By Dave Wagner
It is Christmas Eve, and two sisters ponder how the wise men decided which gifts to bring to Jesus. In a dream, they unknowingly meet up with the wise men, and inadvertently help them decide what gifts to bring to Jesus.
Elizabeth
Sarah
Mother
Soldier
Wiseman 1
Wiseman 2
Wiseman 3
Servant
Herod
Advisor 1
Advisor 2
At least 2 stagehands
Scene 1:
(Bedroom. Mother is putting two daughters down for the night. It is Christmas Eve. Lights come up. Two beds are arranged onstage, and Elizabeth and Sarah are in them, blankets over themselves. Mother stands near the foot of one bed, as if ready to leave the room.)
Mother: OK, girls, now I don't want to hear any noise coming out of here, you're up a little late as it is. You'll need all the sleep you can get. I know how early you'll be up in the morning.
Elizabeth: OK, mom.
Mother: Did you girls brush your teeth and say your prayers?
Elizabeth and Sarah: [in unison] Yes, mother.
Mother: All right, then, good night. I love you.
Sarah: Mom?
Mother: Yes, dear?
Sarah: I still don't understand about the wise men...could you tell us about that one again?
Elizabeth: Yeah, mom. Please?
Mother: [pauses] Well, ok. But I'm going to tell the shortened version. [sits on one of the beds] These three wise men come from far away, see...
Elizabeth: How far away, mom?
Sarah: What country did they come from?
Mother: The Bible doesn't say from where or how far, but it was probably very far. Anyways...
Elizabeth: Only three?
Mother: Well, the Bible just says wise men came, it doesn't say exactly how many. Anyway, they came to Jerusalem, following this star, see, and...
Sarah: Was it the north star?
Mother: You guys are making it difficult to tell the story... how about if we save the questions for afterward, okay?
Elizabeth: [sighs] Oh, okay mom.
Mother: So, the wise men come to Jerusalem looking for Jesus, and they end up going to Herod to ask about Him.
Sarah: Why didn't he...
[Mother looks at Sarah, Sarah slaps her hands over her own mouth and leans back]
Mother: Thank you. So they leave Herod, and go to Bethlehem and find Jesus. They give him gifts, and worship him. After that they go home. The End. Any questions?
Elizabeth: Just one.
Mother: Yes, dear?
Elizabeth: How did they know what gifts to give Him?
Mother: [long pause, pondering] I don't know, Liz. Good night, guys. Sweet dreams.
[Mother leaves, Sarah rolls over in her bed, preparing to sleep]
Elizabeth: Sarah?
Sarah: [yawns] Yeah?
Elizabeth: How did they know what gifts to bring?
Sarah: I don't know, Elizabeth. Good night. Merry Christmas.
Elizabeth: Good night. [long pause] Lord? How did they know what gifts to bring you?
[Lights fade]
Scene 2: Phase 1 of dream
[Lights up on stage. Beds are gone. Elizabeth and Sarah are laying on the ground, still in pajamas, no blankets, asleep. A Roman Soldier is standing over them, arms folded, looking down at them]
Soldier: Hey. Hey, you kids. Beat it.
[Elizabeth and Sarah wake up, slowly sit up and look around]
Soldier: [Annoyed] Don't you kids have homes? You can't just sleep in the street! Go on, beat it. [Begins to stroll away]
Elizabeth: What...uh, where are we, Sarah?
Sarah: [Shrugs]
[They stand, Elizabeth calls back to Soldier, who is slowly walking away]
Elizabeth: Hey! Excuse me, sir?
Soldier: [Turns] Yeah, what is it?
Elizabeth: Where are we, please?
Soldier: You're in Jerusalem, kid. And what's with those odd clothes?
Sarah: Oh, [looks at self] they're my jammies.
Soldier: "Jammies"?
Sarah: Pajamas. You know...jammies.
Soldier: [laughs to himself and starts walking away] Whatever, kid. Now scram. I have to clear these streets. King Herod is having a parade today and we can't have any street urchins clogging the parade route.
Elizabeth: Did he say "Jerusalem"?
Sarah: Did he say "King Herod"?
Elizabeth: Sarah, where's mom? What's happening?
Sarah: I'm not sure. But don't worry. I have a feeling that everything is ok. Let's see...what has mom told us to do if we ever were lost? Find a policeman?
[They start walking]
Elizabeth: Ok, wait, let's go over this...we go to sleep in our room, it's Christmas night, right? Right. We wake up in the morning, and we're in the middle of some street in Jerusalem, half way around the world, right?
Sarah: And don't forget that King Herod is having a parade today!
Elizabeth: That's right, so apparently, we've also gone back in time. Well, there's only one explanation, then...
Sarah: This is a dream?
Elizabeth: This is a dream.
[They both stop and look at each other. Then they smile and say in unison]
Elizabeth and Sarah: Cool!
Sarah: This is going to be fun! Let's go!
[They both run off the stage, lights fade]
Scene 3: Enter the wise men
[Lights up on the three Wise men, sitting on the ground, talking amongst themselves]
Wiseman 1: But how will we know?
