CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Copyright C 2004 by Roger Iverson
4418 North 32nd Street
Tacoma, Washington 98407
(253) 759-0786
[email protected]
For
First Lutheran Church
Tacoma, WA
December 12, 2004
5:00pm
Not to be produced outside of First Lutheran Church, Tacoma, WA without the expressed, written consent of the author.
Characters:
DAD M. 30-45. Not too bright but thinks he�s quite clever.
SON M. 10-14. Is clever, quite. Patient with his dad.
VOICE M. 30-99. Low, rumbling sound.
TABITHA F. 11-15. One of Mary�s best friends. Thinks about boys.
AMANDA F. 11-15. One of Mary�s best friends. Concentrates on boys.
MYRANDA F. 11-15. One of Mary�s best friends. Meditates on boys.
CHRISTINA F. 11-15. One of Mary�s best friends. Revels in boys.
MARY F. 14. Mother to be. Sweet, sincere and of course beautiful.
GABRIEL F/M. Ageless. Small. Very small but can project enormous rage/compassion.
JOSEPH M. 35. A little conceited. Not altogether there.
SHEPHERD 1 F/M. 7-9. Smallest of the three brothers. Concerned and capable.
SHEPHERD 2 M. 15-19. Tall, dumb and tan.
SHEPHERD 3 M. 15-19. Tall, dumb and tan.
CAPT. F/M. 4-7. Commander without a command.
SHEEP 1 F/M. 4-7. Scared.
SHEEP 2 F/M. 4-7. Hungry.
SHEEP 3 F/M. 4-7. Wheezy.
Music:
O Come, O Come Emanuel:
Karen Moats, Jon Rodin, Tom Roberts & Dan Banken (SATB)
Magnificat: Soren Iverson (Boy Soprano)
And the Angel Said Unto Them: Jon Rodin (Countertenor)
Glory to God:
Karen Moats, Jon Rodin, Tom Roberts & Dan Banken (SATB)
Away in a Manger: Soren Iverson (Boy Soprano)
Neil Hulbert�s organ on Messiah. His piano for Lo, How a Rose �er Blooming, Away in a Manger and In a Bleak Midwinter.
Production Notes:
All characters live in their world but look and sound modern. They wear what young girls and adolescent boys wear today. There are no bath robes or tinsel halos but sheep should be woolly and angels angelic. Candles and flashlights are used for effect. If the tiny sheeplings are not up to their scene it should be cut.
Director�s Notes:
As a writer, tinkering with the Bible is always scary. If I indulge myself too far afield, the point is lost and the multitudes get mad, but if I remain historically narrow, the camels make a mess on the carpet. I wanted to do three things with this most beautiful of stories: show the importance of little ones, make it an intergenerational event, and bring it close to home for our young actors. I hope I have, and I hope you enjoy it!
Costumes:
Prelude
Four hooded robes
Scene 1
Dad stuff
Son stuff
Dark silhouette
Scene 2
Mary in blue?
Three girls
GABRIEL clothes
Scene 3
Sundry sheep w/ caps
2 �gothic� shepherds
ANGEL/LORD gossamer
Scene 4
Sheep ears, noses
Scene 5
Props:
Four thick candles
3 flashlights for DAD and SON
V.O.
Flashlights behind silhouette
Water Fabric
Pillow for MARY, CAROL 2
Large Hammer w/ sound
V.O.
Someone under GABRIEL
Flashpot ?
Red and Green lights
Pencil and paper for JOE
Oversized boxing glove
LBW
Shepherd�s staffs
candle
2 sunglasses
SPOT on ANGEL OF THE LORD
Fan and smoke also ?
Grass straws to chew
Manger w/ light
Star
Fluttering angels on poles
Soft lights
candles
(Except for some candles, the lights are off.)
CAROL 1:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel --LBW 34
Men�s Plainsong. 2-3 verses
bell chords: 1,2 and 3
Scene 1
(DAD and SON come down the center aisle waving a flashlight, looking for something.)
DAD
(With flashlight. Going to the Crucifixion stained window.)
I know it�s here somewhere, Son. It has the whole story, you�ll see. Right down here. This is it. This is what I wanted to show you. Right there. I told you. Didn�t I tell you? Look. Look right there. Isn�t it beautiful? Behold, son. The stained glass Christmas story!
SON
Dad. I don�t think it looks like when He got born. It looks more like when He got dead.
DAD
No! �Oh. Yeah� You may be right, Son. Now that I have a clear view, it does have a kind of cross shape to it. �Let me see. I know Christmas is around here somewhere�
SON
Dad!
