Description

David fights Goliath. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Come and see it!
Watch as hometown favorite David, the untrained, unarmed, inexperienced stripling of a boy has at it with Goliath, the mighty giant warrior from Philistine! Get yer programs here!

Cast: 14

• Also See Special Instructions
• Narrator A
• Narrator B
• Narrator C
• Narrator D
• Shield Bearer
• David
• Saul
• Peggy
• Alice
• Elsa
• Rhonda
• crowd

Bible Reference: 1Samuel 17:21

Set: blank

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions:

• Cast: Four narrators, (can be combined), speak while any number of actors (Group 1) mime out the words, while off to the side a number of actors (Group 2) silently watch the action going on. Be very careful to show active, yet appropriate actions as the message displayed by Group 1 will later be the basis of Group 2’s discussion.
  Groups will be as large or small as availability of actors dictates

Time: 15

Sample of script:

Group 2 actors come on stage, sitting at stage left. Philistines from Group 1 enter to stand at centerstage

Narrator A: Now back in the time of King Saul, the Philistines and the people of Israel were constantly at war. On one occasion the Philistines got their armies together, and took up their position for battle between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim in the land of Judah.

Israelites from Group 1 enter to stand at stage right

Narrator B: And King Saul and the armies of Israel came out to meet the Philistine armies and took up their position in the valley of Elah.

Two groups stand glaring at each other

Narrator A: The Philistines were stationed on the mountain on one side and Israel on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

Goliath and his shield bearer come out of the Philistine group. To make Goliath stand out more have him stand on some kind of raised platform, where he stands looking down, sneering at Israelites, who cower before him

And a fighter, named Goliath of Gath, came forward from the ranks of the Philistines; he was more than six cubits tall.

Narrator B: Goliath was a fearsome sight, dressed from head to toe in armor and armed for battle.

Narrator A: And he had a helmet of brass on his head, and was dressed in a massive coat of metal weighing 200 pounds, enough to make an ordinary man stagger under the weight.

Narrator B: His legs were protected with plates of brass and hanging on his back was a spear of brass. The stem of his spear was as long as a weaver’s rod, the head of the spear alone weighed twenty-five pounds. Goliath’s shield bearer walked before him into battle.

Narrator A: Goliath took up his position and in a loud scream mocked the armies of Israel:

Goliath takes a step forward, gestures and mimes talking

Narrator C: Why are you here, everyone knows you haven’t the courage to make war! Here I am, a Philistine and you are lowly servants of Saul. Listen to me, find a man brave, or foolish, enough to fight me one on one. If he is able to overcome me, then we will be your servants: but if I am able to overcome him, then you will be our servants and do work for us. Look at you, I have put you, the armies of Israel, to shame today; come, give me a man so that we may have a fight together.

Narrator B: And Saul and all Israel, hearing those words of the Philistine giant, were troubled and full of fear.

Israel people mime fear, David moves out from group

Narrator A: Now David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem-judah, the youngest of eight sons. Jesse was an old man, and far on in years.

Narrator B: David’s older brothers were in Saul’s army. Young David divided his time between serving in Saul’s household and also looking after his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

Narrator A: Every morning and evening for forty days, Goliath came out to taunt Saul’s army.

Narrator B: Early one morning David took some food and supplies to his brothers in the valley of Elah, where the army of Israel were camped. As David arrived Saul’s army was going out to the fight, giving their war-cry.

David talks with his brothers, Goliath, wanders closer, bringing on worried looks from Israel army