A Tale of Two Gardens
By Michele Pitman 1999
Summary
The fall and redemption are described in this clever Readers Theatre (voice
choir) script.
Scriptures
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 and Romans 5:12-19
Characters
Voice choir made up of 9 people. Some of the sections may be combined
together.
Staging
Small representations of card or posters depicting the scenes can be used.
Each person who reads his part can hold it up. All the participants
can wear choir apparel or graduation gowns. They can all hold identical
folders from which they can ‘read’ their lines. A set of three microphones
on stands can be set up and the participants can be grouped in three’s
around these. It doesn’t matter what order the numbers are grouped
e.g. 1, 5 & 7 could be around one microphone and 6, 2 & 5 around
another etc.
Script
Reader 1: I am the Garden.
Reader 2: I am the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil in ...
Readers 1 & 2: ... the Garden.
Reader 3: I am the Branch on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good &
Evil in ...
Readers 1,2 & 3: ...the Garden.
Reader 4: I am the fruit on the Branch on the Tree of the Knowledge
of Good & Evil in ...
Readers 1, 2, 3 & 4: ... the Garden
Reader 5: I am the Man, who, with the Woman, ate the fruit from
off the Branch on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil in ...
Readers 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5: ...the Garden.
Reader 6: I am the Woman who, deceived by the Serpent, told the Man
to eat the fruit from off the Branch on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good
& Evil in...
Readers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6: ...the Garden.
Reader 7: I am Satan, who, disguised as a Serpent, deceived the Woman
who then told the Man to eat the fruit from off the Branch on the Tree
of the Knowledge of Good & Evil in...
Reader 1 - 7: ...the Garden.
Reader 8: I am the Creation who departed from God because Satan, disguised
as a Serpent, deceived the Woman who then told the Man to eat the fruit
from off the Branch on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil in
...
Readers 1 - 8: ...the Garden.
Reader 9: I am the Death that spreads over the Creation which had departed
from God because Satan, disguised as a Serpent, deceived the Woman who
then told the Man to eat the fruit from off the Branch on the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good & Evil in...
Readers 1 - 9: ...the Garden.
Reader 5: [Shouts]. WAIT! [Normal voice] Here comes the
Lord, who is weeping, as The Death spreads over HIS Creation, which departed
from Him, because Satan, disguised as a Serpent, deceived the Woman who
then told the Man to eat the fruit from off the Branch on the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good & Evil in….
[Small pause]
Reader 1: This is the Garden.
Reader 2: This is the Tree of Life in...
Readers 1 & 2: ...the Garden.
Reader 3: These are the Branches from the Tree of Life in...
Readers 1 - 3: ...the Garden.
Reader 4: These are the beams, hewn from the Branches from the Tree
of Life in...
Readers 1 - 4: ...the Garden.
Reader 5: This is the Cross made out of the beams, hewn from the Branches
from the Tree of Life in...
Readers 1 - 5: ...the Garden.
Reader 6: This is the Man, who came from God and died on the Cross
made out of the beams, hewn from the Branches from the Tree of life in...
Readers 1 - 6: ...the Garden.
Reader 7: This is the Death that was rent like a curtain by the Man
from God, who died on the Cross made out of the beams hewn from the Branches
from the Tree of Life in ...
Readers 1 - 7: ...the Garden.
Reader 8: This is Satan who screamed and battled and cringed and [small
pause] - lost - when Death was rent like a curtain by the Man from God,
who died on the Cross made out of the beams hewn from the Branches from
the Tree of Life in...
Readers 1 - 8: ...the Garden.
Reader 9: This is all Creation, which slept for three days, while Satan
screamed and battled and cringed and [small pause] - lost - because Death
was being rent like a curtain by the Man from God, who died on the Cross
made out of the beams hewn from the Branches from the Tree of Life in ...
Readers 1 - 9: ...the Garden.
Readers 1 - 9: We are Mankind,
Readers 1 - 8: ...released from our guilt ...
Readers 1 - 7: ...when the Creation awoke on the third day ...
Readers 1 - 6: ...after Satan had screamed and battled and cringed
and - finally - lost,
Readers 1 - 5: ...because The Death has been rent like a Curtain ...
Readers 1 - 4: ...by the Man from God,
Readers 1 - 3: ...Who escaped from the tomb hewn from the rock...
Readers 1& 2: ...near a sapling of a Tree of Life in ...
Reader 1: ... this Garden.
(FREEZE FOR BIBLE READING THEN EXIT.)
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© Michele Pitman 1999, all rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies
are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any
entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author
would appreciate being notified of when and for what
purpose the play is performed. She may be contacted at: michelle_pitman@hotmail.com