Category: Drama Publisher: Alabaster Publishing Company
ISBN-10: 1EdThompson
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 70
Copyright: 2002
This collection of short skits is perfect for youth groups looking for material to perform.
Drama is my favorite thing! Short dramas, long dramas, funny dramas, sad dramas--I love them all. There is something about creating a little world, putting characters in it, and developing its plot, that makes me truly feel like a son of The Creator. He wrote the ultimate drama when He said, "Let There Be Light!" and then placed Adam and Eve in the midst of His stage, called The Garden of Eden, and allowed the plot to thicken until He sent His only Begotten Protagonist to defeat, once and for all, the antagonist of our existence.
In this age of television and movies, a generation of souls exists that is trained to respond visually. Framing the Gospel message in drama helps bring freshness and dynamics to the intended audience. We live in a user friendly world that quickly loses patience with anything static or outdated. It is incumbent upon His ministers and messengers to discover means of presentation that do justice to the living, dynamic message of Christ.
A unique discovery many have made about drama is that its effectiveness is not lessened when it is used in underdeveloped countries or deprived areas of our own country. The Greeks knew so very long ago that drama touches one’s soul. It seems the more we use this medium to convey our message the more effective we can be.
It is my prayer that those who read and use these short, award winning skits find something valuable in these pages. I have written hundreds of skits, dramas, plays and such; these eight are some of my favorites. They are molded and designed to adhere to the standards and requirements of most Fine Arts Festivals that exist. They are the result of bended knee and clasped hands as I sought to do justice to my Creator and His drama.
I have included two chapters designed to help you use this resource to develop a drama team in your own group. The information is not very organized or intricate. I just shoveled as many words of wisdom as I could into a short chapter or two. A step-by-step book on starting, building, and maintaining a drama team is needed, but I’m not sure I qualify to write it. What I have written is a handy little collection of thoughts, ideas, and dramas that I hope will supplement your ministry in some small way.
It is wonderful you are using drama in your youth group, or considering it, and I encourage you to continue giving young people an outlet for the ministry stirring within them. Take out your clipboard, your handouts, your whistle, and your watch. Take a deep breath as you prepare to inspire young souls to a higher level of commitment. Ready......And........ACTION!!!
Excerpt
Synopsis Of The Eight Dramas
Shuttlebus To Glory
This delightful skit uses plenty of visual action and humor to reveal the fact that we simply do not understand the glories and wonders of heaven in our age of hero worship, materialism, and self-absorption. Four clueless characters explain their views of what heaven will be like to the dismay of the angel driving this shuttlebus to heaven. When they arrive, the characters need no explanation as the presence of God removes their mistaken notions.
Waiting Till He Comes
This skit picks up where the Gospels leave off as Jesus has just ascended into the clouds with His promise to return. These "followers" of Christ have missed the point and are literally waiting, eyes scanning the heavens, until He comes back. As they begin to discuss how long they will have to wait, one by one they leave as a curious passer-by questions them: "What if you have to wait an hour? A whole day? Longer?" Finally, the lesson sinks in that they may just have to wait a lifetime but that they must live every day ready for His return.
Lazarus
If laughter is what you are looking for, this skit is your ticket. A youth group is preparing for a big event, and the youth pastor is frustrated at their lack of concern. The dull, monotonous repeating of lines is soon replaced with chaos as the kids overdo the dramatic and emotional instructions given by their incredulous drama coach. Anyone who performs or sees this skit will never forget the story of Lazarus as long as they live.
The Sower
This drama brings to life the parable of the sower. The actors play the parts of seeds, stones, trees, and crows as a narrator takes the audience through the parable. Plenty of scripture and illustration drives home the message that only when our hearts are good ground can we grow strong in the Kingdom of God.
Escaping The Box
Two prisoners in an invisible box are visited by a couple of strangers. The first is a man who is desperate to find a way out of the box. He has managed to make it from box to box but is determined that if he just digs in the right place he can find his way to freedom. Another visitor, Jesus, enters the box and offers them a way out. While the two occupants of the box escape through the door, Christ, the desperate digger misses his opportunity. The drama teaches that our lives are prisons without the re-birth that comes only through Jesus.
Your Turn Now
A group of teens seem unimpressed with the way Jesus faced the cross. Each of them takes a turn showing how they would have reacted if Roman guards had tried to nail them to a tree. This hilarious look at our culture's obsession with pride and arrogance teaches the lesson that only through the humble obedience of Jesus could our sins have been forgiven.
The Bonus Question
We eavesdrop on a Bible School classroom where students are discussing their possible grades on the bonus question their teacher gave them on one of their tests. The question being debated is "What is the primary function of an Ambassador for Christ?" We get several perspectives from an intellectual, a foreigner, an air head, and a gossip. Mercifully, the teacher finally shows up and teaches the students what it means to be an ambassador for Christ.
Interview With A Savior
A world needs a savior and someone must be sent on a mission to save the earth. A group of kids have fun with an angel assigned the duty of interviewing candidates for the job. Heros, environmentalists, and snake-oil salesmen nearly bring the angel to tears before Jesus shows up unexpectedly to interview for the job.
