Description

Expectation. Anticipation. Promise.
Four hundred years previously God promised to send a Messiah to save his chosen people.
Over the time that promise seemed to be more a cruel joke believed only by a small remnant of Israel people.
But for that small group of believers . . . . hope, assurance, belief remained that the promise would be delivered.
Grandfather and granddaughter rediscover the deliverance of that promise in the Christmas story, as many of the people involved firsthand in the birth of Jesus tell their story: Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and Wise Men, the innkeeper and his wife, Anna, Simeon and even Caesar Augustus and Herod.
This easily staged 12 scene drama looks at the promise and the delivery and sets the stage for another promise, this time given by the Messiah, Jesus, the Christ: “I will come back and take you with me.”

Cast: 20
Bible Reference: Luke 2
Set:

• • very little set preparation necessary. All scenes will be bare except for couch & footstool
  • Scene 11 & 12 will be manger scene
  • after Scene 2 and ongoing, the visual will go back that shown in Scene 1
  • items in italics are (props)
• Scene 1: Grandman (in rocking chair) & Jessica (pre-teen or early-teen) (on footstool) (Bible)
• Scene 2: Zechariah (old) & Gabriel (angel) (rag, hammer)
• Scene 3: Gabriel visits Mary (water bucket)
• Scene 4: Mary & Elizabeth (old)
• Scene 5: Joseph (in bed) (late 20’s to mid 30’s) & Gabriel
• Scene 6: Three Wisemen
• Scene 7: Caesar Augustus (old) & Mary, Joseph, Innkeeper and wife (middle age)
• Scene 8: Innkeeper’s wife
• Scene 9: Wisemen & Herod (middle age)
• Scene 10: 3 Shepherds & Gabriel
• Scene 11: manger scene Mary, Joseph, 3 shepherds, 3 wisemen  (doll wrapped in blanket representing baby)
• Scene 12: continue manger scene group

Sound: wireless mics as available

Song:

• in Scene 11 “Breath of Heaven” – Amy Grant  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8_475FKJWQ click here 
• in Scene 12 “This Little Child” Scott Wesley Brown 1988.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGmfUBH1sXQ. click here

Lighting: as available
SFX:
Props: see SET
Costumes:  traditional
Special Instructions:
Time: 120

Sample of script:

Grandfather sitting at extreme downside left position, rocking slowly, reading Bible. After a few seconds Jessica comes on stage, apprehensively looking to see if Grandman is sleeping, wondering if she should disturb him, sees he is awake, runs to him.

Grandman: Jessica! Where were you? Spying on me, weren’t you? I get it! Thought your old grandfather was sleeping, didn’t you?

Jessica: Well, I didn’t want to bother you if you were. Remember what you always say, Grandman, (mimics Grandman), “getting’ ta be an old cogger, ya know!”

Grandman, laughing: Yes, Jessica, I guess that’s what I do say, isn’t it? Seems like you know your old Grandman very well.

Jessica: I been wondering, Grandman, maybe now that I’m grown up, maybe I shouldn’t call you Grandman anymore. I started calling you Grandman when I was just a kid, maybe now it would sound better if I called you Grandfather.

Grandman: All grown up, huh? Well, personally I’ve always kinda liked Grandman, seems like Grandfather it’s, well, a bit heavy an formal, but, that’s up to you sweetheart.

Jessica: Well, maybe we had better say Grandfather, I mean, if my friends heard me call you Grandman, well, I mean, what would they say? And, maybe call me Jessica, not sweetheart, OK?

Grandman: No more sweetheart? But, I think that may be going a little far, I mean, I do love you a lot, and I like to call you sweetheart. Why, I call your Grandma sweetheart, you know that, she doesn’t mind, kinds likes it actually I think.

Jessica: Yes, Grandfather, but you’re married, and you’re both old, and your friends are used to you guys saying foolish stuff to each other.

Grandman: Thanks, Jessica, . . I think.

