Director’s Notes:
The book of James says that if we ask God for wisdom, He will gladly give it. He will supply us with all the wisdom we need. The question is: Whether we know God or not, where do we go to find true wisdom? Universities, books, newspapers, the Bible, friends, the Internet, etc? God will speak to us in prayer and meditation through His Spirit (which whispers to our spirit), through other believers, through circumstances, and, obviously through the Bible.
This drama focuses on our vain attempts to find wisdom and while it’s over the top (no surprise there!), it gets the point across. Also, the part about memorizing scripture could be misinterpreted so let me explain. Many people associate wisdom with knowledge. They are not necessarily related. Many wise men and women never know true wisdom because they don’t ask God for it. As Christians, we need to be careful not to just read the Bible and memorize it but study it and ask God to give us the wisdom to interpret and apply it to our lives.
Again, the drama is a bit extreme but 1) it’s fun, 2) it can be a follow-up drama to “Swoosh”, and 3) I like to write ’em this way š
Cast:
Jim: Searching for wisdom any where he can get it
Tracy: Jim’s wife
Props:
Headphones
Laundry basket
Lots of clothes
5 bibles (hint: you can read the scripture from here instead of memorizing it)
A newspaper (hint: you can read the newspaper article instead of memorizing it)
A laptop (hint: you can r… okay, you get the idea š
Setting:
Family Room
(LIGHTS UP CENTER STAGE where Jim has headphones on and is pouring through different Bibles, laptop open, etc. Tracy enters with the laundry basket…)
Tracy: (carrying a basket of laundry) Jim, honey, could you please hand me those clothes? (The clothes are right by him ā Tracy continues to pick up other clothes on the other side of the stage) I swear, I feel like Alice from the Brady Bunch more and more each day.
Tracy: Jim? Jim, did you hear me? (heās oblivious) Jim! (sees that heās not listening to her, she puts down the basket and pulls the headphones off his right ear) JIM!
Jim: Wha? Huh? Oh, yes, itās good to see you, woman of God.
Tracy: What?
Jim: Did you come here seeking wisdom like that written in Proverbs 31:10-12? āWho can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.ā
Tracy: Um, no. I came here seeking your dirty socks.
Jim: Ah. Then socks you shall have for it is written āShe seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. Proverbs 31:13ā
Tracy: Youāre very strange, Jim.
Jim: Yes. But wise donāt you think?
Tracy: Wise? Ohhhh. Okay. Is that what this is all about? (motions at the stuff)
Jim: Of course! Donāt you remember that dressing up like Andre Agassi fiasco with my sister a couple of weeks ago? She told me that I didnāt have to imitate him but needed to look to a higher power. And thatās just what Iām doing!
Tracy: Hence the bibles.
Jim: Of course. I need wisdom if Iām going to truly know who God is. And where better to find it that in the Bible!
Tracy: Hence all the quotes.
Jim: Exactly, in fact, Iāve memorized the entire book of Lamentations. Do you want me to recite it?
Tracy: Uh, no. Thatās okay. I think Iām lamenting enough already as it is. I think finding wisdom is more that memorizing verses. I mean, do you know what they mean? Jim? Jim?
Jim: Hmmm (Doesnāt hear her because heās gone back to studying. This time in the paper).
Tracy: (shakes her head) What are you doing?
Jim: Searching the newspaper for wisdom.
Tracy: Oh, right. Good Olā Beetle Bailey is loaded with it. (sarcastic)
Jim: Very funny. No, Iām looking for wisdom here. (Closes eyes and drops his finger on the page.)
Tracy: Look Jim…
Jim: Shhh. Hold on. Okay, here it is! Listen to this. Mondayās weather: Sunny and very hot. High near 100! (looks at Tracy) Did you hear that? Itās just like what God says in the book of Revelation, Chapter 16, vs. 9 āThen the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire!ā See that? Thatās called wisdom!
Tracy: Thatās called August in Virginia!
Jim: Oh, well, maybe. But look at this! (points to his laptop) Remember that movie āThe Omega Code?ā
Tracy: Yeah.
Jim: Well, the Internet is a great source of wisdom. I found a program that goes through every Christian book, message, and song and alphabetizes them, cross-references them, removes every other consonant and every third vowel, and finds secret hidden meanings when read backwards.
Tracy: Lovely.
Jim: (hits a final key) And here is the answer Iāve been waiting for! MOW THE LAWN OF THE LORD!
Tracy: Mow the lawn of the Lord?
Jim: Yes, yes. Donāt you see? Itās a sign.
Tracy: (Picks up her laundry basket) Itās a sign, all right. A sign youāre losing your mind. (picks up a few more clothes and leaves)
Jim: Wait, honey! Come back. Donāt you see? The lawn of the Lord must be mowed. God helps those who mow themselves! WHAT A MAN MOWS, HE WILL ALSO REAP!!!
(LIGHTS OUT FAST)
END
(c) 2000 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 ātheatre guy.’ I’ve never quoted Shakespeare (at least seriously), and I’ve never played Daddy Warbucks in Annie. Second, I received my ātraining’ 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 āslice 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