Easter

20 pages

4 readers and an ensemble of players

Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus with this Easter vigil play. A cast of four readers brings the Bible to life, and into our modern lives. A troupe of players move among the readers, illuminating the text with movement and pantomime. Six individual Bible stories are dramatically portrayed, including Creation, Abraham and Isaac, Noah and the Flood, Crossing the Red Sea, The Promise of an Abundant Life, and The Three Men in the Fiery Furnace. Anticipating the Promise reminds us that these ancient stories still matter to a modern audience. Run time 15 minutes....

34 pages

4 m, 5 w.

Taking place in the days just prior to and after Jesus' crucifixion, this play focuses on one typical family's very mixed reactions to the earthshaking events of their lifetime. As they hear the stories about this Nazarene who might be the Messiah, each wonders, who is this man? The father wants the "trouble-maker" out of the way while the loving wife wants to believe in Jesus, but feels strong loyalty to her husband. The son is the most torn of all. Light humor is added through two other characters. An insightful, inspiring drama. Performance time: 40 minute...

24 pages

3 m, 3 w

On the eve of his appointment as a Roman governor, Flavius faces a tragic dilemma. His daughter, Gena, professes she is a Christian during one of the great persecutions. Flavius' wife, driven by ambition, wants nothing to block his appointment - even if that means her husband must sentence her step-daughter to death. Flavius is torn between his desire to uphold the law, his love for his daughter, and an inner light that seems to be guiding him contrary to all that he believes. The impact of the play comes from a rosebush. Cruelly clipped of all its beautiful ...

14 pages

7 speakers.

The events at Calvary changed the history of the world. It's easy to identify with the people involved as you listen to their stories. Characters include Peter, Pilate, Mary Magdalene, Judas, Caiaphas, and Mary. Each perceptive monologue is followed by a special prayer given by the leader or minister. Like the Christmas play, "The Road to Bethlehem," this drama can be performed almost anywhere with little rehearsal. Performance time: 15 minutes.

36 pages

2 m, 4 w, 1 flexible, 1 small girl, 5-9 extras

Rick Hampton, an actor, gets a part as a Roman soldier in his hometown’s professionally produced Passion Play. As Rick works hard to learn his lines, he’s also trying to navigate his personal life which is in turmoil. Recently separated, he’s temporarily staying with his mother, who exemplifies so many Christian virtues, including also giving temporary shelter to Karen, Rick’s estranged wife. When Rick is asked to take on the role of Jesus, which includes a dramatic, stylized crucifixion scene, questions begin to arise for him and he’s forced to take a good l...

39 pages

4 m, 7 w.

The confusion, tension, and gradual strengthening of faith and love between Mary, Martha, and other followers just before Jesus' crucifixion is brought to light in this deeply moving play. Mary, the gentle dreamer who can foresee future events, is like the lily, beautiful and serene, filling us with awe at God's power. She is just the opposite of Martha, the strong one, like a rue, pungent, flavoring food and medicine, supporting and enhancing life around her. How Jesus gently and surely changes their lives as well as the lives of Hannah, Rachel, Judith, Rebe...

43 pages

3 m, 3 w, 1 flexible part.

Mary, a wealthy widow, is unsure if Jesus is the Messiah until she lets the upper room in her home be used by his disciples for what becomes the Last Supper. Events get out of control after the meal, especially when Mary's teenage son, Mark, follows Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane. But her faith becomes absolute later when her friend Joanna announces Jesus has risen. A powerful story, which reaffirms the message that through Christ's death and resurrection, we are cleansed of our sins. Performance time: 40 minutes.

32 pages

15 m, 6 w, 1 child, 2 flex, extras. Much doubling possible.