Jessica: Whatcha reading Grandman, er Grandfather?

Grandman: The Bible.

Jessica: Well I can see that! What story are you reading?

Grandman: Actually, I’m reading about the story of the expected visitor.

Jessica: “Expected visitor”? I don’t remember hearing that Bible story.

Grandman: Oh, yes, sweetheart, . .er, . .Jessica, right here in the Bible alright.

Jessica: Strange, never heard that. Could you tell me that story, please?

Grandman: Why don’t I just read it to you?

Jessica: Well, if it’s all the same with you, Grandman, I kinda prefer the stories you tell them. Except for “Noah and His Jetstream Seado”, I mean, really, Grandman, you did kinda bad go over the line on that one, didn’t you?

Grandman: “Noah and His Jetstream Seado”? Why, I kinda liked that and . . .

Jessica: Give it up Grandman! That story was a stinkeroo! But, that’s ok, like you always say, (mimics) nobody’s gonna be at the top of their game everyday. (end of mimic) Tell me the story of the Expected Visitor. Oh, and just before you start, stay away from any talk of David and his heat-sensing slingshot, that one’s not gonna fly either! Just so’s you know, ok?

Grandman: Really, sweetheart . . . .

Jessica: . . . .that would be Jessica . .

Grandman: Not fair! You called me Grandman, I heard you!

Jessica: Yeh, well, habit I guess. And, I’m a kid, I deserve a break! Now, Grandfather, get on with the story! You know how long you take telling a story. I would kinda like if this story was finished before Christmas, K?

Grandman: Sorrrreeeeeeeeeee! Well, why don’t you just sit here on my footstool, lean back against your old Grandfather here, and I’ll tell you the story. Why I remember it as well as it was two thousand years ago.

Jessica: Grandfather! The story . . . . .

Grandman: I’m tellin’! I’m tellin’! (actors settle in) See there was this group of people . . . .

Jessica: Like a family, right?

Grandman: Well, like a big family, a tribe you might say. . . . . they had been expecting a visitor. This, this, family, they had been picked on and put down so many times, well, they were just at their wits end. So they hoped, prayed you might say, for a . . . a visitor, to come and lead them, to make them strong, so they could defend themselves.

Jessica: An army general with lots of bazookas and missiles in his backpack, huh, Grandman?

Garndman: Exactly, Jessica. That’s the visitor they were expecting would come. And, wooohooooooo, did they have a shock coming!

Jessica: Major shockeroo, huh, Grandman?

Grandman: You gotta know it, sweetheart. There was this guy, worked in army central, he was serving his time in the commander’s office, getting things cleaned up, when, all of a sudden . . . .

Lights down on rocking chair area, up on upstage right.

Scene 2  Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah (Luke 1:12-18)

Cast: Zechariah and angel, Gabriel.
Zechariah holds rag and hammer

Zechariah, looking around in fear, What is happening? God Almighty, protect me!

Spotlight on Gabriel immediately comes up on stage right. Zechariah drops his tool and rag in fear.

Zechariah, slowly sinking to his knees: Who are you?

Gabriel: Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. I have come to give you exciting news!

Zechariah: News? News of what?

Gabriel: God has heard your prayers! He will grant you and Elizabeth a son, and you will call him John.

Zechariah: A son! thinks: My son!

Gabriel: Yes! John will be well respected by many because of God’s favour for him. Remember, however, that he must never drink wine.

Zechariah, speechless, in shoc:k Yes, yes. Never drink wine.

Gabriel: John will be exceptional. As soon as he is born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit and he will return many people of Israel to the Lord their God.

Zechariah: My son will do all this?

Gabriel: Yes, Zechariah. John will bring the wicked to obedience and will turn the hearts of fathers to their children. He will prepare the people for the Lord our God.

Zechariah: But, how? How can any of this be possible? Common sense would tell you that this just simply couldn’t be! Why, just look at me! My wife and I, well we are old! Far too old to have children now! This just couldn’t happen!