Director’s Notes:
God pursues lost people with a vengence. He cares about us so much that He will passionately seek us out to bring us home. This drama shows the difference between how God might pursue us (Donna) and how we humans normally view the lost (Jim).
Cast:
Donna: A good shepherd
Jimmy: A not-so-good shepherd
Props:
2 staffs (staves?)
A laptop computer
a bag (to hold the laptop)
A picture of a field (projected behind them if possible)
Ambient field noizes (if possible)
Setting:
A field
(LIGHTS UP CENTER STAGE where Jim is lying on the ground, hat over his eyes. Donna enters, crook in hand.)
Donna: Abigail? Abigail? Where are you? Come here girl. (sees Jim) Excuse me, Mr, um …
Jim: (from beneath the hat) Jim.
Donna: Excuse me, Jim, but have you seen…
Jim: (He cuts her off from beneath the hat) nope. No dogs around here.
Donna: I’m not looking for a dog.
Jim: Well, no cats either. The only thing around here are sheep.
Donna: Exactly. I’m looking for one of my sheep.
Jim: (takes the hat off of his eyes) Wait a minute, you name your sheep?
Donna: Of course.
Jim: No, seriously. (stands up) You actually give each sheep a name?
Donna: Yes. Seriously. Every one.
Jim: (looks at her suspiciously) Name them.
Donna: What?
Jim: Name them.
Donna: Ookay. Nancy, Brenda, Coleen, Mary, Abigail, Jennifer, Bart, Jackson, Damon, Timothy, Peter, Ray, Ollie, Andrew, Tammy, Austin, Gretchen, George, Billy, Hope, Audrey, Robert, and Janet.
im: (Stands there, open jawed) Well… um…
Donna: And do your sheep have names?
Jim: Er, sure. Of course.
Donna: Okay, name them.
Jim: What?
Donna: Name them.
Jim: Um, well, there’s the white one, and the dark gray one, and the short one with a black ear, and, um, there’s that brownish one that makes a weird bleat… and… give me a second… I think I have more…
Donna: You don’t know how many sheep are under your care?
Jim: Of course not. No one does.
Donna: 23.
Jim: What?
Donna: I have 23. I bought my first 6 on April 3rd and we added an additional 9 on September 24th and then 8 on December 12th.
Jim: You remember WHEN you got them?
Donna: Of course. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know when you got your sheep?
Jim: Sure I do. Uh, well, I got a bunch when my brother dropped by one time and gave em to me and then got some more when it was kinda warm out – maybe this summer, and then I might have lost one or two and…
Donna: Lost one or two?!?! And you aren’t trying to FIND them?
Jim: Well, … yes and no. I mean, I tried but after a couple of hours, they could just about be anywhere and they’re probably just going to run away again anyway so what’s the point?
Donna: What’s the point? WHAT’S THE POINT? Why, I out to… I mean,… grrrr. Forget it. I have to find Abigail. (She starts reaching into a bag she brought)
Jim: Well you’re not going to find her out here now. It’s a big country and it’s getting dark and… (notices she is pulling out a laptop) What are you going to do with that?
Donna: G.P.S.
Jim: G.P.S? (Shaking his head incredulously) Wait a minute, you mean Global Positioning System? As in satellites?
Donna: (opening the laptop and typing as she holds it) Of course! I tagged each one of them with a microchip. If I need to, I can connect to the satellites and find any of them anywhere in North and South America.
Jim: (Dumbfounded)
Donna: (looks up at him) Let me guess. No G.P.S.?
Jim: Er. Um. Uh. Well…
Donna: (looks back down) Bingo! There she is! (looks back at Jim) Well, gotta go, er, Jack.
Jim: Jim.
Donna: Whatever. (Leaves)
Jim: (looks at her leave, waits until she is gone and then shouts after her) Did I mention the white spotted one with three legs?!?!
LIGHTS OUT FAST
END
(c) 2002 Dave Marsh
Hello and welcome to Stage Right, the online drama ministry of EXW. My name is Dave Marsh and there are a few things you should probably know about me. First, I’m not a ‘theatre guy.’ I’ve never quoted Shakespeare (at least seriously), and I’ve never played Daddy Warbucks in Annie. Second, I received my ‘training’ in writing, directing, and acting at a church called Willow Creek (in Illinois.) Third, I’m an online games producer by trade but my real passion is found in telling others about Christ through contemporary church drama.
I have a few opinions about drama in the church as well. I think that contemporary drama is both underutilized and misunderstood. I believe it is something like 5-10 years behind contemporary worship. When many churches think about using drama, it usually involves the Passion Play or a children’s Christmas musical. Many people don’t have the opportunity to experience what are called ‘slice of life’ dramas. These dramas may last only 3-4 minutes long but create a powerful (and many times humorous) illustration on any given Sunday. I also believe that any church, no matter what size, can use drama effectively, giving God glory, and inspire/convict normal folks like you and I to walk closer to God
So, what’s Stage Right all about? It’s about offering you the advice and resources you need to help you create and act in contemporary Christian dramas. I’m no expert, but I’ve seen lives changed as I continue to strive for excellence in this area, constantly praying that God would use me to tell others about how to live for Him. Over the coming weeks and months, I hope to provide you with articles about creating a drama philosophy, working with your pastor, developing a team, writing short effective scripts, directing actors, and acting on stage. I also look forward to hearing from you, taking suggestions on topics that you feel should be covered
Over the last 3 years, I’ve written over 45 dramas that are easy to memorize, require few actors, and are highly humorous and relevant. These dramas are available to you for free and will be added to this site over the course of the next few months. You can currently download all of these dramas from my personal site (www.dave-marsh.com) and can contact me personally if you wish (dave).
I look forward to serving you here at EXW and want to thank Steve for asking me to jump on board.
In His hands
Dave Marsh