Issachar cares about only one thing, money. So when Rachel, his wife, generously loans their donkey to Jesus' disciples for the Master's use, Issachar is furious and determined to get his donkey back. Several encounters with Jesus and a week of searching for his animal find him still "donkey-less" and seemingly still heartless. In a final attempt to get his donkey back, he unknowingly enters into a plot with Judas and the Pharisees to kill Jesus. Despondent over what he has done, Issachar hurries off to Golgotha to try to explain things to Jesus before He die...

24 pages

2 m, 3 w, 2 flexible parts. Also 7 to 9 non-speaking roles.

Five college students from various backgrounds are meeting just before Easter break to discuss a special project for graduation. All are very talented, but quite different from each other. There's Kirk, the athlete who's comfortable in his Christianity; Logan, the cynical "get-by" Christian; Catilin, the sorority girl who wears her Christianity like jewelry; Julie, the silent Christian; and finally Shelley, an agnostic who wonders if all Christians are like the ones she knows. It seems like nothing will make these students understand one another better until ...

34 pages

Flexible

You’ll find something for children of all ages in this resource book of recitations, choral readings and three short plays. The recitations cover the Easter experience, from Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem to the resurrection, and beyond. With simple themes and words for the very young, and more advanced concepts and vocabulary for older boys and girls, these verses will allow your entire Sunday school to participate in your Easter program. Your older pre-teens will enjoy these three short Easter-themed plays which require minimal adult direction. The pre-teens can...

46 pages

9 readers/actors

The most authentic Easter story comes directly from the Holy Bible. To include all of the key events of the story, however, requires a careful merging of the separate accounts found in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The writer, using the King James version, has performed this merger beautifully, taking pains to preserve the purity of the scriptural accounts. Included in this resource book are two different texts suitable for presentation during the Easter season, or at other times as well. The first part, entitled Actor Script, is about half...

56 pages

Flexible cast.

Celebrate the Easter season with this incredible collection of skits. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, there is a skit for all the Holy Days and Sundays in Lent, 10 skits in all. The skits portray people who surrounded Jesus during his last weeks. They are real people who struggled with the same problems dealing with His life and lessons as people of today. Some approach Jesus with their intellects, some with their emotions, and some with a commitment of the soul that is beyond heart and mind. The Lenten dramas emphasize the thoughts and feelings of women while Ho...

20 pages

2 m

Here is an inspired dramatization of the temptation of the Christ in the wilderness. It sets forth the clash between absolute goodness and diabolical evil as personified in the main characters, Yeshua, the Hebrew version of the name Jesus, and Satan, the Prince of Demons and god of this world. This one-act play seeks to bring into relief the struggle between good and evil that tugs at the heart of all of us. In a thought-provoking way, we see afresh the timely message of Jesus to a fallen and desperate world. This is a strong and moving piece and, in the hand...

21 pages

4 m, 5 flexible

This reader's theater script offers a fresh look at Jesus' death and resurrection. Media interviews with some of those present at His crucifixion are intertwined with Christ's seven last statements made from the cross. Contemporary language and vivid characterizations bring audiences the message that no one can remain neutral about the claims of Christ. Opportunities for music. This play is a natural for an Easter production, although it could also be used effectively for evangelism anytime during the year. About 35 minutes.

19 pages

3 m, 2 w.

Joel, bitter and cynical, is one of the Roman soldiers appointed to crucify Christ. He does not believe this man is the Messiah God has promised in fact, he does not believe in anything good. He makes a great sport in the making of a crown of thorns to be placed on Jesus' head. His mother, brother, and betrothed are horrified, but cannot change his mind. He does believe, however, at the moment of the crucifixion. A powerful theme, easy to produce. Performance time: 45 minutes.

12 pages

7 speaking parts.

Here is a contemporary one-act play every modern day Christian can relate to. "Crucifixion XXVI," the year's biggest sporting event, is about to be telecast live, and Jerusalem Broadcasting Company has the exclusive coverage of the gala affair. Four reporters, Eric Greedmore, Jim Cansin, Faith Lesse, and Alacka Trust, give us on-the-spot coverage, from visiting Jesus' childhood home to talking with spectators on the street. The reporters and other non-Christians make a mockery of the whole ordeal - until they witness Jesus' suffering and sacrifice. This play ...

