Cell Phone Christmas |
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Cell Phone Christmas A multimedia Christmas program by Emily Demuth Ishida Characters Nonspeaking roles: Extra shepherds, sheep, angels Production Notes At stage left a chair and desk are set at an angle, piled with books, papers, a laptop computer, and a working cell phone buried in the mess. Newsie is seated at the desk as play begins. All children, except for Angel, Mary, and Newsie, can be seated in front pew, or on altar step, where they can stand to sing as needed. Cell phone rings. Newsie: Where is that phone? It must be here somewhere. Digs under papers to find phone. Answers it. Hello? News desk, can I help you? God: Voice comes from back stage I’ve got a story for you. Old, but good. Newsie: I don’t really want an oldstory. This is the news desk. We’re looking for breaking news, as in “We interrupt this broadcast for a special report.” God: This is special news, and it’s worth interrupting whatever you’re broadcasting. Newsie: Sure it is. Who am I talking to? God: God Newsie: Sure you are. And I’m Peter Jennings, saying Goodnight. Flips phone shut. Starts working on computer. Text message appears on screen MARY RU REDY 4 BABY TAFN ;) ;) Newsie: I’m not Mary. Are you ready for baby? What baby? TAFN–That’s all for now? Angel enters stage right, walks across stage and looks over top of computer. Newsie stares in astonishment. Angel: Looks like God is trying to communicate 21st century style. Newsie: Who are you? Angel: Gabriel. You know, 2000 years ago, angels were the most efficient means of communication. As Newsie shakes head, Gabriel walks to Mary, who has entered stage right. Music for “The Annunciation” from Holden Vespers plays. Angel sings: Rejoice o highly favored, for God is with you. You shall have a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High. Two measures music. Mary sings: I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will. Children stand to sing “The Magnificat” from Holden Vespers. Mary and Angel move to center to sing. All: My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and uplifted the humble of heart, Verse 3 appears on screen, congregation joins in singing. You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and uplifted the humble of heart, Mary and Angel exit stage right. Mary and Joseph go to back of church. Children are seated. Newsie: Shakes phone. I’ve got to check out my ring tone. Blessed me all my life through. Well yes, babies are blessing. That’s nothing new. Phone rings. Hello? News desk. God: God again. For the record, Mary’s song rocked the world! Favoring the weak, casting the mighty from thrones–one could call that revolutionary. That’s what this story is about. Newsie: Revolutionary?! Wasn’t her baby born in a barn? God: Laid in a manger. No room in the inn. That’s all it says. Newsie: Whatever. God: Phillippians 4:8. Newsie: Huh? Flips phone closed and goes back to work on computer. Text message appears on screen. ALL 2 B 123456... Newsie: Looking at computer screen. All to be 123456 Cell phone rings. Newsie: Answering phone. Hello God: Counted. All to be counted. Newsie: Right... God: In a prompting voice The census... Newsie: Oh yes. Last one in 2000.... God: 1 BC. Look it up. Luke 2. You do have a Bible among your reference books. Said questioningly. Newsie: Digs out Bible from under books on desk, starts reading Luke 2. In those days a decree went... Voices dies out as Reader picks it up. Reader: Picks up reading. ... A decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. During the reading, Mary and Joseph slowly walk up the aisle to center stage, where they sit on low stools. Manger and baby are placed in front of them. Phone rings. Newsie: Answers phone. Hello. God: How about a new ring tone? Chimes or bells play first few notes of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” British melody. Children all stand to sing. All: O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! For Christ is born of Mary And, gathered all above. Congregation joins in singing final verse. Words on screen. O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray; Children are seated. Newsie: Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us–this doesn’t sound revolutionary, it sounds like a really bad science fiction flick. Shakes head and goes back to the computer. Text message appears on screen. NO FEAR 2 U SAVIOR BORN 0:) 0:) 0:) Newsie: Shakes computer. What is this all about? Angel: Enters stage right and walks to computer again. Angel smilies. Cute touch, but not as good as the real thing. God should stick with angels. Newsie: Whatever. Angel: Phillippians 4:8 Newsie: Looks to audience. Great. A running gag. Angel: Never mind. Walks to center stage in front of Mary and Joseph. Could I get some shepherds here? Shepherds and sheep gather in center. Angel: Fear not, for