have seen her before, her name is Mary. She is a child, but she has intelligence beyond her years. . . She is . . . I am not sure how to describe her . . . The only word that seems appropriate is . . good.
God: You have spoken well, Messenger Gabriel! . . Mary indeed is good, I have found in her great value, she is my favored one. . I have plans for her. . . And for the humanity I have created in my image. . . You, Gabriel, shall deliver those plans.
A cackling noise and Satan slithers onto the stage, weird laughter
Satan, laugh: Plans Creator? . . . You have plans for failed and failing humans?
(laughs fiendishly)
What could any broken human person, a mere woman child at that . . . have to offer that would be of any value to you or your plans, Creator?
God: Fallen Angel, the world needs a saviour to restore them to full communion with me.
Satan, laugh: How rich Creator, I had expected more from you. You are talking about a Saviour for the sick and degraded human race! . . . And the best you have to offer is a . . . (laughs fiendishly), . . . an uneducated and sin-able woman child. . . Perhaps you should visit the cesspool called Earth. The stench of depravity wafts from every door and window. . . . And it is an unbelievably wondrous sight to see!
Satan laughs and dances around the stage
God: In addition to intelligence, oh Fallen Angel, you lack imagination. . . No, the girl will not be the saviour. The girl will be the mother of my own son.
Satan is in shock, screams as though in pain, falls to his knees
Satan: Nooooooooooooooo! . . . . Noooooooooooooooo! . . . You would not! . . You would not ever allow you own son to be forced to leave his rightful place on the throne of Heaven. . . All this in a desperate effort to reach out to unworthy and deprived dregs of humanity. . .
Creator, we can discuss this and come up with a solution which will allow all of us to be happy with the outcome.
(very worried)
No need for rash and hasty decisions Creator. . . We are both sane and sensible creatures!
God stands, angry, approaches Satan who falls to the floor and crawls backwards
God: I have allowed you to exist Fallen Angel! . . But do not push me even now!
My son will destroy you! . . . He will . . destroy you!
Satan scrambles to his feet, slinks toward offstage
Satan: Very well Creator, if it is a fight for survival you want, so it will be!
A fight for the survival of the broken humanity of which you are so fond!
The same humanity that have unanimously been attracted to the lifestyle which I offer!
The humanity who can not even raise one person from their numbers to save themselves. . . No you must send your son to earth in an impossible and unachievable effort to save humanity from their own sin!
God, very angry:
You . . will . . leave . . my . . sight . . immediately!
Satan falls to the floor starts to slink toward offstage, Gabriel pulls sword, blocks Satan
Gabriel: Creator please! . . . Allow me to put an end to this miserable wretch!
God: Let him go Gabriel. . . . Satan shall be defeated in my way and in my time.
Now Satan! . . . Go before I change my mind!
Satan stands, face contorted in hatred, screams
Satan: Do not assume you have won this battle! . . I shall fight you at every . . .
God, screams: Go! . . . Now!
Satan falls back in fear crawls offstage
God turns to Gabriel
God: Now Messenger . . . go quickly. . . Explain to the girl what she needs to know!
Gabriel falls to his knees, rises and leaves the stage
lights down 80%