Wiseman 2: I don't know how...we just will! We've followed his star the whole way so far!
Wiseman 1: Ok, ok! So you're sure we will find the new king. Fine. And what about all the gifts we've brought? We've brought so much to give him, and now you say we need to only give him a single gift each? How will we decide? How will we narrow it down?
Wiseman 2: We each need to decide the right gift to give God's Messiah.
Wiseman 1: Well, then, you need to tell me more about him! How will I know what to give him?
Wiseman 2: I've told you all I know! We need to find someone who knows the scriptures better than we do. Someone who can tell us more about him. More about what he will have to go through.
Wiseman 3: Well, we won't accomplish anything just sitting here. Are we going to go see Herod or not?
Wiseman 2: Yes. Let's go.
[They arise and start to go]
Wiseman 1: We've traveled all this way to find the new king. I've had everything planned, and we're almost there, and now an unexpected challenge. Man, how I hate surprises!
[Elizabeth and Sarah burst onto the stage running, run into the wisemen]
Wiseman 2: Whoa! Slow down, girls!
Sarah: Sorry sir. It's just that we're so excited!
Elizabeth: Yeah, this is all too much fun!
Wiseman 1: Wait a moment. What are you talking about? And what's with those strange clothes?
Elizabeth: Sheesh! Why does everyone keep asking us that? They're our jammies, ok?
Sarah: And we're excited because, if everything goes well, we'll get to see Jesus!
Wiseman 2: Jesus? Who is that?
Elizabeth: Who is Jesus? He's God's Son! And we're going to try to see him.
Wiseman 1: God's son? Interesting [rolls eyes]...well, I hope you find this "Jesus" that you're looking for. We really must be going. We have to go see Herod.
Sarah: Herod? Really? Can we come?
Wiseman 3: I thought you were looking for Jesus?
Sarah: We are! Maybe, if we're lucky, we will be there when the three wisemen come to ask about him, then we can follow them to Jesus.
Elizabeth: Yeah, we're not too familiar with these parts. Can we follow you?
Wiseman 1: Sure, why not? [rolls eyes] "God's Son." "Wise men." Sheesh, kids these days! Come on.
Elizabeth: [to Sarah as they all head off stage] Maybe if we see the wisemen, we can ask them how they knew what gifts to bring to Jesus.
[lights down]
Scene 4: Herod
[Spotlight onto corner, where Elizabeth and Sarah sit, looking dejected, not allowed in Herod's court. Lights up, Herod sits at center stage, Advisors around him. Enter a Servant leading the Wisemen]
Servant: King Herod, these three men wish to see you. May they approach?
[Herod looks up from his conversation with his Advisors, annoyed, waves them to approach]
Herod: What is it?
Wiseman 2: King Herod, we have traveled here from far away in the east. We have been following the King's star. It has led us here to Israel. We wish to see the new King.
Herod: [puzzled] What?
Wiseman 1: Sir, we wish to see the new King, the one born King of the Jews. We've come with gifts to worship him.
Herod: Excuse me for a moment.
[Signals to Servant, who leads the Wisemen aside for a moment]
Herod: [to Advisors] What are they talking about?
Advisor1: Sir, the Messiah! They're talking about the Messiah! They are saying He's been born!
Herod: What? Now? Here?
Advisor2: No, not here...the scriptures say He'll be born in Bethlehem. "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel."
Herod: These guys have got some nerve coming to the King and asking where his successor is so they can worship him! Well, we'll see about that.
[Signals for the Servant to bring the Wisemen back in]
Herod: Dear fellows, you say you followed his star...when did this star first appear?
Wiseman 1: About a year ago.
Herod: Well, here's what I want you to do. Go and search out the boy diligently, and when you find him, return and let me know, so that I may find him and worship him as well. Sound good?
Wiseman 2: So, you don't know where he is, then?
Herod: Try Bethlehem.
Wiseman 1: Bethlehem?
Herod: Bethlehem. Good bye.
[Exit the Wisemen toward the place where Elizabeth and Sarah are sitting, lights down on stage]
Elizabeth: Oh look! Those three guys are coming back!
Sarah: [to Wiseman2] Well, how did it go?
Wiseman 2: Ok, I suppose. We're off to Bethlehem.
Elizabeth: Bethlehem! That's where Jesus is! Can we go with you?
[Wiseman1 and Wiseman2 look at each other, then at Wiseman3]
Wiseman 3: Sure. It's not very far from here, and it's probably not safe for two kids to be traveling alone. Come on, let's get the camels.
[Exit everyone, spotlight fades]
Scene 5: In Bethlehem
[Lights up on stage, enter 3 Wiseman, Elizabeth and Sarah, they all come and sit on the floor, center stage, around a fake camp fire]
Sarah: So, this is Bethlehem, eh? Not bad.
Wiseman 3: So, tell us about your friend, Jesus. What's he like? How will you find him?
Elizabeth: Jesus? Well, we know he's around here somewhere. He's just a child I believe, at this time. But He's God's son.
Wiseman 2: You said that before...what does that mean?
