Leaping Off the Page
Any Time of the Year Edition
A collection of scripts for use in church programs
By L. Ruth Carter
Copyright 2014 by L. Ruth Carter
License Notes
Thank you for downloading this ebook. It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied, and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
The material may not be performed in a public forum.
For information on how to purchase performance rights and printable scripts,
please visit the author’s website:
l-ruth-carter.com.
It’s not painful. I promise.
Thank you for your support.
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Table of Contents
ONE-ACT PLAYS
Pilgrim’s Pathway
Annual Report
Naaman’s Dilemma
Two Captive Maids
SHORT PLAYS AND SKETCHES
Thine Is the Kingdom
Gracious Sakes Alive!
Yikes! All Those Fruits!
Don’t Sweat It
Foul
Home Run
It’s a Life
The No Show
Sisters
MONODRAMAS
Eve’s Elegy
Damascus
A Leper’s Song
Saved Alone
So Send I You
Who In the World Does Paul Think He Is?
Zacchaeus
LITANIES
Psalm 40:1-17
Isaiah 35
END NOTES
About the Author
Purchasing Production Kits
Also Available: Christmas Edition
Also Available: Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day Edition
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One-Act Plays
These plays range in length from 15 to 30 minutes
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Pilgrim’s Pathway
A One-Act Play
SCENE: We are in the wilderness, full of trees, rocks, gullies and cliffs. A narrow path meanders across the stage from left to right.
CAST
Chris: Short for Christian, Chris is our pilgrim. Carrying a heavy burden (backpack), he/she is obviously weary of the climb. Dressed in hardy rock-climbing gear. Clothes should be dirty, torn. He/she could have scratches and bruises too.
LG: Man or woman. Well meaning, sincere, wants only to help Chris. Dressed in top of the line mountaineer garb. The sort that is for looks rather than for work. Could look like a catalog model for Eddy Bauers. No backpack.
Lawson: Man or woman. Another sincere, well meaning, would-be helper. Dressed formally, in executive type clothes. No backpack.
Josh: Man or woman. However you look at it, this one is a helper. Blue jeans, plaid shirt, lined vest, boots. Large backpack.
SET PIECES: You may keep this simple and just have a couple of things to suggest the trees and rocks. Have one rock and a log that can be sat on. You can use a piano bench and stool and invite the audience to use their imagination.
PROPS AND COSTUMES: Two large backpacks, water flask, long list of items.
Chris: (Enters from stage left. Weary, tired, discouraged. Collapses on a rock at the side of the path and gingerly eases out of the backpack. Rotates shoulders, then takes a drink from a water flask. Groans, wipes mouth with back of hand.)
LG: (Enters unnoticed from somewhere upstage. He stands back and looks at Chris, shaking his head in commiseration.) Tough, isn’t it?
Chris: (Turns, startled) Huh? (Spots LG, who moves in closer) Oh. Yeah.
LG: (Sits on nearby rock or log) Been traveling long?
Chris: (Shrugs) Long enough.
LG: (Nods knowingly) Know what you mean.
Chris: You?
LG: Me?
Chris: Been traveling long?
LG: (Aghast) Oh, no! (Recovering quickly) I just came from over there. (Waves vaguely towards the trees from whence he had come)
Chris: (Slowly) I see.
LG: I don’t think so.
Chris: What?
LG: I don’t think you see.
Chris: (Grimaces) Probably not.
LG: You don’t see how you can be toiling along this terrible path, all worn out, when here I am at the same place, rested and not traveling at all.
Chris: I did wonder.
LG: (Nods) Thought so.
Chris: Well?
LG: Well what?
Chris: Why are you here, fresh and rested?
LG: There’s a way station back there.
Chris: Way station?
LG: Kind of like a rest area, but more so.
Chris: How more so?
LG: It has everything.
Chris: Everything?
LG: You bet. Full facilities, of course. The finest food, comfortable rooms, miniature golf, wifi, you name it.
Chris: Sounds—luxurious.
LG: Only the best.
Chris: Sounds kind of like a resort.
LG: You got it.
Chris: Sounds like you could stay there forever and never have to move on.
LG: (Stretches expansively) You sure could.
Chris: Are you staying or moving on?
LG: Staying, of course! I’m the manager!
Chris: Oh.
LG: You could stay too. We could use someone with your obvious capacities.
Chris: (Suspiciously) What do you know about my capacities?
LG: I’ve watched you. On the path.
Chris: What did you see?
