DRAMA & Partial MIME -- the police can either be played by the imagination, or with 2-3 silent actors playing the role -- otherwise, father will mime being struck and handcuffed and manhandled away from daughter -- the father is kindly and sweet, a trifle melancholy at first, but as the drama progresses he increasingly becomes more and more grim.
This is a partial drama, one without a full conclusion -- it is a QUESTION that must be answered by either a sermon, or a short homily, discussing the seriousness of what Jesus did, and how we, and even his own disciples, never quite really get it, never quite really appreciate the seriousness and finality of the price that was paid.
(a girl enters, weeping, goes to the front, and sits and continues to weep)
DAUGHTER:
THAT'S IT! It's all over! It's finished! I admit it. I did it. I'm guilty. There's no hope for me. (continues to weep without any hope)
FATHER:
(entering, hurries to daughter, very concerned) Hey! Hey! What is it? What's the matter Sweetheart? Why are you crying?
DAUGHTER:
I'm a terrible person. I've done terrible things.
FATHER:
What kind of things?
DAUGHTER:
(thinks) Oh -- oh just about everything! There's just too many things. You name it. I'm a scumbag. And now they're going to arrest me. I'M GOING TO JAIL!
FATHER:
So it's all true? You actually DID these terrible things they accused you of?
DAUGHTER:
YES! I'M GOING TO JAIL! PRISON! I'M GOING TO BE A JAILBIRD!
FATHER:
Well I don't want you to be sad anymore! I don't want you to cry . . . okay?
DAUGHTER:
Why shouldn't I cry? I'm going to prison!
FATHER:
I'm going to handle things for you. You won't go to jail, okay?
DAUGHTER:
(gaining a little hope, slows in her blubbering) You -- you mean -- it? You can fix things? I won't have to go to jail?
FATHER:
Not if you trust in me. Do you trust me?
DAUGHTER:
(thinks a few moments) Uh -- um. Well. Yeah. I guess so.
FATHER:
(smiling for her) Come on, Sweety. You're going to have to do better than that...
DAUGHTER:
(smiles a little) Yeah. Okay. I believe you.
FATHER:
Well good. Now, come on. Let's go take care of this right now. We'll go directly to the authorities. (puts out his hand for her to take)
DAUGHTER:
(hesitates, looking at his hand, then finally accepts the hand and walks with him) You sure about this, Papa?
FATHER:
I love you. I promise you: You're going to be okay.
DAUGHTER:
(brightens . . . they continue walking and she continually brightens . . . pretty soon she's smiling brightly, laughing, it's just a perfect day! A perfect life!) Hey everybody! Everything's okay! I'm not going to jail! Hey Bertie! (waving) Guess what? All that bad stuff I did? I don't have to worry anymore! THIS is my Papa! (pats him on the arm and cuddles up next to him -- they continue to stroll, walking back and forth across the front, as if they are on a winding journey) He's going to take care of me! Oh HI Pam! GUESS WHAT? Good news! I'm outta jail! I'M NOT UNDER THE LAW! NOPE! Nope-nope-NOPERS! Yup, you got it, THIS is my Papa, and He's my "Get Out of Jail Free" Card...
FATHER:
(has been growing grimmer, as his daughter grows more and more silly -- darker and darker, as his daughter gets brighter and brighter -- finally, he puts his arms around her and stops her, shushes her mouth) Sssshhhh, Sweetheart! Enough. Don't say anymore. You don't understand everything that's happening, right now. Later you will understand...
DAUGHTER:
I'm just in a good mood, that's all, Papa. You just gave me the best news ever. I feel that I'm on top of the world!
FATHER:
(very, very grim) Shhhh! We're here now.
DAUGHTER:
(lightly) Oh look! It's the cop. You take care of them, Papa! (shocked) Oh no! They see me! Papa, they're coming for me! Papa! You promised! Don't let them take me, Papa! (she continues to cry and lament as her father intercedes for her)
FATHER:
(suddenly goes completely silent, lags down to extreme slow motion, miming pushing away the police that are coming for his daughter, making himself a barricade -- he pushes his daughter away)
DAUGHTER:
Stop it! Leave me alone! Please just leave me alone!
FATHER:
(still silent, talking furiously to the cops, still in slow motion, protecting his daughter with his body -- he motions for them to leave her alone, to take him instead -- then he is struck, over and over, his body absorbing the punishment in slow motion, in complete silence)
DAUGHTER:
(horrified) What are you doing? WHAT ARE YOU DOING! Leave him alone! Leave him alone! He's my father! He didn't DO anything!
FATHER:
(in silence, his arm is wrenched up behind his back -- he's in terrible pain -- and then his other arm is twisted up behind his back -- he is handcuffed -- he turns backward, to face his daughter -- and he yells something to her, in love, as he is dragged away in shackles) (all this is done in terrible, nightmarish slow motion)
DAUGHTER:
Not you, Papa! No! Papa! I didn't think it would be you! I'm sorry, Papa! Noooooooooo! I'm so, so, so sorry! I'm so sorry, Papa! (she covers her face with her hands, is silent, shaking her head, weeping furiously in complete silence)
(daughter stands alone, bereft and heartbroken, the realization dawning on her that her past crimes really have caught up with her, and that she has gotten off scott free, but at what price? her innocent father has been manhandled away from her, beaten, and now imprisoned -- slowly, she stumbles away)
DAUGHTER:
He was innocent! I'm the one, I'm the one...
__________________________________________
Completely free Christian scripts, sketches, mimes.
Always a parable. Storytelling making the difference.
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