TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. By Rachel Cloer Lukhard. Performance Rights

Transcription

1 By Rachel Cloer Lukhard Performance Rights It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy or reproduce this script in any manner or to perform this play without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge Publishing Co., Inc. Call the publisher for additional scripts and further licensing information. The author's name must appear on all programs and advertising with the notice: "Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co. PUBLISHED BY Eldridge Publishing Company PO Box Tallahassee, FL church.com 1990 by Eldridge Publishing Company Download your complete script from Eldridge Publishing

2 -2- AUTHOR S NOTE I love Christmas; the excitement of the season only increases as the years pass. I love the music, the decorations, the memories, the giving, the receiving. I love the fantasies... Santa, Rudolph, the Christmas tree... but most of all, I love the Spirit of Love that is Christmas. I wouldn't want to miss one moment of it. TIME FOR CHRISTMAS is the story of a woman of Bethlehem, who was so caught up in the activities of the day that she missed the very first Christmas. It is also the story of some people of our own time who almost missed Christmas for the same reason. DEDICATION This play is dedicated to my mother, Flora Jean Cloer, who taught me the real meaning of Christmas, and who always encouraged me to write.

3 -3- CAST Scenes 1 and 3 (In order of appearance) (At the store) ABATHA(Abb'-a-tha): Older, anachronistic figure; Biblical dress HAZEL & GEORGE: Older shoppers BARBARA: Young teenager JENNY: Another CHRISSY: Another SHOPPERS: Any number desired CAROLERS: Any number, any age JIM & SARAH: Older shoppers (At the nativity) SHEPHERDS: 3 or 4, Biblical dress THREE WISE MEN: Biblical dress MARY: Biblical dress JOSEPH (2nd): Biblical dress AUNT BETTY: Elderly lady, confined to wheelchair BARBARA'S PARENTS: Appear with daughter in last scene; non-speaking CHRISSY'S PARENTS: Also non-speaking. JENNY'S PARENTS: Also non-speaking NARRATOR: Final scene; choir robe CAST Scene 2 (At the inn in Bethlehem) YOUNGER ABATHA: Woman of Bethlehem EPHRAIM (Eefiree-um): Innkeeper; husband of Abatha JONAS: Teenage son of Abatha and Ephraim JOSEPH (1st): Seeking room at inn

4 -4- PERFORMANCE TIME With music, about one hour. SYNOPSIS OF SCENES Scene 1: Mid-day Christmas Eve, contemporary times, on a store-lined street (one is a small toy store.) Scene 2: In Bethlehem at an inn, the night before Jesus was born. Scene 3: Contemporary times; Christmas Eve service at a church's outdoor nativity scene. SETTING Can be as simple or as elaborate as your stage accommodates. Scene 1: The shop windows are decorated for Christmas. The toy store has a train set up among all the other toys and decorations. A street sign DR or DL will add to realism. Scene 2: The inside of the Inn should be kept simple... a door leading outside is needed for Joseph to enter. A window is beside the door. A doorway opposite it leads to the rest of the inn. Scene 3: Artificial turf in front of the nativity scene and perhaps an artificial shrub or potted plants to give an outdoor effect.

5 -5- PROPS Shopping bags and packages for shoppers; receipts and lantern for Ephraim; ring for Barbara; packaged train set for Sarah. MUSIC The music is used to give time for scene changes. It can be lengthened or cut as needed. Suggested songs include "Go, Tell It on the Mountain," "Joy to the World," "Star of the East," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," "What Child Is This?", "Away in a Manger," "Silent Night, Holy Night," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," and "O Holy Night."

6 -6- Scene 1 (AT RISE: An anachronistic figure in Biblical garb enters in front of a contemporary toy store. It is ABATHA, a woman of Bethlehem from the time of Christ's birth. She looks quietly around her, and as voices are heard off stage, she steps aside where she is unseen by the shoppers. Enter - 2 or 3 WOMEN chatting about their shopping.) 1st SHOPPER: My feet are killing me. Why do I always wait until the last minute to shop? I always do this! 2nd SHOPPER: I know what you mean. Milly has had her gifts all wrapped for weeks. I wish, just once, I would get ready for Christmas early. 3rd SHOPPER: Not me! I love the excitement of last minute shopping, and if we wait another hour or so, they'll start cutting prices. 1st SHOPPER: Well, let them slash away. I'm going home, myself. (THEY exit. Enter HAZEL and GEORGE, an older couple. He is laden down with packages. She carries a large shopping bag and tugs at his arm.) HAZEL: George, will you please come on? I've got a dozen more gifts to buy and I want to go to that church service tonight. GEORGE: Hump! I didn't know we even knew this many people. Since when are you supposed to give everyone you know a gift? (HE drops package; SHE picks it up and pulls him into shop door.) HAZEL: Stop complaining and come on in here. They have a sale on men's ties. (Other SHOPPERS stroll by... look in shop windows and chat about Christmas. They enter shops or pass off stage,

7 -7- and only ABATHA is left for a moment. Abatha steps out, looks about, and speaks ) ABATHA: How beautiful and quiet, now. But probably only for a moment. Soon the last minute shoppers will fill the streets. Every year it is the same. It is interesting to watch the people as they hurry, hurry, hurry. I love to listen to the laughter, the carols, and the excitement ahh, yes, and there is always plenty of complaining, too. So many people miss the real meaning of Christmas. They let it get lost in the confusion of less important things just as I did many year ago. You see, I am from another time, another place. I guess I am trying to recapture something I lost, because I missed Christmas the very first Christmas. Each year I step through the limitations of time, hoping to see people touched by the love of God, hoping they will not make the same mistake I made, long, long ago. My heart aches when I realize the most wonderful event in all history was laid at my feet, and I did not see it or hear it. I did not feel it. That first Christmas was a night that would change the world for all the following generations. Yet, just as I missed that opportunity, I see it happen to others, year after year. (Voices are heard, and ABATHA steps back into the shadows. Enter BARBARA, JENNY and CHRISSY. They do not see Abatha.) BARBARA: If I don't get that video camera for Christmas, I'll just die. CHRISSY: But Barbara, it's so expensive. Don't you think that's asking a bit much? It costs a lot! BARBARA: It's what I want. Besides, it's on sale. CHRISSY: Even so, it's still a lot of money. I know my parents couldn't afford it. BARBARA: Mom says they can't either... but I know they could put it on a charge card and they could cut down on other things... like Grandma, for instance. They're talking about giving her a color TV because she has to

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