LG: Tenacity. Determination. Grit.
Chris: I had to keep going. I had no choice.
LG: (Sympathetically) Like when you got caught in that storm?
Chris: (Startled) You know about that?
LG: (Nods) You almost gave up.
Chris: (Grimly) I didn’t, though.
LG: No, you didn’t. Wonder why?
Chris: (Glumly) I don’t know.
LG: (Nods at pack) Pack heavy?
Chris: (Groans) Sure is. My shoulders burn.
LG: (Nods sagely) They would.
Chris: It’s been horrible. I was sure I wouldn’t make it up that last rise. I don’t know how I got here.
LG: I know what you mean. It’s a tough one. I didn’t think you’d make it, either.
Chris: But I did.
LG: Tougher hills up ahead.
Chris: (Dismayed) Tougher?
LG: It never gets easier, you know.
Chris: Sometimes it seems like that.
LG: It is like that.
Chris: How do you know it’s tougher if you haven’t been there?
LG: I’ve heard the stories. (Shudders) Terrible.
Chris: I am tired…
LG: (Leans in closer) Come stay with us. Just for a spell. Get rested, take a load off and all that. It’ll do you good.
Chris: I don’t know…
LG: No harm in taking a break is there?
Chris: I’m supposed to be going on this path.
LG: You can come back to it, refreshed, invigorated, ready for the next hard challenge.
Chris: You didn’t come back.
LG: I can, though. Any time.
Chris: I don’t know.
LG: Come on. You know you need to.
Chris: (Looks at pack, rubs shoulders) I don’t know.
LG: Just leave that horribly heavy knapsack right there and come to us. (He moves pack away from the trail)
Chris: But I can’t do that! (She picks up pack)
LG: Why not?
Chris: They told me not to leave my pack. I’ll need it for t
he journey.
LG: It must be an awful weight.
Chris: Well…(She looks down path and then towards way station) A way station is a way station. It’s not a destination.
LG: (Takes her load and dumps it on the ground. He gestures for her to precede him. She hesitates, shakes her head and starts to pick up pack. A third person, Lawson, enters from the upstage area.)
Lawson: (Furious) LG! What are you doing here?
LG: (Peevishly) Oh, hi, Lawson. Just talking to Chris here.
Chris: How’d you know my name?
Lawson: (Ignoring Chris) You’re trying to get her to leave the path, aren’t you?
LG: (Indignantly) I am not! She just needs a break, that’s all!
Lawson: She takes a break at your so-called way station and she’ll never continue on that path!
LG: So what? The path’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Lawson: (Turns to Chris) Don’t you listen to LG. He’s a bad one. Keeps people from the their destination all the time.
Chris: (Wide-eyed, dismayed) Oh.
Lawson: Now you just put your pack on. You’d better move on before this coyote leads you astray.
Chris: (Struggles into the pack as Lawson pushes LG towards the stage left exit)
Lawson: Now you get out of here, LG! You’ve done enough damage!
LG: Damage? Surely not. (To Chris) Sure you don’t want to come? No? (Goes to exit and turns in) Well, maybe you can pop in at the next way station. We have ‘em at regular intervals. But don’t get messed up with that one. Really. (Exits)
Lawson: Now, listen to me, Chris—
Chris: (Interrupting) How come you people know my name?
Lawson: (Rolls eyes) We’ve been watching you, of course.
Chris: (Baldly) Why?
Lawson: We want to make sure you stay on the right path. If you take one wrong step, you’ll be lost for good. You don’t want that, do you?
Chris: No, of course not.
Lawson: You have to stay on the path. If you deviate even a little, you may never find your way again. Don’t you listen to the clowns like LG who would lure you away.
Chris: No, no, I must stay on the path.
Lawson: Do you have enough things in your pack?
Chris: (Falteringly. Winces shoulders) I think so.
Lawson: If you don’t have just the right things, you’ll miss the way.
Chris: (Worried) I will?
Lawson: You sure will. (Pulls a long list from pocket) Now here’s a list of things you should have.
Chris: (Dismayed, looking at list) But that’s such a lot!
Lawson: (Sternly) Of course it is. Walking this path is serious business.
Chris: But my pack is already so heavy!
Lawson: No help for it. You want to do this right, don’t you?
Chris: Of course I do!
Lawson: Then you’ve got to have these things. (Points to list) If you don’t have them, and if you don’t follow the procedure just right, you’re doomed.
Chris: (Sinks wearily back on the rock) I don’t have half the items on this list.
