Actors needed: 6 (Teacher, 14 students, 1 back voice)
Time: 15 minutes
Proposed audience: Christmas play for anyone
Theme: Learning different lessons through the characters involved in the nativity of Christ
Scene 1:
It was a busy Monday morning in the month of December when Miss Nikhita walks into the hallway with a list in her hands. The drama club students were eagerly waiting to know which role each one would perform in the upcoming Christmas play.
Student 1: Good morning Mam, which role do I play. Mam, tell us soon, we can’t wait.
Teacher: Student 1 you have to learn patience (smiles). Ok. Here is the list. Student 1 you are Joseph, student 3 you are a star.
Student 3: Oh ma’am, you don’t have to tell me. I know I am a star. In fact, I am a superstar.
Teacher: Hey, don’t go flying already, I said you perform the role of a bright shiny Christmas time star.
Student 4: I guess that means, no dialogue for this superstar (laughs).
Teacher: Ok, leave the jokes behind. Let me continue. Student 4, 5, 6 you are shepherds. Student 7, 8, 9 you are all angels. Student 8, you would be angel Gabriel. Then, let us see, we have the role of 3 wise men. Oh, there you go, our school science wizard student 10, you are a wise man, student 11 and student 12 you also join with him. And finally, student 13, you are the one who owns the manger and gave it for the birth of Jesus. I almost forgot. Student 2, you are Mary.
Student 2: Mam, I knew it. Well, me being the princess of this school. I knew I would be the one, the most important one in any program. I promise I would act well; I am sure I would be perfect.
Student 1: Oh, if it isn’t about Miss “I am perfect”. Mam, I don’t wanna act with her. She is so pompous; can I do some other role.
Teacher: Children, I have not even told you the Christmas story, you have started your petty fights already. Now listen, this is the Christmas story – Angel Gabriel told Virgin Mary that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Joseph was informed through a dream that he should not leave her. The shepherds were told about the birth of Jesus by angels and the wise men were guided by a star, to the place where Jesus lived. In the final scene, we have Jesus being born in a manger after an innkeeper says no to Joseph and Mary. Well, that reminds me, I have forgotten all about an innkeeper.
Student 14: (stammering) Mam, sorry I am late. At least this time, could I participate in the Christmas program. Please, Mam. I really want to.
Teacher: You are right on time, student 14. You will be the innkeeper. You just have to say. “There is no room for you here”.
Student 14: (stammering) There is no room for you here.
(Rest of the students laugh at him).
Teacher: Children, don’t make fun of him. Now, why don’t you start practicing? I have not given you any dialogue, just speak what your heart says, I have some work, I’ll do it and simultaneously supervise you.
Manger owner: I thought at least here I would get to be the owner of a big hotel kind of an inn. Mam, can I have that role?
Teacher: Student 13, Jesus will be born in your manger, are you not happy about that. (Teacher leaves)
Manger owner: Well then, I am the savior of the story, the Hero. The redeemer of the innocent, the provider to the poor. I guess I should be very proud of my role.
Scene 2:
Mary: Let us start our practice. Student 14, can you run and get some water for me.
(Runs to get water, others get ready selecting costume and talking among themselves, Mary takes her water bottle and drinks water.)
Student 14: Here Mary, water for you. (Then practices his line, talking to himself)
Mary: Oops, forgot that I had a bottle of water. No thank you.
Student 14: It's ok Mary, no problem. There is no room here. There is no room here.
(Mary gives him a sarcastic look, then starts practice.)
Gabriel: Virgin Mary, good tidings to you. Do not be afraid.
Mary:(stresses on the word I) Who said I am afraid. I never am. Actually, before going through the dialogue, I want to decide on the costume. I want to wear this shiny red gown, it has bead and stonework all over, I would look pretty, everyone would see me, and I feel I should say the opening dialogue. I was thinking I could….
(Interrupted by Joseph)
Joseph: Please, will you stop. You are all about yourself. Whining, boasting, thinking you should decide everything. I hate it that I have to act with you (storms out of the place).
