Description
It is Good Friday . . and all hope is gone . .
Jesus, the promised one has been arrested, tried, convicted and crucified . .
And for the disciples . . it is . . . finished . .
This human video, (mime to music), script with original music tells the story of what it must have felt like to the disciples “on the ground” . . . while the dancers tell a visual story.
Cast: 5+ m or f
- Narrator (male or female, could be offstage voice)
- Singer (or singers) offstage, could be taped in advance
- D1 is the primary dancer
- DA are all other dancers, any number
Bible Reference: Luke 23
Set: blank
Sound: wireless mics if available
Song:
- “Without You” by DramaShare, available online or contact DramaShare
- Based on the Michael Bolton song “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?”
Lighting: as available but with ability to darken set
SFX: none
Props: none
Costumes: standard
Special Instructions: none
Time: 9
Sample of script:
narrator comes on stage, or offstage voice
Narrator:
It is Good Friday, Jesus has been arrested, tried in a sham trial, sentenced to be killed on a cross.
The followers of Jesus are scattering, afraid for their lives, the many people who waved palm branches and declared Jesus the Messiah are now either silent or are now demanding his death.
The few remaining disciples, (mainly women), come to the cross, hoping against all odds that this prophet who gave life to so many will now triumphantly come down from the cross.
But Jesus doesn’t come down from that cross, and to the few remaining disciples . . . it is . . finished!
I have always believed that (most) of the traditional Good Friday celebrations in (most) Christian churches do us a disfavour by relating the events of Good Friday as though the people there at the trial and crucifixion of Jesus had the advantage of hearing “the rest of the story” . . as though they knew Jesus would somehow triumph over death. . .. But those people on the spot could only judge by what they were seeing before their eyes. . .. And their eyes saw Jesus’ lifeless body. . . All hope was now gone.
It seems to me that the thought on the minds of those heartbroken disciples watching their teacher, their friend, their promised Messiah dying there at the cross must have been . . .
“How am I supposed to live without you?”
And so I ask you, would you please try to take yourself back in time, . . to be standing there at the foot of the cross . .
Try to remove from your mind the knowledge you have learned of the miracle of Easter Sunday . . for these happenings those disciples on Good Friday could not know.
It is Good Friday . .
It is a very black and hopeless day . .
And in your mind . . he is dead! . . .
D1 comes on stage from upstage, slow, hesitating, rhythmic steps
Singer: I just couldn’t believe it
D1 moves slowly to center stage, emotion is concern, frown
DA come on stage from upstage wings, slowly move toward D1, sad, concerned look
Singer: When I heard the news today
D2 move closer to D1, touch shoulder, emotion as though confiding
D1 reacts in shock and disbelief
Singer: I had to come and see if it was true
D1 slowly moves a few steps downstage center
DA move a few steps toward offstage, go to knee, bow heads
Singer: You’d said you were leavin’
D1 falls to knees, face upward, hands outstretched, shock
DA move toward D1, in support, concern
Singer: You were going to go away
D1 shakes head slowly in disbelief
DA mime “no!” in disbelief
Singer: I hoped that’s just a parable from you
DA smile, nod heads in agreement, assuring D1
D1 bows head
Singer: So tell me of the future,
D1 looks up, hands outstretched
DA focus on D1
Singer: . . does this mean our dreams are shattered?
D1 falls to floor on hands and knees, face to the floor
DA sadly, slowly move a few steps upstage and toward offstage, faces looking somewhat downward and offstage
Singer: Tell me now I’ve simply got to know
D1 looks in downstage direction, frightened, pleading, hands outstretched at shoulder height
DA remain motionless, focusing downward and toward offstage
Singer: Tell me how am I supposed to live without you
D1 stands, slowly moves a few steps downstage, hands outstretched at shoulder height
D2 maintain the location toward offstage, move in downstage direction to same degree as D1
Singer: Tell me how I can continue strong
D1 very emotional, looking upward
DA look at each other, shake heads negatively
Singer: How am I supposed to live without you
DA turn, looking downward, turn backs to audience
D1 looks sadly at DA
Singer: And how am I supposed to carry on
DA start moving slowly upstage, backs to audience
D1 runs to downstage center, emotional, looks upward, hands outstretched
Singer: Is all that we’ve been praying for now gone?
D1 turns back to audience, slowly moves upstage
DA back to audience at upstage locations, spread across the stage, go to knees, bow heads
In the next verse D2 become the crowd scene and/or the soldiers, D1 is alone against the rest
Singer: I came here to Golgotha
DA form lines at both sides of stage, as though watching what is going on at downstage center
D1 moves slowly, hesitatingly from upstage to centerstage, emotion fear
Singer: Heard the screams of angry men
DA mime screaming, hatred on faces, shake fists toward downstage center
D1 looking fearfully at the crowd, from side to side and then downstage center
Singer: Those who praised with palms
DA continue as above
D1 continues as above
Singer: . . . now shouting “Crucify!”