Lawson: Then it’s obvious I can’t help you. Not without that stuff. (Goes to exit) You get those things and you’ll be all right. (Exits and then pops back in) I’d wish you luck, but I don’t see much hope for you. You gotta do it right, you know! (Exits)
Chris: (Looks at list, slumps) What am I to do? I’m so tired. My back aches and my feet hurt. One person tells me to take a break and forget it all. The other says I’m doomed. My pack is already so heavy! (Gets slowly up and starts to trudge wearily towards the stage right end of path) I wish I had help. Real help.
Josh: (Appears from the up center area) Well, why didn’t you say so before?
Chris: Not another one!
Josh: Another what?
Chris: Another person with oh, so helpful suggestions. (Waves list)
Josh: (Takes list and puts it in pocket) Oh, you don’t need that.
Chris: (Hard) I sure don’t.
Josh: I have no helpful suggestions.
Chris: Good.
Josh: I just have helpful…help.
Chris: Help?
Josh: Yes, help.
Chris: What kind of help?
Josh: Me.
Chris: How can you help me?
Josh: I’m here.
Chris: I see that.
Josh : I’m your help.
Chris: Why weren’t you here before?
Josh: Oh, but I was.
Chris: I didn’t see you.
Josh: Don’t you remember that awful storm?
Chris: I sure do. It rained and rained and then it turned to ice. It was a miracle I found shelter when I did.
Josh: It sure was.
Chris: Sure was? A miracle?
Josh: That it was. You came around that bend in the path and the lightning flashed just in time for you to see the little hut.
Chris: It was warm, and there was food. I got a good night’s sleep.
Josh: You remember that last rise?
Chris: (Groans) I sure do. Impossible.
Josh: You remember getting all the way up?
Chris: Well, no, as a matter of fact…(Stops and stares at Josh) That was you?
Josh: (Nods)
Chris: I do remember a kind of surge of energy and…
Josh: (Nods)
Chris: That was you?
Josh: (Another nod)
Chris: Why didn’t I see you?
Josh: You didn’t ask for me.
Chris: I see you now.
Josh: You asked for me.
Chris: I did?
Josh: Yep.
Chris: How?
Josh: You prayed.
Chris: You mean, when I said, “Help”?
Josh: Uh huh.
Chris: That was a prayer?
Josh: Wasn’t it?
Chris: I guess so.
Josh: Here I am.
Chris: What do I do now?
Josh: You go on.
Chris: (Wails) But I’m so tired!
Josh: (Nods) You lost your joy.
Chris: I did?
Josh: You sure did.
Chris: When?
Josh: When you decided you had to do it all on your own.
Chris: (Nods) That’s when the pack started to get heavy.
Josh: You listened to all the other voices and you no longer heard the music.
Chris: It’s been hard.
Josh: I don’t know how you got as far as you did.
Chris: I need help.
Josh: I’m here. I am with you. I will be with you.
Chris: How can you help?
Josh: You will give me your pack. And I will give you rest.
Chris: (Clutches strap) My pack? But—
Josh: (Grins) Surely you don’t want to carry that heavy thing!
Chris: But some of those others wanted me to give it up. I knew that was wrong.
Josh: I’m not asking you to give it up. I’m asking you to let me carry it.
Chris: (Warily removes pack) But you already have one yourself.
Josh: (Takes his pack off and hands it to Chris) It’s a trade. (Starts putting Chris’s pack on, shifting it until it is comfortable)
Chris: (Hefts it in her hand) It feels just as heavy as mine.
Josh: (Encouragingly) Put it on.
Chris: (Heavy sigh) Oh, all right, but I don’t see…
Josh: (Helps Chris put it on) There you are.
Chris: (Turns back to Josh, a brightness coming to her face) It’s not so heavy on me. In fact, it feels like it is holding me up! I feel—
Josh: (Smiling) How do you feel?
Chris: I don’t know—uh—bouncy, springier, more buoyant.
Josh: There’s another word for that.
Chris: What?
Josh: You know.
Chris: Oh. You mean, “joy”?
Josh: That’s it.
Chris: But why? I mean, I don’t deserve…
>
Josh: (Smiles to take away sting) No, you don’t.
Chris: Then why? (Pauses as she gets it) Oh!
Josh: (Big smile as they start down the path) Exactly. Oh. (And out they go, bouncy, springy, buoyant.)
Curtain
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Leaping Off the Page: Any Time of the Year Edition Page 1
