BEHOLD, the LAMB of GOD

Transcription

1 BEHOLD, the LAMB of GOD By Arthur Bounds Performance Rights To copy this text is an infringement of the federal copyright law as is to perform this play without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge Publishing Co. Inc. Call the publisher for further scripts and licensing information. On all programs and advertising the author s name must appear as well as this notice: Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co. PUBLISHED BY ELDRIDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY by Eldridge Publishing Company Download your complete script from Eldridge Publishing

2 - 2 - STORY A Roman captain, unusually worn, weary, and affected from witnessing Jesus crucifixion, questions several villagers by a well. An old man, a woman, a child - they all knew and loved Jesus. The captain even meets the centurion who pierced Jesus side while on the cross, a man now horrified by his own actions. When a young woman rushes in to tell the news of the resurrection, the Roman captain bows down and declares, He was no, he is the son of God. A play which shows the power and the promise of the season. PLAYING TIME: Approx. 25 minutes.

3 - 3 - CAST OF CHARACTERS (4 m, 4 w) ROMAN CAPTAIN OLD MAN OLD WOMAN ROMAN SOLDIER WOMAN AT THE WELL BOY BOY S MOTHER WOMAN AT THE TOMB

4 - 4 - TIME: Jerusalem at the time of Christ. SETTING: The village square, a stone well is CS. COSTUMES: Traditional Middle East dress/ Roman uniforms. PROPERTIES: A well; two water jugs; a lance; sword and helmet for Roman Captain. LIGHTING and SOUND: As indicated in script - hammering, thunder, a rooster crowing and suggested music.

5 - 5 - BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD (BEFORE CURTAIN: In the darkness we hear the sounds of turmoil, cries of anguish, and blows of hammering of nails.) VOICE: (Offstage.) Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. (There are cries of anguish, a loud CLAP of thunder and the SOUND of an earthquake. Then there is silence.) VOICE: (Offstage.) Behold - the lamb of God! (AT RISE: It is early morning, a rooster crows in the background. From SL, an elderly MAN enters, rubbing his eyes and stretching. He walks toward the well.) OLD MAN: Ah, my bones do ache today. (Looks about.) How good it is to hear the usual sounds once again. Even that old rooster sounds good to my old ears. After three days of turmoil and then that terrible crucifixion (Shakes HIS head.) I am getting to an age when I need peace and tranquillity. (From SR, a ROMAN CAPTAIN appears, walking slowly towards the well.) OLD MAN: Oh, I cannot avoid him now. He saw me. Oh well. (Loudly.) And good morning to you, mighty soldier of Rome. At last it is over, eh? CAPTAIN: (Wearily.) Yes, it is over and I hope that I never go through something like that again. A battle is one thing, but this OLD MAN: (Laughs.) Perhaps it is getting too much even for the likes of you. All this killing. Three of them were killed that day, huh? And that good man Jesus he is dead.

6 - 6 - CAPTAIN: Odd that you should refer to him as that good man. That was my exact thought during his final hour. (Looks around to see if anyone overhead HIS comment.) At least from what I could see he was a good man. He wasn t armed, had no army to command oh, maybe a dozen or so men who walked by his side, but to no avail were they. Not like the other two that hung along side of him. OLD MAN: And that Barabbas, an out-and-out thief he was, and he was let go. (Spits.) CAPTAIN: (With a shrug.) That was the peoples wish. OLD MAN: (Moving closer to the ROMAN CAPTAIN.) And the people always get their wish, huh? It was those chief priests that swayed the crowd. CAPTAIN: Enough of your spouting, old one. It is all over with and yet I still have an uneasy feeling about everything that has happened here. I have been a legionnaire for many years, but this was the worst I ever had to witness. I had no involvement, mind you, but well, no matter. It is done and life goes on. OLD MAN: And so it goes. Today dawned just as it always does. I have to tend to my sheep and you to your soldiering. Life does go on. CAPTAIN: If you had been there were you there by any chance? There was such a crowd. OLD MAN: I did not want to be there I have seen these crucifixions many times. CAPTAIN: So have I. But never like this. He was treated like a common criminal. And when he cried out the sky turned black. There was thunder. And the very earth shook beneath my feet. (Looks down at the ground.) OLD MAN: (Looking up at the sky.) Well, that was days ago. The sky appears to be its usual self this morning. Blue clear as always. So you see, nothing has changed. (TWO WOMEN, supporting a GRIEVING WOMAN in their center, slowly enter from USR.)

7 - 7 - CAPTAIN: See those women? That one in the middle is his mother. I saw her there, watching her son die on the cross. The grief is still etched on her face. OLD MAN: Oh, so it is. It has been said she had known from the very beginning that her son was the chosen one. Everyone here knows Mary and her son, Jesus. But things began to happen so fast that it was impossible to control. Who are we when we confront the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the military? (The TWO MEN continue to watch as the THREE WOMEN cross the stage and exit.) CAPTAIN: One of his disciples stepped forward and stayed by her side throughout the ordeal. Well, no matter now. It is over. (Steps towards the well.) With all this talking and dust in the air, I must quench my thirst. OLD MAN: (Following HIM to the well.) Perhaps a tavern could help rid the taste of dust and blood from your mouth. CAPTAIN: I will need more than a tavern to rid myself this taste. I want some good pure water from that well. Just the sight of wine is enough to - (Shakes HIS head and starts to help himself to the water in the well.) OLD MAN: Hah! Some soldier you are and an officer too! What else would you expect to see in battle? From the sound of you, I think you ve seen your last battle. OLD WOMAN: (Offstage.) Old man? Where are you? OLD MAN: (Moving DSL away from the captain getting a drink.) Whatever he witnessed three days ago has disturbed him. It was an incident he will not soon forget. OLD WOMAN: (Appearing at SL.) Old man, don t you hear me callin you? OLD MAN: (Becoming attentive.) Oh yes, my dear wife is calling me. (Cups one hand to one ear.) No, my dear. I have not forgotten about the sheep. (Turning back to CAPTAIN.) I must go, Officer of Rome. Her voice is worse than the roosters. (To WIFE.) Yes, yes, my dear. (All smiles as HE exits SL with his WIFE.)

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