DAD
What?
SON
There are people here, staring at us!
DAD
Just ignore them.
(Both cross to Christmas stained glass.)
DAD
...Come here! It�s this one, Son. Look. This one is alive with Christmas... Behold: The stained glass Christmas story!
SON
I think you�ve hit it this time, Dad.
DAD
Look at the color, the majesty, the little, teeny, itty, bitty baby... That can�t be our God!?
SON
I believe that�s Him, Dad.
DAD
But they painted Him too small!
SON
That�s the way he was.
DAD
Well, Look At Him! Everyone and Anyone starts out like that!
(DAD and SON shine their lights on SON�s face.)
SON
I do believe that�s the idea, Dad.
DAD
I just wanted to teach you about the True Christmas story, about �GOD� and they paint me a baby.
SON
But that�s how it started. �In the beginning was the Word...�
DAD
Oh, I know this one! Genesis, right?! �In the beginning God created... Stuff...�
SON
The Gospel of John. ...�In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...�
(Lights out. Up Stage Lights on WATER FABRIC, with man�s silhouette [all black], Down Stage V. O. VOICE overlaps.)
VOICE (v.o.)
And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has understood it not.
(BLACK OUT.)
Scene 2
(MARY and other GIRLS come down Isle Right, with candles.)
GIRLS
Mary and Joseph sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage!
MARY
You guys are so immature!
TABITHA
Has he put his arm around you yet?
MARY
No!
AMANDA
Has he kissed you?
MARY
Yuck!
TABITHA
Oh, come on. You know you like him.
MARY
I know nothing of the kind.
TABITHA
Father says he�d make a fine catch for any girl because he has his own business. But his hands are probably full of slivers!
(GIRLS giggle.)
MARY
They are not!
MYRANDA
How do you know?
MARY
Because ...I held one.
CHRISTINA
You held his hand?!
AMANDA
You did not!
MARY
Actually he held my hand.
GIRLS
What was it like? No you didn�t! How was it? Did you like it?
MARY
His hands are rough and strong, thick with muscle. They wrap all the way around mine. But gentle. His hands are very gentle. Like they could catch a baby bird in flight, without letting one feather fall.
TABITHA and AMANDA
...You are so lucky...
CHRISTINA
Not lucky, girls. Blessed!
GIRLS
Yes, certainly! That�s right. Blessed from God. Yahweh has blessed you, Mary.
MARY
Well. Here I am. I�ll see you guys tomorrow?
MYRANDA
Sure.
MARY
Shalom.
GIRLS
Shalom, Mary. Shalom. Shalom.
CHRISTINA
Shalom, Highly Favored One.
(GIRLS exit.)
MARY
Shalom, Shalom... Mother, Father! Hello? (Goes into her �room�.) Oh. Father, I...
GABRIEL
Christina is right.
MARY
What are you doing...?
GABRIEL
She called you Highly Favored One. And so you are, Mary. The Lord is with you...
MARY
Get out! Mother! Fa...
GABRIEL
Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
MARY
But, who...?
GABRIEL
Come, Mary. You know me... From your dreams.
MARY
(MARY sits.)
My dream...
GABRIEL
I have more news for you, Highly Favored One. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.
MARY
How can this be, since I have never known a man?... You know, in the biblical sense.
GABRIEL
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called The Son of God.
CAROL 2
Magnificat
Soren sings with piano.
(As song proceeds, MARY and GABRIEL kneel at alter. MARY silently becomes pregnant.)
MARY
I must tell my loving betrothed! Joseph! Darling!
(MARY exits. We hear JOSEPH scream. MARY enters and crosses off other side, in tears.)
GABRIEL
Please don�t cry, Mary! Please!... MEN! Maybe... (Looking Heavenward.) Maybe I�ll just coax the boy along... If it�s OK with You. Oh, Joseph... Son of David... (Shakes him and yells in his face.) Joseph!!
JOSEPH
And she was round! With a great belly! Mommy...?!
GABRIEL
It�s me, Gabriel. But don�t worry. You�re dreaming...
JOSEPH
I�m asleep?
GABRIEL
Yes. (Hits JOSEPH with a hammer, O.S. SOUND.)
(JOSEPH loses conscious. GABRIEL grabs him by the ear, tugs him Down Stage.)
GABRIEL
Now, you listen to me, Buster! You�ve been giving my friend Mary a really hard time.
JOSEPH
Ow! In case you haven�t noticed, she�s pregnant! Ow...