Mary: But I just wanted things to go my way. Is it wrong? Shouldn’t I be the one who decides what happens in my life and why shouldn’t I be proud of what I am? Why is it so wrong?
Gabriel: I guess you didn’t you listen to ma’am when she was telling the story. Things didn’t go as planned for Mary, the mother of Jesus too. When she heard God’s plan for her life, she did seem puzzled. Though she knew it would be tough, she said yes. All we could see in her was humility and total surrender to God’s will. I think the Christmas story would never have happened if Mary asked the same questions as you.
Mary: Let us start fresh, let's go through it once again.
Gabriel: Virgin Mary, Greetings, do not be afraid, for God is with you. The Holy Spirit will fill you and You will give birth to a son and you will name Him Jesus.
Mary: I am the Lord’s servant; I surrender to His will.
Scene 3:
Joseph:(Reading a book) I don’t know what is happening in the practice session. I don’t want to go there.
Back voice: Hey Joseph.
Joseph: Who is this?
Back voice: Come on, it’s a back voice, you should have guessed, who else would it be other than your conscience.
Joseph: Ok. I am listening. Of course, you have come to advise me, so do it soon and be done with it.
Back voice: Do you remember the time, when you let your Dad down. You disappointed him because of the mistake you did.
Joseph: I remember it clearly. I did a mistake, I agree. But everybody makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect. I still remember how hurt I felt when he stormed out on me. I pretended like I did not care. But it hurt deep down. I cannot forget that.
Back voice: Well, just like you have your shortcomings, Mary has hers. Why did you complain about her like that?
Joseph: You don’t know. She doesn’t care. Or else, (Pauses and thinks) I at least thought so. Maybe, I was a bit harsh. I think I should go talk to her. Hey, all of you (looking at the crowd), I know I am in the middle of a drama, but guys, do listen to your conscience, it will be good for you if you do so.
Back voice: Of course, I am right. I am glad you agree with me. I am right inside you, call me when you want to.
Joseph:(To Mary) I am sorry if I was rude.
Mary: No problem. Someone needed to tell me that. When a person is wrong, who else, other than a friend, could bring her back on track? Come. Let us practice.
Scene 4:
(Entering from the other side of the stage, 3 wise men and the star. The wise men enter with the costume, and ancient travelers’ items like scrolls and bags)
Wise man 1: I am glad, Mam called me a science wizard, but I disagree with the fact that those stargazers are called wise men. In fact, they have to be called Foolish men.
Star: Why do you say so. They were the ones who followed the star and rightly went and saw Jesus. Why do you say they are foolish?
Wise man 1: Well, to begin with, scientifically speaking, virgin birth is not possible. Secondly, logically speaking, how could such a thing be written as prophesy, thousands of years ago. Thirdly, geographically speaking, they should not trust stars, they could have taken maps or scholar advice. Rationally speaking, they were blindly heading somewhere.
Wise man 3: Wise man 1, even the Bible does not say that virgin births happen all the time. The virgin birth is a miracle and it happened just once in all humanity. If you are going to assume that miracles and prophecies can never be true, you’ll never accept it even if a mountain of evidence is given to you. So, it is not them, you are the one who is heading somewhere blindly. God gives us so much evidence of His presence and power even today. After seeing it, will you trust Him and commit yourself to Him through faith is the question.
Wise man 1: Thanks, Wise man 3. I didn’t realize that I was assuming that miracles can never happen and then was saying that there is no evidence. I need to read the Bible again, with an open mind. For, I do know in my heart that there are so many things science can’t begin to explain. Maybe, science was never meant to answer those questions.
Wise man 2: The God who created both your heart and mind, wouldn’t want you to keep your brain out and then come close to Him. Ask all these questions and even more. But ask them with the right mind. And I am sure you would find the right path that brings you to God. Talking about the path, why is the star shining dimly today. What happened, why are you dull?
