Description
An easily staged reading explores those involved in the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, the shepherds, angels, wise men, Herod, Mary and Joseph, and how they acted and interacted.
Cast: 15, can be modified up or down
Script:
written for 15 readers, can easily be adjusted for more or less readershave as many standing mics and music stands as possible, practice use of mics
1st reader: The Roman government wanted to get more and more taxes from the people.
2nd reader: So the Roman leader, Caesar Augustus, ordered that all the people must go to their hometowns where everyone would register.
3rd reader: This way all the poor people would have to pay taxes they couldn’t afford so the Roman leaders would get rich.
4th reader: Joseph, being a descendant of King David, had to take Mary and travel the long, hard road to Bethlehem, since Bethlehem was the hometown of King David.
5th reader: By this time the birth of Jesus was very near, so this trip was very hard on Mary.
6th reader: By the time they finally arrived in Bethlehem it was time for Jesus to be born.
7th reader: With hundreds of travellers in Bethlehem for the census, the town was overrun by people, and there was no rooms left when Joseph and Mary arrived.
8th reader: All that was available for the birth of the son of God was a dark and dusty old barn out behind the hotel.
9th reader: And it was there in that barn that night that the baby, the son of God, was born.
10th reader: Mary wrapped little Jesus in strips of cloth, called swaddling, which was what the people of that time used for baby clothes.
11th reader: In the valley below Bethlehem that night there were a group of shepherds, serving by guarding the temple sheep.
12th reader: Being late at night most of the shepherds were asleep. . . but not for long!
13th reader: Suddenly the sky exploded, . . . with light . . and with beautiful singing!
14th reader: You can just imagine how frightened the shepherds were, being jolted out of their sleep!
15th reader: But the angels calmed the fears of the shepherds:
have roughly half of the readers say the words of the shepherds, and the other half say the words of the angels. This should be spoken in unison and as such should be practiced carefully
Angels: There is no need for you to be afraid!
This is good news, and it will make you, and all the people who hear, very happy!
Tonight, just up the hill in Bethlehem, in a stable, you will find a baby boy born.
But not just any baby boy . . . this baby is none other than the Messiah, the saviour of the world.
Go right now and find him!
You will know him because he is wearing baby clothes and laying in a bed of hay.
15th reader: All of the angels were so excited! . . . They shouted out:
Angels: Praise God in heaven!
The peace of God to each one of God’s people!
15th reader: After the angels left . . and after the shepherds stopped trembling . .. the shepherds said to each other:
Shepherds: Hurry, let’s go!
Surely we all want to see the baby Jesus!
We were told who he is.
And we know where to find him.
It’s the chance of a lifetime!
Let’s go quickly!
This entire script is available free of charge to DramaShare members or non-members may purchase the individual script