VOICE (v.o.)
(As GABRIEL, who grows to a great height.)
Why I ought to smite you right here and now, human!
JOSEPH
No! Please! I�ll do anything!!
GABRIEL
(Back to normal height.)
Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
JOSEPH
...The What?
GABRIEL
The Holy Spirit!
JOSEPH
...Our Holy Spirit?
GABRIEL
Yes, you numskull! She will give birth to a son and... Are you writing this down?! (GABRIEL plucks a feather and hands it JOSEPH.) Here. Use this.
JOSEPH
(Writing.)
�Give birth to a (Sounding out.) s,o,n...�
GABRIEL
She will give birth to a son and you are to give Him the name Jesus...
JOSEPH
Wait. Jesus? How do you spell that?
GABRIEL
(Grabbing JOSEPH�s scroll and quill.)
...Give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.
JOSEPH
Wow! Heavenly handwriting!
GABRIEL
(Giving back JOSEPH�s scroll and pencil.)
That�s about enough out of you. Go back to sleep, Buckaroo!
JOSEPH
But I thought I already...
(With a boxing glove, GABRIEL knocks JOSEPH out.)
GABRIEL
(Heavenward.)
I told You we didn�t need men but do You listen to me? Nooooo!
DAD
And so you see Son, Joseph was a kind and loving husband to keep Mary as his wife even though he didn�t know her... In the biblical sense, that is.
SON
Dad. Do you know, �Lo, How a Rose is Growing�?
DAD
No. But if you sing a few bars, I�ll hum along!
SON
...It IS a song, Dad. An old tune, with an ancient text. With succinct counterpoint, Es Ist Ein Ros uses the metaphor of a rose bush to show that Christ is the direct descendent of Jesse... The father of David?
DAD
There are so many people in the Bible!
SON
Be that as it may, Dad, I thought maybe we could sing it together. I�ll start off with the first verse.
CAROL 3
Lo, How a Rose �er Blooming
SON sings v. 1
Piano
SON
Do you know it, Dad?
DAD
I�ll manage.
SON
And if all of you are not too busy staring at us, you could sing it too. It�s in the program.
CAROL 3 (Cont.)
Lo, How a Rose �er Blooming
Everyone sings v. 2 - 3
Piano
Scene 3
DAD
And in those days, Caesar Agustus made a degree that a consensus should be made....
SON
Caesar Agustus made a Decree that a Census should be Taken. A census, Dad. He wanted to count his people, not lead a management seminar.
DAD
Right. The highly effective king wanted to count how many people lived in his kingdom... Probably to tax everyone to pay for his private wars.
SON
If he was the strongest king in the world, why would he have to declare war on weaker countries?
DAD
...Don�t interrupt, Boy. Anyway... Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem...
SON
Bethlehem...
DAD
Bethlehem to be counted.
SON
You see, as a patriliniel society, every man went to the home town of his lineage to register. Joseph was a descendant of King David ergo he went to Bethlehem.
DAD
...Exactly! Who�s telling this story, anyway!
SON
You are, Dad. And doing quite a superfluous job, might I add.
DAD
Thank you, Son. The shepherds were abiding in a field, keeping watch over their flock by night!
SHEPHERD 1
(Scared. Singing �Silent Night� with one lit candle and staff.)
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is... Dark.
I�d give anything
To be in bed.
Wish my big brothers
Didn�t sneak off.
When we get back home
I�ll tell Dad.
He�ll make sure they get what�s theirs!
(SHEPHERD 1 whistles tune a little. SHEPHERD 2
and SHEPHERD 3 sneak up behind SHEPHERD 1.)
SHEPHERDS 2 and 3
Boo.
SHEPHERD 1
(Runs, yelling.)
Aaaaaahh! (Stops, looks at his brothers... Yells some more.) Aaaaaahh!
SHEPHERD 2
Shhhh! You�ll wake the whole country side, Dude!
SHEPHERD 1
Dad told you not to sneak off like that!
SHEPHERD 3
Lighten up, Little Man. We just went into town...
SHEPHERD 2
Look what we got!
SHEPHERD 3
Yeah, check this out...
SHEPHERD 2 and 3
Shepherds in sunglasses!
SHEPHERD 1
Why did you get sunglasses? We�re keeping watch over our flock by Night!
SHEPHERD 2
It�s that crazy star, Little Man.
SHEPHERD 3
It�s blinding us, Dude!
SHEPHERD 1
Look! There goes a lamb!
