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61040
BOX OF STONES
by Rick
Clark
GENRE: Drama
TIME: 8 minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 2F, 1M, 6 Friends, 2 Roman Guards
THEME: Redemption; Grace
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Easter
SUGGESTED USE: Worship Service
CHARACTERS:
1 female voice
1 female-main character
6 friends
1 Therapist
Jesus
2 Roman guardsSYNOPSIS: A young woman tries to find relief of her life's burdens by visiting a therapist and her friends but comes to realize that it is only through Christ that she can find true peace.
PROPS: Stones, boxes for stones, desk, cross
COSTUMES: Period dress for Jesus and soldiers
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 11:28
SOUND: Offstage mic for "voice"
LIGHTING: General, except for sheet at the end of the drama
SETTING: Church sanctuary
Soft music lead-in. The main character enters to center stage, struggling to carry a heavy box of stones. The main character pantomimes the words of the voice. The music fades and the voice begins speaking.
VOICE: I'm not exactly sure where it came from…this box of stones. It seems like I've been carrying it around all of my life. It didn't used to be this heavy…it's sort of strange, but the older I get…the heavier it becomes. And as each day goes by, more and more stones accumulate in the box.
Main character moves to stage left and sets the box of stones on the floor. The main character kneels beside the box.
VOICE: I can barely remember finding the first stone. I think I was around four years old. I had lied to my parents about eating all the chocolate chip cookies…it was no big deal…but when the incident was over, I noticed this box with a single stone inside. I pulled the stone out of the box (Reaches in the box as if searching for the stone)…let's see…it's in here somewhere (Looks at different stones, not bringing them out of the box.) Yeah…here it is…the first stone.
I pulled it out of the box…it was filthy. And inscribed on the stone …the word "liar." I tossed the stone back into the box. (Puts stone back inside the box) No big deal…after all, it was just a small lie. But now I've accumulated so many of these stones. (Reaches in the box, pulls out a stone and reads the inscription) This one… "Disobedient to Parents"…so what? All they ever expect is perfection. (Sets stone beside the box and pulls out another stone) "Cussing"…It's really tough to keep from letting a foul word slip out every now and then. (Sets stone beside box and begins pulling stones faster and faster while reading each inscription then setting each stone beside the box) "Cheating on a Math Exam"… "Drunkenness"… "Sex Before Marriage"…"Cheating again"… "BIG LIE"… "Hatred"… "Gossip"… "Complaining"… "Greed"… (Main character hangs head in desperation then starts to put the stones back in the box.)
Before I knew it, I was carrying around this heavy box of stones. Each stone a reminder of the filth in my life…each pound…the heaviness of sin in my life.
I'm afraid to talk to my folks about all the stones. I know they would be really disappointed.
I tried talking to my friends. (Two friends enter carrying their own boxes of stones and act out the next line.) Most of them would take a stone out of the box…laugh as they read the inscription…shrug their shoulders as if to say, "What are you worried about?" and then toss the stone back inside the box. (Two friends exit and three more friends enter carrying their boxes of stones.) A few friends were so shocked by what they read on the stones that they immediately put them back in the box with a look of disgust and walked off.
(Three friends exit as one friend enters carrying his box of stones.) One of my close friends even helped me carry the box of stones around…but over time, the heaviness of the box wore him down and he had to let go. (Friend falls under the weight of two boxes) I wasn't surprised because he was carrying his own box of stones. It was nice of him to help…but it was just too much weight to bear.
Some suggested I try talking to a therapist. (Therapist enters and sits down at a desk. The therapist has her own box of stones. The main character goes and sits down with the therapist.) That was okay for a while…I would go into her office and empty the box of stones onto her desk. We would talk about the stones…and believe me, that wasn't easy. She even analyzed the stones and concluded that I was just a victim of circumstances…a product of my environment.
Sure…I felt better for talking with her…but every time our session ended, I would pack the stones back into the box and drag them out of the office. (Main character drags the box to center stage as therapist exits. Main character sits down beside box…almost exhausted.)
I wish someone could help me. I wish I could lighten the load.
It's so heavy and the weight is too much to bear. I feel so helpless.Soft worship music fades into the background as the next scene unfolds. There are no words spoken. Simply act this scene out.
Jesus enters carrying a cross. He has a crown of thorns on his head. His clothes are tattered with bloodstains on the back from the whipping. Two Roman guards are following him. The guards are carrying a box of stones. He staggers to the right side of the stage and the guards place the cross in the stand so that it is upright. The guards stand at either side of the cross.
Jesus walks over to the girl with the box of stones and helps her to her feet. He takes her box of stones and carries them to the cross. He dumps the box of stones at the foot of the cross. The girl backs away and kneels down, facing the cross.
One of the guards puts Jesus against the cross. One guard picks up one of the stones, raises one of Jesus' arms to the cross and strikes the palm of his hand as if driving a nail into his hand. Jesus screams in pain. The guard takes the other arm of Jesus and does the same thing. Jesus screams in pain once again. The other guard picks up a different stone and nails the feet of Jesus to the cross.
The guards stand to the side of the cross and Jesus cries out in a loud voice. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." The main character begins weeping. Jesus then says, "It is finished," and bows his head as if dying. The guards exit one side of the stage. The girl exits the other.
Two men enter and take Jesus off of the cross. He is draped over the shoulder of one of the men and taken to the tomb. The tomb is a white sheet or drape that is dimly backlit. This allows the shadows to be seen. The men enter the tomb and lay Jesus down as if to bury him in the tomb. When the men exit, the backlighting fades out. Once the light fades, Jesus changes into a white garment.