Star: I am useless. I don’t even have a dialogue. My presence is not necessary at all.
Wise man 3: What are you saying? If it weren’t for the star, the wise men would not have made it to Jesus.
Wise man 1: The star which shone that day, did not know about how helpful it was for the wise men. It just did its duty. Similarly, we touch so many lives each day. We just don’t know it. Be just and fear not my friend, the reward is on its way. Let us go practice.
Student 14: There is no room here. There is no room here
Star: Hey, now I know who really is the foolish man. Him. (All point finger at him and laugh, he laughs with them sheepishly).
Scene 5:
Shepherd 1: I thought that at least in drama, I’ll be rich. In this also, I am this poor, outcast, smelly shepherd. Who wants a shepherd!
Shepherd 2: Apparently, according to the Christmas story, Jesus wanted shepherds to meet Him right.
Shepherd 1: I just wish, I had more money like you. I could have all that I wanted. Then probably, pretending to be a poor shepherd in the drama won’t hurt.
Shepherd 2: Don’t say that. You know, Virgin Mary was not wealthy.
Shepherd 3: Joseph was not a landlord.
Angel 1: Jesus himself spoke of Him as a shepherd.
Angel 2: The shepherds were the first ones to get a divine musical invitation for Jesus’ birthday party.
Shepherd 3: You know what they say. If wealth is lost, nothing is lost.
Angel 1: Don’t lose your heart, nor your faith. Comparing to any riches you could ever imagine, having Jesus in your life is all that you could ever ask for.
Angel 2: Amen to that.
Shepherd 3: Shepherds, if we don’t start searching on time, we might not be able to see Jesus (smiles). So, let us go practice.
Scene 6:
(Shepherds practicing in one corner, wise men in the other, main stage taken by Mary, Joseph, and Manger owner, and innkeeper.)
Innkeeper: There is no room here. There is no room here. There is no room here. . .
Manger owner: Oh now, will you stop chanting the same sentence over and over again. If you repeat in this rate, probably, I also might end up saying the same sentence. How funny it will be, think! No room anywhere, poor Mary, she will not know what to do on stage. (Laughs).
(They start practicing, Mary starts acting as if she could not even walk, Joseph also starts pretending to get tensed)
Joseph: Mary, Oh Mary, just bear a little, we’ll reach Bethlehem, there will be room somewhere.
Mary: I cannot walk. I am too tired. It is paining too much.
Joseph: Just a little more. (Prays) God, our heavenly Father, help us in our journey. Please show us a place to stay. (Tries searching for a place) Mary, God has answered our prayers. There it is. An inn. Come with me, we will ask the innkeeper for help. Sir, my wife is carrying a baby, we are walking too long. Could we stay in your inn tonight?
Innkeeper:(baffled and standing confused, not knowing what to say) There is… There is...
Mary:(tries to fill in the awkward silence) Sir, please have mercy on us. Could we stay here?
Innkeeper: How can I ever no to the mother of my Jesus. Jesus, please come to my heart. Come to my home. Come, please. There is plenty of room.
(Everyone awestruck)
Manger owner: Oh Innkeeper, you made us all understand the real meaning of Christmas. Christmas is love. God’s love for humanity. The same love we have to show others.
Mary: Mam, can I accept the innkeeper’s invitation to his inn mam. I know Jesus, He would never say no to this. Mam please. . .
Teacher: Oh! my dear Children. How much I have learnt from you during this practice. From you student 8, that we have to humbly surrender to God’s will. From you student 1, that we have to see people past their mistakes and shortcomings. From you students 11 and 13, that faith can cross boundaries that science cannot. From you students 3 and 10 that if we let our light shine before men, we glorify our heavenly Father. From the shepherds’ and angels’ we learnt that we should not count our social differences, but our blessings. Finally, from you students 13 and 14, the real meaning of Christmas. For God did love us all so much, that He gave His one and only son Jesus, that if we love and believe Him, we have everlasting life.
THE END. . . . . .
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