Sarah: Well, you see, God needed to send his Son into the world to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. So he sent him as a newborn baby. He will grow up, minister for a little while, then be crucified.
Elizabeth: But then God will raise Jesus up from the dead, and make him King of everything!
Wiseman 1: Wait a minute...how old is this Jesus?
Sarah: I'm pretty sure that at this moment, he's not very old...maybe a year or so.
Wiseman 2: [Looks at Wiseman1] Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Wiseman 1: [To Elizabeth and Sarah] Would you excuse us for a moment, please?
[Wiseman1 and 2 get up and stroll away, leaving Wiseman3 with Elizabeth and Sarah]
Wiseman 1: It isn't possible, is it? That this Jesus is the One Born King of the Jews? The one we've traveled here to see?
Wiseman 2: It sounds very possible! They don't seem like they're making this stuff up. If they know so much about him, perhaps we can ask them for more information about him.
Wiseman 1: Yes! Then we can decide what gifts we should bring to him once we find him!
[coming back over]
Wiseman 2: So, uh, I'm sorry, what are your names again?
Elizabeth: I'm Elizabeth, she's Sarah.
Wiseman 2: So, Elizabeth, you say Jesus is the King? And yet he has to die?
Elizabeth: And then be raised from the dead.
Wiseman 1: Why?
Sarah: He's God's Passover lamb.
[Wiseman1 and Wiseman2 look at each other]
Wiseman 2: What else? Tell us more about him.
Elizabeth: Well, I know he will only do what God wants him to do. God's will is the most important thing to Him.
Wiseman 1: How does he know what God wants him to do?
Sarah: Well, from the scriptures. And also he prays all the time. Or at least he will, when he grows older.
Wiseman 3: OK. So. He is the King, so one gift should be gold. His life is a prayer, so one gift should be frankincense. He is to die and then be raised, so the last gift should be myrrh.
Wiseman 1: That's it!
Sarah: Wait a minute...you guys are the wisemen? Liz, we've been with them the whole time!
Wiseman 2: It's almost dark, then we all go see the King. King Jesus.
Wiseman 1: King Jesus.
Wiseman 3: King Jesus.
Sarah: Now you've got it!
[Lights fade]
Scene 6: Outside Jesus' house
[Lights up on stage, Elizabeth and Sarah only]
Elizabeth: Why couldn't we go in with them, Sarah? I want to see Jesus too!
Sarah: They need to spend time with him first. It's only right.
Elizabeth: Hey, we don't have a gift for Jesus! What should we give him?
Sarah: We don't have anything to give him. We're in our jammies!
Elizabeth: There's got to be something we can give him!
Sarah: Maybe we can think of something...
[Enter Wiseman 3]
Wiseman 3: Hey, you two. You want to come in and see Jesus?
Elizabeth: Yeah!! [gets up, looks at Sarah, who is still sitting] Come on Sarah!
Sarah: Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: What? Come on!
Sarah: Liz, come on, it's time to get up!
Elizabeth: What? No, let's go see Jesus!
[Lights fade slowly to black, voices still audible in blackness. Bedroom set is reset in dark, as voices are heard.]
Sarah: Come on, Liz, its Christmas; let's go wake up mom.
Elizabeth: No. No, Sarah. It's time to go see Jesus! Let's go see Jesus.
Sarah: Liz? Wake up, Liz!
Scene 7: Back in the bedroom
[Lights up, Elizabeth is in bed, Sarah is standing beside her, shaking her lightly, trying to wake her up]
Sarah: Come on, Elizabeth, wake up. Let's go open our gifts.
Elizabeth: Aw, man! Sarah! We were about to see Jesus! Why did you wake me up!
Sarah: What? What are you talking about?
Elizabeth: The wisemen had just asked us to come in to see baby Jesus! We were going to see him!
Sarah: Oh, is that what you were dreaming about? Sorry to spoil a good dream.
Elizabeth: But you were there too! Weren't you?
Sarah: Me? No, I dreamed about missing the bus and having to walk to school. Then I got lost. Sounds like your dream was better.
Elizabeth: But we helped them decide what gifts to give Jesus!
Sarah: Really? That was some dream. I wish I had been there.
Elizabeth: But you were! [Long pause] But we didn't have a gift for him. I suppose it's best that we didn't see him. What would we have given him?
Sarah: Well...we've already given him our heart, what better gift is there than that?
Elizabeth: [face lights up, small pause] Hey! You're right! We did bring him a gift! Wow!
Sarah: [pleading] So, can we go open our gifts now, please?!?!
Elizabeth: Yeah! Oh, I can't wait to tell mom! Let's go!
[Elizabeth and Sarah head off stage, Elizabeth comes back to quickly pull her covers up, half making her bed, Sarah is off stage. Elizabeth goes to rush off stage again, but stops, looks up, big smile]
Elizabeth: Happy birthday, Lord. Thank you for everything.
[Rushes off, lights down]
END
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Copyright 1998 by Dave Wagner. Should you use this script would you be so kind as to let Dave know? davidwagner1@cox.net