Description

Roots of the CMA denomination

Theme:

 

This drama was written to recognize the proud heritage of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church and to identify the very significant and continuing contribution of  Alliance Women's movement over the years.  It identifies some of the people who have played major roles in creating and supporting the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church and praises God for their contribution.  The storyline has a family of women of various ages, discussing the roots of this proud heritage which these key people have left for this and future generations of women involved in the C&MA.  This storyline was adapted from material originally supplied by the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church.

In the original presentation we used a real-life missionary, Lois Thiessen, who was home on furlough from Peru.  We would suggest that churches staging this drama should utilize a missionary and make minor changes as required in the script to accommodate the change in missionary.

 

Cast:

 

Front – stage parts: 

Grandma – senior    

Norma – middle 40's  

Catherine – older daughter – late teens

Wendy – younger daughter, 8 – 10 years old 

 

 

Rear – stage parts:  

A. B. Simpson – senior

Louise Shepherd (1890 time frame)

Mabel Francis  (1909 time frame, but dressed in contemporary clothing)

Miss Fisher  (1966 time frame)

Missionary (Lois Thiessen)

 

Rear stage characters will likely use their own voices on tape, however other voices could be used.  For taped voices choose those with good expressive voices.  Use care however to use different voices so that audience will feel that these are different persons talking.

The rear stage actors will be behind scrim, as indicated below, for initial portion of the performance.  For the final appearances the rear stage actors will come out on front stage, (from behind scrim).  They will go to various parts of the stage where they will then freeze, in order that when Lois Thiessen comes on stage she is able to wander around among these "picture memories".

 

Props:

Construct a large picture frame Upstage with scrim covering the entire picture.  This will permit actors behind the scrim to be invisible when the front lights are on but visible when the lights behind the scrim are turned on.  (For further information on the use of scrim, eMail [email protected]). 

The area in front of the picture frame at Downstage Right will be a living room design with an overstuffed chair and a couch, with a coffee table in front, on which are a globe and a photo album.

Have a large picture album, a globe and a newspaper on an end table near the chair.

Use slides as indicated in script to highlight the various scenes.  EMAIL DramaShare and we will arrange to have slides made up for you, or will forward graphics to be used in local production of slides.         

 

Lighting:

Two spotlights in front of the stage and two at floor height behind the scrim.  Have house lights down when drama is being played.  Each time, when creating the transition from front stage to back stage action, gradually bring front lights down during the last sentence from the front stage actor and at the same time bring the back lights up gradually.  Have the back stage actor in position to take on his or her opening line.  In this way there will be no break, it will appear that front stage actor's words drift right into back stage actor's words.

 

Costumes:

Normal leisure wear for all actors in front of picture frame, Grandma should be dressed appropriately for her age and for the fact that she has just returned from a church function.

All actors on rear stage except Mabel Francis and Miss Fisher will be dressed in turn of century clothing, (time frames as indicated above).

 

 

Sound:

All actors on rear stage have voices pre-taped, in order that these actors can pace back and forth, "thinking rather than saying" their lines.  When playing these taped lines ensure that the tape comes on quickly with no delays.  I would rather have the tape "steal" a few words away from the actor, rather than the actor finish their lines only to wait for the tape to take over.  The taped words are meant to be a memory and therefore the live words must drift directly into the taped words.

Mikes for those on front stage, (ensure that all mikes are hidden as much as possible), these four actors will not be moving at all so miking will be very localized in front of the coffee table, (which is immediately in front of couch / chair).  Lois Thiessen needs to use lapel mike, ensure that it is set out, ready and tested in advance.

 

Staging:

Drama takes place in a family living room.  The armchair and couch, (chair to Stage Right of couch), will be Downstage of the picture frame in order not to obscure audience's view of the actors behind the scrim.  The picture frame and those behind the scrim should be on a level higher than those acting in front of the picture frame.

 

Script:

Prior to drama opening have slide #1 showing the logo of "Our Roots . . . Your Mission".  As drama opens, Grandma comes on stage, sits in chair and picks up newspaper.  Turn off slide projector.  Leave approx. 30 seconds then Norma, Catherine and Wendy come on stage, sit on couch, (in following order Stage Right to Left: Catherine, Wendy, Grandma, Norma).

 

Norma: Hi Mom.  We thought we'd drop over to spend a minute with you.  Hope we're not getting you at a bad time.

 

Grandma:  Oh, hello Norma, I'm so glad you came!  Come in and sit down, dear!  And my grandchildren!  Catherine.  Wendy.  Come give your old grandmother a hug!  It's good to see you, dears!

 

Norma sits on couch.  Girls hug Grandma then sit on couch, as indicated above.

 

Norma:  My don't you look nice, Mom!  Have you been out somewhere?

 

Grandma:  Well yes, Norma, as a matter of fact I just got in from church.  It was the Alliance Women's meeting.  My, what a lovely time we had!  There was a missionary from Peru, Lois Thiessen, who is back on furlough.  Lois talked to us about the fine things God is doing in Peru.  I'm so sorry that you couldn't be there today Norma.  You would have thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

Norma:  Yes, well, I just couldn't today, Mom.  I had too many things on my plate today.

 

Wendy:  I thought you said you were at a jewelry party at the country club today, Mom.  Why didn't you go with Grandma?

 

Norma, embarrassed:  Er, Wendy, yes I was at the country club.  We had a very important meeting today!  And one of the features was a jewelry party, for a good cause, of course.  I bought this lovely watch, isn't it gorgeous?

 

Catherine:  Why would anyone want to be a missionary, Grandma?  It must be an awful career.  We had Career Days at school last week.  Lots of careers were discussed.  We had a representative from the Missionary Society and she told us how exciting her job was.  I told her that I wouldn't do that job for a million dollars!

 

Grandma chuckles:  You know that's exactly what our missionary said today too!

 

Wendy:  I don't understand Grandma!  If she wouldn't do it for a million dollars, then, well, why is she doing it?

 

Grandma:  She says what she's doing is so important that she does it without getting a million dollars.  She's spreading the Word of God to all the nations, just as Jesus commanded.  You know, our church was formed for just that reason, to spread the Word of God throughout the world.  A. B. Simpson himself had that thought central in his mind.

 

Wendy:  A. B. Simpson, who's that Grandma?  Does he go to our church?

 

Grandma:  Oh, no Wendy.  Dr. Simpson lived many, many years ago.  Say, just pass me that photo album, Norma.  I believe that I have a picture of Dr. Simpson.

 

Norma hands picture album to Grandma who looks through several pages.

 

Grandma:  Yes, there he is!  Albert Benjamin Simpson! 

 

Wendy:  What did he do, Grandma?

 

Grandma:  Do?  Why he was the founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, dear!  He was a fine, fine man!  And he truly loved and feared God!  His desire was that all the world might hear the message of salvation.

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