34 pages

16 m, 13 w, 3 teen boys, 2 teen girls, and extras as townspeople.

After the crucifixion, believers and nonbelievers were filled with doubt. Followers asked how Jesus could leave, even after promising that He would not? Nonbelievers questioned themselves— what if they did kill the Christ? Yet among the chaos and grief Christ came to them and comforted them. He continued to teach about faith and trust. With the ascension, for those who would witness and believe, the Holy Spirit would come upon them, marking the beginning of Christianity. Hallelujah! The cross is empty. Jesus lives. This Biblically inspired play runs about 90 ...

36 pages

9 m (with doubling), 5 w, 3 children, extras.

It is the time of Passover and Jesus has just re-entered the city. The city bustles as people flock to meet their Messiah and to witness Him healing the sick and the crippled. Simon, who has lost his faith in God, rejects claims that Jesus is the Messiah. Instead, Simon stays home, consumed with worry as a drought threatens the crops he sells. But Simon's blind son, Alexander, ventures into the crowded streets to meet his Savior and to restore his father's faith in the Lord. When Jesus lays His hands upon Alexander's eyes, Alexander finds that he is no longer...

27 pages

3 m, 3 w, 1 boy or girl

The Porters have gone to morning services and now think they deserve a QUIET Sunday afternoon. But being a Christian takes more than just going to church. God needs them to organize a youth group, help their married daughter and son-in-law who are quarreling, and show the Christian way to an exasperating neighbor. It's confusion, mayhem, and lots of humor with people just like you and me. Entertaining with a good message. Perfect for Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, or anytime. About: 45 minutes. 

46 pages

6 men, 5 women, 1 teen, 3 children, extras

Judith, a middle-aged widow, makes her livelihood by selling funeral spices and shrouds in front of her home just blocks from the temple. She is an unfriendly and unlikeable woman who mysteriously rejects Jesus and his teachings. Although her visiting cousin, Simon, and her neighbor and friend, Leah, both accept Jesus, Judith does not. Even after she witnesses Jesus heal a blind man and later sees Him struggle past her house carrying the cross, Judith rejects Him. It's not until Jesus confronts her after His resurrection and reveals her deepest hurts does she...

51 pages

14 flexible parts.

In a contemporary courtroom, the characters in the real life drama of the last days of Christ take the witness stand to examine the question, "Was Jesus the Messiah?" Witnesses include a man healed from blindness, Judas Iscariot, Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene, the captain of the guard, and Simon Peter. Emotional tension runs high as attorneys for both the defense and prosecution grill the witnesses to prove their cases. The audience, cast as the jury, makes the final decision. A riveting and unforgettable play. About 90 minutes...

32 pages

3 m, 2 w, 2 teen girls, 1 teen boy, 1 younger boy

The emotional highs and lows of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday through Easter, are experienced by two families. One present-day family and one Biblical family share the stage and tell two parallel stories of the expectations, fears, pain and final joy that characterized the last week of Jesus' life on earth. John and his sister's family struggle with relationships and John's pending departure from their home. Benjamin and Sarah wrestle with divided reactions to Christ's triumphant entrance into their city and the events of the days that follow. On Good Friday, b...

39 pages

4 m, 4 w.

Malchus, a high priest's servant, has his ear severed by Peter during the arrest of Jesus, but after Jesus heals him, Malchus' hatred and rejection of Jesus disappear. Later, when he hears the news of Jesus' resurrection, he accepts Him as the Messiah as does his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Tabitha, even though in doing so she must give up her boyfriend, Gideon, the son of a high priest. Neither Malchus' mother-in-law nor his cousin, however, can believe that a convicted criminal is truly the Son of God. A strong story of Christian conversion. Performance ...