SHEPHERDS 2 and 3
(Blind. Groping.)
Where?
SHEPHERD 1
Never mind. I�ll get him myself. Once again, the world depends upon the little guy!
(SHEPHERD 1 chases CAPT. Off Stage.)
SHEPHERD 2
You are so cool in those shades, Dude.
SHEPHERD 3
No man. You are way cool.
SHEPHERD 2
I got it! You know what we are?
SHEPHERD 3
I�m with you, Brother, mine.
SHEPHERDS 2 and 3
We�re dual, cool, Dudes!
CAROL 4
And the Angel Said Unto Them --MESSIAH no. 15
Jon + Neil�s organ
(Not singing the first measure + 1.)
(During And the Angel Said Unto Them, flood lights pour on SHEPHERDS 2 and 3 as they slowly draw to the ANGEL QUARTET, removing their sunglasses, then, transfixed, exit as SHEPHERD 1 enters with CAPT.)
SHEPHERD 1
Don�t worry, guys! I got him... Guys? Guys! You�re NOT going to scare me this time! Do what you may! I�m made of stone! Nothing can make me frightened or sore afraid...
CAROL 4 (Cont.)
Glory to God --MESSIAH no. 17
SATB Quartet + Neil�s organ
(Only the first nine measures.)
SHEPHERD 1
...Did you guys sing something? ...Please tell me you�ve been taking lessons on mom�s autoharp and you just sang something uncharacteristically beautiful...
CAROL 4 (Cont.)
Glory to God --MESSIAH no. 17
(Only measures 10 - 17.)
SATB Quartet + Neil�s organ
SHEPHERD 1
(Being flooded with white light and seeing the ANGEL QUARTET.)
...Good Golly Miss. Molly.
(SHEPHERD 1 exits Left.)
Scene 4
CAPT.
Soldiers! This is our big chance to escape!
SHEEP 1
I feel safe with that boy.
CAPT.
That�s nonsense, solider. We�re going to escape and that�s all there is to it! Are you with me?
ALL
Yes!
SHEEP 1
If we must.
SHEEP 2
I have a question, Sir.
CAPT.
What.
SHEEP 2
What shall we do for food while we�re, you know...
CAPT.
Say it.
SHEEP 2
You know, Sir. When we�re on the. The...
CAPT.
Bleat it out, Soldier!
SHEEP 2
What will we do for food when we�re on the lamb, Sir!
(Sheep all groan, �Baaaa�.)
CAPT.
...Are you blind, Man? Look about you!
SHEEP 3
(Jumping, raising his hand excitedly.)
Sir. You-who, Mr. Sir...
CAPT.
Settle down, soldier!
SHEEP 3
(Taking a hit on his inhaler.)
But Sir! I can�t run away. I have asthma!
(SHEEP start following SHEPEHERDS. Exit Left.)
CAPT.
Grass eaters don�t have asthma! This is our chance to... Wait! Stop! Please...? �...All We Like Sheep...� (Exits Left.)
Scene 5
CAROL 5
Away in a Manger
v.1 standard tune, v. 2 English tune.
Soren with Piano
(As CAROL 5 progresses, characters take their places in the cr�che. The manger, Down Center, has a warm glow to it.)
SON
...So in a small barn on the outskirts of a forgotten town they gathered: the angel, the shepherds, Joseph and Mary...
DAD
And the Three Kings?
SON
Yes, Dad. And the Three Kings. Those with power and those without. They all came, searching for something beautiful, a miracle... And from nothing came everything. The tiny, itty, bitty baby who was and is and will forevermore be... Savior.
(Pause as SON looks into manger and is bathed with warm light.)
SON
Thank you, Dad, for teaching me everything I need to know about the real Christmas.
DAD
Just trying to be a Dad...
SON
Let�s end by singing the favorite of all Christmas hymns, Silent Night. It�s in your program. We�ll sing the first verse or two with Neil playing the piano then he�ll drop out for us to sing the last verses a capella.
DAD
There�s just one last thing, Son.
SON
At this point, what could that possibly be?
DAD
(Looking at SON, smiling. After a long pause.)
...Merry Christmas.
SON
...Merry Christmas, Dad. And Merry Christmas to us all.
CAROL 7
Silent Night LBW 65
SON v. 1 with piano. Congregation v. 2-3 a capella
(Slowly, all actors exit over CAROL 7. MARY hugs JOSEPH as they leave. Last to go is GABRIEL, who first caresses Jesus and whispers something. Jesus� manager remains lit.)
~THE END~