Description

A shopkeeper in a poor neighbourhood contemplates her life.

The fact is her plans for her life simply haven’t been realized. Her customers and friends see her as an inspiration, a “quiet angel” but she sees her whole life as a failure. In the midst of the deliberations the shopkeeper is shot by a young man, precipitating the neighbourhood coming together in praying for the shopkeeper.
This drama can be used as a two act dinner theatre or a standard drama.

NOTE from a director who staged this drama:
QUIET ANGEL made its debut at the Crown Plaza BallRoom for a Mothers Day Luncheon today. I am so excited!!!!!!!! It was so truly blessed! Great reviews and applause. God was Glorified in everything that was done.I feel so blessed right now and wanted to share this with you. I’m thanking God for all His gifts but today for Drama and DramaShare and you.
IN HIS HANDS, Harriet Hill, New Beginning Ministries, Richmond, VA

Cast: 9 m or f

• Martha, shopkeeper, late middle age
• Mrs. Eula, senior
• Carter, successful young businessman, alcoholic
• Jenny, Carter’s fiancé
• Sarah, single mom, having trouble giving her daughter some space
• Keisha, Sarah’s 16 year old daughter
• Lisa, single mother
• Bo, 16 year old teen at risk
• Doctor, any age

Bible Reference:

Set:

• grocery store

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting:

• enough spotlights to isolate individual actors in later act

SFX: none

Props:

• groceries
• fake gun
• hospital gurney

Costumes:

• standard, except for Doctor who will be dressed appropraitely

Special Instructions: none

Time: 60

Sample of script:

Martha slowly on stage, stretching, yawning, flicks on switch, spotlights full up

Martha: Lights up on another day at (shakes head, wry smile) Deluxe Corner Grocery Emporium! . . .
(sneers)
This . . . Deluxe Corner Grocery Emporium!
Yah, right!
Hole in the Wall scruffy little no account excuse for a store in the most worst part of Poortown, Nebraska is what!
And me, Ms. Martha Singleton, proud proprietor of this, (sneer), precious piece of real estate.
Me, Ms. Martha Singleton, 57, single, alone . . .
(pauses, looks around, thinks)
It wasn’t supposed to be like this you know.
I remember when I was 18 . . .
I had life all planned out.
Gonna be Dr. Marsha Singleton D.M.D. . . .
Dentist
That was the plan, I was set to go to University of Massachusetts, College of Dentistry, my application all approved.
Night before I left for college my dad had a heart attack . . .what am I supposed to do . . . someone had to look after this store until he was well enough to . .
(pause, shrug shoulders)
Anyhow, college was postponed for a year . . then another year . . .one thing led to another . .
Bottom line is Dr. Marsha Singleton D.M.D ends up Ms. Martha Singleton, old maid, stuck in this rut and nobody cares!
Whatever, . . . such is this wasted life I have been dealt.
Whatever . .
Left behind as life moves on without me.
Other folks get to do stuff . . . important things . .
But not Ms. Martha Singleton . . no way . . . Ms. Martha Singleton, old maid, broke down store owner in the middle of nowhere, . . . Ms. Martha Singleton, number one in the category of useless existence!

Mrs. Eula comes on stage smiling, looks through groceries

Marsha: Mrs. Eula over there, likely she is as close to a friend as I have! Don’t get me wrong, Mrs. Eula, a fine, fine woman, worthy friend, widow for many years, loves the Lord with all her heart.

Mrs. Eula picks up some groceries brings them to the counter

Mrs. Eula: Heavens but everything is getting expensive nowadays!

Marsha: Well, you gotta remember Mrs. Eula, us little guys we can’t compete with the big chain stores, Walmart and such.

Mrs. Eula: Oh my, no, Marsha, never would I say you don’t deserve every penny of your prices! Fact is I have no idea what us folks hereabouts would ever do without you and your fine store. Mercy if we had to go clean over to Walmart, why I just couldn’t do it is all. Fact is you are constant in my prayers, thanking God every day for the wonderful service you give us people.

Martha: Well, bless you for saying so, Mrs. Eula. . . . And how are things with you today?

Mrs. Eula: Well, you know how it is, mighty lonely since my husband passed on.

Martha: I am sure you are Mrs. Eula, but you were blessed with so many wonderful years with your husband.

Mrs. Eula: Oh my yes, magnificently blessed! My Edward was a wonderful husband, a great provider, all I could ever want.

Martha: And a fine upstanding Christian man!

Mrs. Eula: Edward was that all right. . . (looks at her watch) . . . Oh where is my mind? I have company coming in half an hour and I haven’t so much as dusted the living room!

Martha: My guess is that would not be a problem Mrs. Eula, folks could eat off your floor it’s all so tidy and neat.

Mrs. Eula: You have the gift, Martha, the gift of lifting folk’s spirits! Now how much do I owe you?

Martha: Let’s see . . . (goes through the items) . . . dollar twenty five, . . . ninety-eight cents, . . . dollar seventeen . . . that’s three dollars forty cents please.

Mrs. Eula, searching through her purse, embarrassed: Where did I . . . I know I had . . . (counts out change) . . two dollars . . and here’s three quarters . . ten, twenty, thirty . . (searches frantically) . . Where is my mind? . . . Look I will have to just leave the milk for today . . . oh but Edna is coming for tea and she never can take her tea without milk . . . .

Martha: Go on with you Mrs. Eula; pay me next time you are in.

Mrs. Eula: Oh but I can’t, you can’t afford selling your goods to folks who can’t pay.

Martha, chuckles: We both know you are good for three dollars forty cents, now go on, get ready for your company.

Mrs. Eula, takes Martha’s hands in hers: Bless you Marsha, don’t know what this neighbourhood would have done without you all these years! You are just an angel is what! . . And never do you let on all you do for folks! . . . Yes, an angel, . . a quiet angel! . . . I will be back in the morning with the money, I promise you!