45 pages

8 m, 1 w, 3 flexible, many speaking extras

When high-schooler Tom is assigned a report titled “Jesus: Myth or Reality?” he wants tangible evidence, not just faith. Resting for a moment, he dreams he is a reporter in biblical time. Motivated by a possible promotion, he must disprove that Jesus is the Messiah. First he meets Nicodemus who secretly requests that Tom speak with Jesus face-to-face before writing his article. Later Tom meets John the Baptist, a man healed by Jesus, a vendor, and Caiaphas. But Tom finds himself scrambling to save Jesus after hearing plans to arrest him. Instead of getting th...

31 pages

14 m.

The setting, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper," is the upper room during the last Passover meal celebrated by Jesus and His disciples before the crucifixion. Each disciple, speaking in monologue form, tells why he chose to follow Jesus and how his life has been changed by His presence. Like all men of faith, past and present, each has a different vision of the Lord's purpose, yet, despite their doubts and fears, they are united in their devotion to the Messiah. The audience experiences the humanness of each apostle in this powerful pr...

28 pages

3 m, 3 w.

Doug and Jeff Montgomery, along with their wives, and college-student sister, Sara Montgomery, are heading home for the weekend to perform a play for the church's annual Easter Sunrise Service. As luck would have it, they are stranded at a run-down lodge where they meet Calvin Bruzenski, a lovable but not-too-bright "surfer dude" who sets his sights for Sara. To make good use of their stranded, waiting time, Jeff and Doug decide to rehearse their Easter skit. Calvin, eavesdropping and unfamiliar with the story of Jesus' death and resurrection, believes it to ...

67 pages

Large, flexible cast; much doubling possible.

A thief and rebel, Barabbas dreams of leading a free Judea. He is captured and sentenced to die, but on the eve of his execution, he is reprieved and a rabbi, Jesus, dies instead. Barabbas is pleased about this until rumors start that the dead rabbi has risen and is now very much alive. Jealous and resentful, Barabbas plots to expose the resurrection as a fraud, thus regaining his own position as leader, but his plot goes awry when he himself comes face to face with the living, breathing Jesus. Few Easter plays are written from Barabbas’ point of view, much l...

41 pages

With doubling: 19 m, 8 w, 3 teen boys, 2 teen girls. Extras.

Joshua is a young man struggling with his father’s abandonment. When he begins to run with the wrong crowd and tries to rob a liquor store, he is caught and charged. Blaming God, unable to accept his mother’s love or Pastor Brian’s guidance, he sits in his jail cell. How will he find forgiveness? As Joshua struggles, we see Jesus work to accept his upcoming crucifixion. Beginning with his baptism to his resurrection, Jesus is seen and heard by his followers. His disciples attempt to understand how to help Jesus as He approaches death. Intermixing the resurrec...

78 pages

5 m, 2 w and extras.

Thirty-three years ago, a group of six soldiers, under orders from Herod the Great, entered Bethlehem. When they left, seventeen small boys were dead. One of the fathers, Simeon, tried for revenge, killed three of the soldiers, and has languished, forgotten, in prison since. Now, the last living soldier, Jeremiah, is a powerful judge in Jerusalem. His enemies want rid of him, and when they learn of Simeon, it seems the perfect solution to their problem. They release Simeon and send him after Jeremiah. Meanwhile, Jeremiah's teenage son, Reuben, wants to follow...

22 pages

2 m, 4 w, 1 flexible

Monica, a young lady, now faces a life or death situation as she learns she must have a heart transplant. What she doesn't know is that it is her spiritual heart that is in need of the most attention. Chase, a pre-med student, and Katie, who just landed her first nursing job, add humor as Monica's best friend, Shannon, helps her deal with the most serious issue anyone will ever face: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This one-act play is easily staged and produced. It is appropriate for all audiences and can be a very effective means of evangelism. A...