Plays for All Year

38 pages

Cast: 3 m, 3 w with doubling or 4 m, 4 w, guest acts optional.

The year is 1960. “The Piety Variety Gospel Show” is a locally televised religious program that blesses folks between church services with music, religious news, and much more. But now the host, Brother Shelby Greene, faces a crisis. With new regulations that require him to start paying for his airtime, how will he raise the money and stay true to his calling? This is a comic tale about becoming a televangelist when selling religious items, having nice hair, and asking for money on air was something new. A singing quartet performs ten well-known hymns, and th...

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...

24 pages

3 m, 3 w

It's a routine Sunday morning biblical radio discussion on the second coming of Christ ... until the radio audience confuses the broadcast with the real second coming! Soon, huge crowds of listeners overreact by flocking to the cemetery to be ready to wave at their love ones as the dead in Christ arise to go to heaven. The Mayor, who has declared a citywide emergency to deal with the crisis, joins the radio broadcast to help bring order out of chaos. After listening to the panel discuss the issue, the Mayor is converted on the air. She now realizes that most of the crowd gathered at the...

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...

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

7 m, 5 w, 2 boys, 2 girls

Here is a lighthearted comedy about lonely millionaire Jonathan Bingsley whose life is turned upside down when, against his better judgment, he allows six energetic orphans to stay at his home. To complicate matters his long-time maid and butler disappear under mysterious circumstances. Jonathan's sister, Elizabeth, convinces him to use her lazy son and his wife as replacements with disastrous (and hilarious!) results. They do a terrible job keeping house and let the children run wild. So Jonathan is forced to hire questionable substitutes, who create chaos of their own.

17 pages

2 m, 4 w

Clayton Hill is an escaped convict who cherishes his independence. Mabel Pulver is a strong-willed, elderly lady who above all cherishes her independence. And no down-on-his-luck, on-the-run convict is going to make her call for help, which is the first step to a nursing home. Thrown together, this odd couple creates a laugh riot, especially when Clayton must dress up like a lady to pose as a long-lost cousin at Mabel's birthday party AND baby-sit the state trooper's children.

48 pages

3 m, 3 w

In this play, six witnesses to the Sermon on the Mount recreate the experience for an early assembly of Christians. In the recreation, witnesses take turns acting as Jesus, audience members, and narrators of the story. Though much more entertaining and humorous than most translations of the Sermon, Jesus’s words in this version closely follow the original Greek in the order that He spoke them. This word order demonstrates the warmth and cleverness that Jesus used to draw people into His message. This allows audiences today to hear these words in an exciting n...

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.

31 pages

7 m, 5 w, 1 boy.

Alarm bells sound when Pastor Larry Bowman and his wife, Janet, find out the leader of their denomination, Rev. Grisham, wants to visit and use their three children as role models for his newest book. As loveable as they are, young Eric, Cherie and Cody are famous for their outrageous ideas and rambunctious behavior. Their antics especially seems to grate on the nerves of one of the church's more conservative deacons. To impress Rev. Grisham, the kids build an altar to use the youngest child as their sacrifice - following the example of Abraham and Isaac, of course! Hapless, hilarious, a...

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...

14 pages

2 m, 1 w

A messenger of the Devil is sent to destroy the world but when he reaches Earth, he encounters a girl with ideas and problems of her own. Then we find out that the girl has been sent by ... you know who! One easy set.

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 co...

39 pages

Approx. 10 m, 10 w, much doubling possible

Frankie meets his end in an act of wanton cowardice. This offense isn't bad enough to send him to the basement, but he isn't good enough for the attic. He is assigned to Angie the Angel in the "Situation Re-Modification Department." He is given three chances to try to correct something in history that didn't go the way it was supposed to go. He messes up all three chances, but is offered a fourth chance by Herman, Angie's boss. With this one, the toughest of them all, he succeeds.

48 pages

2 m, 6 w

Here's the perfect play to use as a fund-raiser, an audience-participation mystery, or entertainment for your own special dinner event. Rev. Longacre is gathering a small group of church members at a potluck dinner to broach the subject of starting a building fund. Duty-bound Hazel arrives first to set up everything and tell the Reverend she hasn't yet found out who's been sending him anonymous love letters. Jenny, a local politician, and Cornelia, a local poet, arrive next, followed by Annie, the church secretary who is hiding something under her coat, and i...