Plays for All Year

21 pages

1 m, 1 w.

Here's a delightful adaptation of Mark Twain's witty stories about our beloved predecessors. We take Adam and Eve from the day she was "born" all the way through to her death with everything in between! It starts out with Adam feeling disgruntled because this new creature, Eve, wants to talk to him all the time, wants to put stars in her hair, and wants to name all the animals. The naming goes "recklessly on." And when Adam pushes Eve out of his shelter, those holes by her eyes start to leak! Eve, meanwhile, finds Adam unwilling to talk, because "perhaps he is not bright and wishes to c...

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...

56 pages

5 m, 6 w, 1 girl, optional Piano Player

Four strangers arrive in the little western town of Larrabie, Texas. One is a gunslinger looking for the man who shot his pa, another is a gambler looking for some action, the next is a snake oil salesman who promises to have anything anyone could ever need, and lastly is a preacher who offers the word of God. What follows is one of the most curious bets the gambler has ever seen, pitting the salesman against the preacher in a high-stakes game where lives – and souls – are on the line. With a loveable bunch of characters, from Liza, the soiled dove, to Old Su...

52 pages

17 roles (minimum 4 m, 3w)

Here's a contemporary and comedic interpretation of the allegorical story of a man who learns he must prepare to meet his Maker, and then does! As his doom approaches, Everyman discovers that family, friends and fortune cannot accompany him, and that even strength, beauty, intellect and emotion are no match for the Grim Reaper; yet faith, hope and charity prevail. This timeless tale is especially intended for groups ready to move beyond religious skits and homily dramas to do something more challenging, less preachy, and more theatrical. And did we say funny?...

0 pages

14 m, 8 w, 1 boy, 1 girl, and 8 to 15 flexible roles with doubling possible.

Have you ever wondered about the people who wrote the hymns that you sing in church every Sunday? What events in their lives led them to sit down and write these songs - songs that would eventually became "hymnal classics" in the Christian church? This musical uncovers the true, behind-the-scenes stories of seven people and how they were prompted by tragedy or triumph to write such treasured favorites as "Just As I Am" and "Onward, Christian Soldiers." In addition, a beautiful, original song "Bringing a Hymn to Life," is also included. Told in a series of vig...

72 pages

6 m, 5 w

Early morning July 1, 1863. Gettysburg, Pa. As thousands of troops from both North and South amass for what will become one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, five teenagers from several local farms escape to the safety of the surrounding hills. There's the level-headed Eliza and her little sister, Justine, who's strong-willed; Georgina, whose mother has sheared her hair to make her look like a boy; and Rachel and Jeremiah, a brother and sister from a wealthier family. As they witness the horrors of battle over the next three days, the teens are force...

74 pages

8 m, 8 w, 2 flexible

All the fun and nostalgia of the '50s make this play a winner! Judy Harding's life as a 16-year-old isn't too sweet right now. Her dad can't find the money to fix up the family's soda shop; her older brother is flunking out of school; and her younger brother has retreated into a fantasy world of comic book superheroes since their mom died. To add to the dilemma, Judy has a major crush on a new student who's a mysterious loner. Enter Angela, a bumbling angel-in-training who must earn her halo by helping the Hardings. But when the shop is hit first by a fire an...

51 pages

3 m, 3 w, 1 flexible

The biographer of the story of Berendina (Diet) Eman is interrupted by Diet herself as he begins a lecture about the Second World War and Nazi resistance in occupied Europe. Diet explains that her efforts to hide Jewish people were not unique, but were undertaken by many ordinary people. To explain, she begins to tell the exciting stories of her Resistance work. As she does, her younger self appears and narrates stories in ways which occasionally vary from the descriptions offered by her older self. In addition, her fiancé, Hein Sietsma, appears, and all thre...

20 pages

1 m, 6 w

The ladies meet at Suzie's home for a game of poker which they know little if anything about. Suzie's husband, Willoughby, sticks his two-cents-worth in and the game disintegrates into a sharing of make-up and poker-bridge. As usual men are a part of the discussion!  Also join the ladies in these other comedies: "Ladies at Lunch" (#1648) "Ladies on Vacation" (#1649)

19 pages

4 m, 2 w, 1 voice.

Dave Elkins is returning from the Vietnam War. His Idaho farm family are busy anticipating his arrival. He calls from Hawaii to ask if he can bring home with him a friend who lost the use of his legs and has nowhere to go. The family considers, but overwhelmed by the business and busyness of live on the farm, along with civic and church duties, they tell Dave that a farm is no place for someone who can't pull his own weight. Dave emerges from the phone booth, reaches for his crutches and tells his friend yes, he will go home with him and share life with the f...

15 pages

6 w

Six alert and active senior ladies go on vacation and rent a condo with only one bathroom. From trying to get all of their luggage into one minivan, deciding who sleeps where and what to eat, to finally selecting the activities, life gets wild and silly, all intensified by lack of sleep. About 20-25 minutes.

Also join the ladies in these other comedies: "Ladies at Lunch" (#1648) "Ladies at Poker" (#1816)

40 pages

22 flexible characters, 12 with doubling.

This is a somewhat zany retelling of the traditional story of Jonah. Although enhanced with some extra characters and scenes, the theme and overall message hold true to the Old Testament Scriptures. Included in the story is Herald, the angel who acts as God’s voice and has the ability to turn up at unusual places and in unusual ways. In the opening scene a handful of fun-loving woodland creatures discover Jonah asleep, and bring in the right blend of seriousness when they realize he must be the prophet. Along the way Jonah interacts with some sailors who even...

26 pages

5 m, 4 w, and optional 1 flexible

A small church is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new and as yet unseen pastor. But he’s arrived too early and instead of meeting the welcoming committee, Rev. Goode encounters a seemingly homeless man. The pastor immediately offers to help him, surprising the stranger who says he never before received that kind of consideration from the church members. Since the pastor is more interested in finding out what type of church he inherited than in making a good first impression, he switches place with the other man so he can observe firsthand how the church t...

54 pages

Flexible casting

The skits, mimes and monologues/readings in this collection of "anytime" material have been written for easy casting, short rehearsals and maximum impact. Topics covered include missionary boxes; witnessing; the afterlife; cultivating the Christian life; allegorical tales of obedience, power, beauty and teamwork; seeing through God's eyes; and the meaning of God's names. Often, the message is driven home with laughter. Most tales are contemporary (two are set in Biblical times) and most can be cast with either men or women (several feature many women). Use th...

28 pages

Cast: Widely flexible.

Take a trip back in history and learn how prayer has helped create this great nation. With Jesus as our guide, join a confused office worker in discovering the faith of past patriots such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other well-known and many not-so-well-known patriots. With no scenery and just a few props, the focus is on the dramatic dialogue which includes excerpts from original speeches. Suggested songs for a choir enhance the mood of each segment of history. The powerful, surprise ending is a touching scene from the World Trade Center tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001. Give y...