GET A LIFE

60986 GET A LIFE

By Charlie & Ruth Jones

GENRE: Drama
TIME: 6 minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 1F,1M
THEME: Love; God the Father; Family Relationships
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 103:7-14; Isaiah 49:14-16; Romans 8:31-39
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Epiphany; Pentecost; Lent
PURPOSE: To remind the audience of the love we have through our heavenly Father
SYNOPSIS:
This reader's theater piece is written for two readers but can be performed by more. It is a touching exploration of the places we look for love while ignoring God's still, small voice telling us, "You're wonderful. I love you." This script also has a choice of endings. A break is written in to make it an open-ended sermon starter, or you can use the complete script as a stand-alone piece.
CHARACTERS:
Reader 1 ~ Male
Reader 2 ~ Female
PROPS: Notebooks with scripts for each reader
COSTUMES: Nondescript clothing that won't draw attention to reader
SOUND: Two wireless mikes
LIGHTING: General stage
SETTING: Bare stage
DIRECTORS NOTES:
This script was written for (and works best with) two readers, but it can be adapted for more readers by dividing the character lines from the narration. The characters Baby, Jumping Child, Messy Girl and Taunted Teen should all be played by the same person — they are the same character getting older. The other characters — Mother, Father, Taunter, etc. — can be broken out and assigned to different readers. If the script is done with two readers, Reader 1 should work on character distinctions so it is clear, for example, when he is reading Taunter's lines, that it isn't Father taunting the young girl, but a bully from school. He can make these distinctions with his voice, focus, body language, etc. The piece is intended to be current. If there are references in the script that are outdated, you may change the reference to something that is either more current or makes more sense in your region. This script is written as reader's theater, so it is intended to be performed with scripts in three-ring binders. It's always a good idea to have each reader highlight his or her lines so they stand out on the page. You'll notice a stage direction that indicates a breaking point in the script. If you prefer an open-ended script where the pastor fills in the "biblical answer," feel free to stop the script as indicated. Otherwise, the full script works well as a stand-alone piece.

READER 1 and READER 2 are in place when the lights come up

READER 1

Time:

BOTH

Everyday

READER 2

Place:

BOTH

Anytown, USA.

READER 1

The happening:

READER 2

A miracle.

READER 1

She's so tiny. Look how exquisite her fingers are. Her little ears are perfect. But honey, she's bald.

READER 2

(Laughing) Takes after her father.

READER 1

(Grabs hair, or lack of it) Do you really think that's the reason?

READER 2

Honey, they all start out that way. She'll have beautiful hair.

READER 1

A baby is born.

READER 2

A bundle of joy.

READER 1

A chip off the old block.

READER 2

Our little gift.

READER 1

Our own little prune face.

BOTH

A present from heaven.

READER 1

A baby is born.

BOTH

A hungry baby is born.

READER 2

(Small voice) Feed me. Love me.

READER 1

Born with a desperate hunger for only two things.

READER 2

Food and love.

BOTH

And the greatest of these …

READER 2

… is love.

READER 1

Hold me. Let me feel it warm again.

READER 2

Take me back and cradle me.

READER 1

Hold me close to you.

READER 2

Make it warm again.

READER 1

Surround me with yourself. Take me back where it was warm.

READER 2

Take me into yourself again.

READER 1

I'm all alone. Do you love me? Don't you want me?

READER 2

I need to know that you love — Oh, yes that's right, Mama. Hold me close. Yes, it's getting warm again.

READER 1

And someone says in a clear, but unheard voice,

BOTH

"You're wonderful. I love you."

READER 1

A child is four.

READER 2

My cutie pie.

READER 1

Daddy's little helper.

READER 2

Messy Marvin.

READER 1

Rug rat.

BOTH

Our present from heaven.

READER 2

(Jumping up and down) Daddy, look at me. It's me! It's me! What do you think of me?

READER 1

Go on now. Daddy's busy. You're nothing but a nuisance.

READER 2

Yeah, I'm a nuisance. I'm nothing but a nuisance.

READER 1

Go on outside and play now.

READER 2

Please, make it warm again.

READER 1

And someone says in a clear but unheard voice,

BOTH

"You're wonderful. I love you."

READER 1

A child is 12.

READER 2

Our shy one.

READER 1

Growing like a weed.

READER 2

There're Girl Scouts and piano lessons.

READER 1

Junior high and body changes loom on the horizon.

READER 2

I can do it. Watch. You'll be proud of me.

READER 1

That's nice, but it's a little messy. Can't you straighten that out?

READER 2

I can do it. I can do it. You'll see. You'll be so proud of me.

READER 1

(Taunting her) Teresa is a geek. Teresa is a geek.

READER 2

What's wrong with me? I can change. You just wait. You're gonna like me and I'll feel so warm again.

READER 1

The clear voice says,

BOTH

"You're wonderful. I love you."

READER 1

But the clamorings for acceptance were so loud that the clear voice still went unheard.

READER 2

The child grows up.

READER 1

She's 16 now.

READER 2

A problem child.

READER 1

A mystery to me.

BOTH

Typical teenager.

READER 2

I don't know what's the matter with me. I must be really weird.

READER 1

Hey, Teresa, where'd you get those clothes? Salvation Army? Ha, ha, ha.

READER 2

I gotta get warm. I know — if I just keep eating that makes me warm.

READER 1

Drinking with my friends makes me feel warm.

READER 2

Jason makes me feel warm.

READER 1

When I'm at a party —

READER 2

When I take those pills —

READER 1

When I wear my Air Jordans (Use whatever type of shoe/clothing is in style.)

BOTH

Then I feel warm.

READER 1

When I play Nintendo — (Use whatever's in)

READER 2

When I make straight A's

READER 1

When I'm alone in my room —

BOTH

Then I feel warm. All these things make me feel warm …

READER 2

… for a while. But after they're gone it's colder than it's ever been before.

BREAK: Stop the script here to leave it open-ended for the pastor to "complete." Or finish the script as a stand-alone.

READER 1

"You're wonderful. I love you."

READER 2

What?

READER 1

You're wonderful. I love you. Can a mother forget her nursing baby and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Yes, even she may forget, but I will not forget you!

READER 2

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.

READER 1

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.

READER 2

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

READER 1

He takes great delight in you, dancing over you with joy!

READER 2

He quiets you with his love, he rejoices over you with singing.

READER 1

And nothing — nothing — can separate us from his love.

READER 2

Can trouble do it?

READER 1

No.

READER 2

Or hardship?

READER 1

No.

READER 2

Or persecution, or hunger, or poverty?

READER 1

No.

READER 2

Can danger or death?

READER 1

No! Nothing can ever pull us away from his love. Death can't; life can't.

READER 2

The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away.

READER 1

Not our fears for today,

READER 2

Or our worries about tomorrow.

BOTH

There is nothing in all creation

READER 2

That will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord!

Lights out.

Performance and photocopying rights:
Your purchase of this script grants your church unlimited use of these sketches within your programs and worship services. You may photocopy the script for each cast member in your church. Scripts and performance rights are not transferable between churches and cannot be resold. You may not use the sketches for any commercial or fundraising purpose, and usage rights do not extend to video, radio, television or film.