I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Shepherds: Let’s go and see the baby! Newsie: Oh brilliant. The Savior is born and who’s the first to find out? A bunch of sheep farmers. They should have called CNN. Phone rings. Newsie answers phone. Hello. God: You need a new tone. Chimes or bells play first few measures of “Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow” Children stand to sing. Angels, Shepherds and sheep stand by Mary & Joseph. All: There’s a star in the east on Christmas morn, rise up, shepherd, and follow. Refrain: If you take good heed to the angel’s words, rise up, shepherd, and follow. Refrain: Children are seated. Angel, Sheep and shepherds sit in front of manger. Newsie: Follow farmers to see a baby? I don’t think this story is going anywhere. I’ve got more important stories to cover. Starts working again. KINGS C * CUM 2 Newsie: Kings see asterisk come to ... to where? What asterisk? Cell phone rings. Newsie answers it. God: Don’t get technical with me! Newsie: What? God: Star! Not an asterisk! Star! They saw a star! Newsie: A whole lot of people have seen stars. We’ve got millions of them. God: Of course you do. I made them. Newsie: Yeah, whatever. God: Phillippians 4:8. Newsie rolls eyes, shakes head. This was a special star. It proclaimed the birth of the Messiah, the Savior. Newsie: I see. Flips phone shut. Three kings on stage right take turns looking through telescope, pointing at sky and gesturing to one another. Newsie: Watches kings and gestures toward them. Technology at last! King 1: We observed a new star rising, and traveled to Jerusalem to ask about a new king. Cell phone rings. Newsie: Hello. God: The star thing? Let me explain. It was before cell phones. Before televisions. Had to get the news out somehow. Newsie. Got it. Thanks. Flips phone shut. King 2: King Herod told us that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, so off we went. King 3: Herod wanted us to return and tell him about the Messiah, the new king, but God warned us that Herod might harm the child. Newsie: Got a tip on your cell phone? King 3: Shaking his head. No, just a dream. Newsie: Oh yeah. No cell phones. Angel: Standing up. Just angels. King 1: And stars. King 3: And dreams. Angel is seated. Newsie: Wait a minute. Why would Herod hurt a baby? King 2: Well, you know, old kings, new kings.... Newsie: Ohhh... Casting the mighty down from their thrones. Revolutionary. I see. Now the story’s going somewhere. What happened next? King 2: We went to Bethlehem, and took very expensive gifts. Gold. King 3: Frankincense. King 1: And myrrh. Cell phone rings. Newsie: Answers phone. Hello. God: How about a new ring tone?. Newsie. Good idea, God. Thanks for calling. Chimes play first few measures of “As With Gladness.” Children stand to sing. All: As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; Kings move over to manger during this verse. As with joyful steps they sped, Savior, to thy lowly bed, As they offered gifts most rare At thy cradle, rude and bare, Congregation joins in singing. Verses appear on screen. Holy Jesus, ev’ry day Keep us in the narrow way; In the heav’nly country bright Need they no created light; Children are seated. Newsie: So what happened? Did Herod get the baby? Joseph: Stands up. Oh no. God told me to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Newsie: Followed a star, did you? Joseph: Nope. No star. Newsie: Dream, maybe? Joseph: The angel appeared in a dream telling me to go. Newsie: Wow–that’s like a text message and a cell phone call. Must have been important. Mary: Stands up. It wasn’t time for Jesus to die. He had to grow up, and preach the good news of God’s great love for us. Newsie: But he did die. Mary: That’s another story. Today’s story is that he came. He came to us. Newsie: Into our hearts. To show us a new way to live. Cell phone rings. Newsie answers. Hello. God: Is it a good story? Newsie: Not bad. Suspense, intrigue, revolution. Newsie: Yeah, whatever. All: Phillippians 4:8 Newsie: What is it with Phillippians 4:8? God: Look it up. You still have a Bible, don’t you? Newsie: Verse appears on screen in fancy type. “Whatever” is larger or bolder than rest. Continues to hold phone. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phillippians 4:8 Nods his head. That sums it all up. God: Sums what up? Newsie: Your story! The Christmas story. True and pure and just and pleasing and worthy of praise! God: I’m glad I was able to communicate it to you. How about a new ring tone? Newsie: Excellent. Chimes play first couple measures of “Joy to the World.” Children stand to sing. All: Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Congregation joins in. Verses on screen. No more let sin and sorrow grow He rules the world with truth and grace Text appears on screen. I LUV U B MY MSNGR TAFN ;) :) GOD © 2005 Emily Demuth Ishida |
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