Once all is dark, play the song "Arise My Love" by NewSong. As it plays, the main character enters the stage and approaches the empty cross. She kneels for the first verse and chorus in front of the cross. She touches the cross where Jesus' hands and feet were nailed…she holds on tightly to the cross as the song continues to play. When the song comes to the part where the earth begins to tremble, the main character steps back from the cross in shock because she realizes something big is happening. As the chorus begins to swell, the backlighting in the tomb shines full. Jesus sits up slowly and then stands up with his arms held open. Jesus exits the tomb and walks over to the main character, embraces her until the song ends and then they exit together.
Lights out.
DIRECTING The Box of Stones
The Box of Stones offers a wonderful opportunity to explore a presentation type of acting not as common in modern drama today.
Most theatre is realistically based, or what some might call, "kitchen sink drama." This type of production became popular in the 1930s when the Group Theatre adopted the "real life placed on stage" styles of acting generated by the Moscow Art Theatre. Oftentimes modern audiences are unused to heightened theatrical spectacles, especially being as immersed in film and television as the modern public is today. However, this is why a presentational, or more theatrical, piece like this one can be so effective and moving if performed with real conviction. The most important element of directing this piece is to remind your actors that if they believe in the reality of what they're doing on stage, so will their audience. It is simply a fact that an audience will allow itself to be swept into a theatrical moment if it sincerely believes that the people on stage have "become" their characters. Be prepared to challenge your actors to make big physical and emotional acting choices; the script calls for heightened drama and an audience will be captivated if actors really commit to what they are doing.
ACTING EXERCISE: Keeping It Real Have all the actors playing characters with a box of stones sit in a circle with their stones. Have the actors pick up a stone and think of an area where they have sinned in their lives. Actors can then physically write the words on the stones with a marker, or for privacy sake, remember the words in their minds. Have the actor playing Jesus stand as if he were hanging on the cross and have the actors hold the stones in their hands while they picture their sins. Then have them pick up a second stone and picture another sin, and so on. After this has gone on for about five to ten minutes, have the actors lay the stones at Jesus' feet while the actor playing Jesus pretends to die. After a long moment, that same actor should gather the stones and take them with him behind a curtain or into a separate room. After another long moment, have the actor return and embrace all of the actors who no longer have their stones. This exercise is called "Keeping It Real" because oftentimes with a heightened theatrical piece actors will focus on their external movements without exploring the deeper emotions of a scene. This acting out of the plot of the piece will help lay the groundwork that will provide an emotional honesty to the final performance.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 NIV
thoughts from the PASTOR
The "Voice" in this sketch represents all of us at various stages in our relationship with Christ. I thought it most interesting that the first stone was placed in his box at age four as it illustrates the fundamental truth of original sin. We begin accumulating our stones very early in life as a result of our sinful nature. We then move through life and the box gets crowded with the stones, as our sins seem to overtake us. At a certain point we recognizethat the box is heavy, that our parents cannot remove the stones, that our peers cannot take any of our stones, our friends cannot help carry the box, the therapist (as well-meaning and insightful as he or she is) cannot vanquish the stones, so in the end we are left alone with our stones. The only way to remove the stones is to bring them to the foot of the cross where, one by one, Jesus removes them until our box is empty.
As we move through life we accumulate the debris of sin. We rationalize or attempt to justify our actions by adding another layer of rock. We bury ourselves under guilt and accusations and have difficulty in our relationships with one another and God. Sin has the ability to weigh us down, to weave depression around us and to leave us alone, separated from the one person who can lift us up out of our forsakenness—Christ.
Christ crosses the great divide between sin and a holy God and offers us a precious gift—forgiveness. It takes years to build up the debris, but only a second to be free. We have in Christ a person who can remove the sin, carry the sins and vanquish the sins. We do not have to be weighed down and in bondage by an overcrowded box of sins but have a freedom that is found in Christ Jesus alone. Today the gift of salvation is often overlooked because it seems too easy. Can it really be that great if it is free? Shouldn't it cost something? Are we getting something for nothing? No—it cost Christ everything. He died so that our box can be empty.
Study/Discussion Questions: 1. How is your box? Is it full or empty?
2. Do you identify with the voice, the therapist,
parents or friends? Why?
3. What is the significance of the free gift of salvation
for you?
4. Why do you think it is important that salvation is a
dynamic reality and that we are saved at the foot of
the cross but that we also continue to be saved
daily? What impact does this truth have on your
lifestyle?
MUSICAL LINKS
Performance Songs
"Arise My Love"
(Resurrection)
As performed by Newsong on
The Very Best of Newsong,Benson/BMG
Musical Style: Stirring ballad
"Redeemer"
(Worship, Redemption)
As performed by Nicole C. Mullen on her self-entitled recording, Sony
Musical Style: Ballad
"Alabaster Box"
(Worship)
As performed by CeCe Winans on Alabaster Box, Sparrow/EMD
Musical Style: Ballad
"When Jesus Lifts the Load"
(Jesus Bears Our Burdens)
As performed by the Christ Church Choir on All Praise, Brentwood Benson
Musical Style: Southern Gospel
Choruses
"Open the Eyes of My Heart"
P. Baloche
Integrity's! Hosanna! Music
Musical Style: Medium
"Trading My Sorrows"
D. Evans
Integrity's! Hosanna! Music
Musical Style: Medium to fast
"Open My Eyes, Lord"
(Life in Christ)
R. Cull
Musical Style: Slow
Hymns
"The Old Rugged Cross"
(Jesus Our Savior)
G. Bennard
Musical Style: Slow
"At the Cross"
(Jesus Our Savior)
I. Watts; R. Hudson
Musical Style: Slow to medium
"Calvary Covers It All"
(His Cross)
Mrs. W. Taylor
Musical Style: Moderate
"When I Survey"
I. Watts
www.worshiptoday.com
Musical Style: Moderate
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.Copyright © 2003 by Rick Clark
