The Beautiful Statue Script Writing Eliza Carrigan San Jacinto Assembly of God, San Jacinto, CA

Transcription

1 The Beautiful Statue Script Writing Eliza Carrigan San Jacinto Assembly of God, San Jacinto, CA

2 Characters: King Nebuchadnezzar Shadrach Meshach Abednego Guards (minimum 2) Setting: Scene 1 takes place in King Nebuchadnezzar s Palace. King s throne and other furniture are optional. Scene 2 takes place outside the palace. Scene 1: [King is standing Stage Right, with a Guard on either side of him.] King: Ah, look at my grand kingdom. So wonderful! And today it will become even better with the addition of a beautiful statue, designed by yours truly, King Nebuchadnezzar! [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego enter Up Stage Left and cross to Center Stage] Abednego: You wished to see us, sir? King: Yes, my best men, uh, uh. Abednego: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, at your service sir. King: I can never remember your names. Anyway, I have summoned you three to let you in on a new development. As of today, I have finished building the most beautiful statue in the known world. There is a great view of it from this window. [Indicates off Stage Right] [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego look Stage Right momentarily] Shadrach: Uh, sir, I thought you said the statue was beauti-[abednego elbows him in the ribs] Meshach: Whatever is it for? King: Well, I just issued a decree that, starting tomorrow, when the music starts to play, everyone in the kingdom has to bow down and worship my beautiful statue. Abednego: Has to? What happens if they don t? King: Oh, they get thrown into my blazing furnace.

3 Shadrach: When did you get a blazing furnace? King: Yesterday. I had it built for this very purpose. Anyway, I just wanted you three to be the first to know of my decree, that way you can prepare yourselves. Abednego: Yes sir. [King and Guards cross to Up Stage Right. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cross to Down Center Stage.] Abednego: This is bad. This is very bad. Meshach: Tell me about it. Shadrach: Totally. The king said he built a beautiful statue, but that thing is hideous! Someone has to tell him that his taste is terrible! Abednego: No, no, I mean this awful situation! We can t bow down to that thing! It goes against everything we believe! Meshach: Yes, we love God, and He says that we shall worship no other gods but Him. Bowing down to that statue would be breaking the first two Commandments! Shadrach: Oh, right. This is bad. Break God s law or face certain death. I m too young to die! Abednego: I don t want to get thrown into that furnace either, but I would rather die than shun God. Meshach: Well, what are we going to do? Abednego: I was thinking more along the lines of what we aren t going to do. Meshach: Oh, I see! Shadrach: So we re not going to tell the king that his statue is ugly? Meshach: My friend, we are not going to do anything! Shadrach: What? I don t understand! Abednego: Shadrach, when the music plays, we are just going to stand where we are instead of bowing down. Shadrach: Oh, like a sit-in! Only, we re standing. Meshach (confused): Uh, sure?

4 [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cross to Stage Left. End Scene.] Scene 2: [Music plays] Abednego: Listen, friends, there is the music! [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stand straight. The King and Guards cross from Up Stage Right to Center Stage] King: Isn t it great? Everyone together in worship of my beautiful statue and- Hey! You three, uh, uh. Abednego: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King: Yeah, sure, whatever. Anyway, didn t I tell you that you re supposed to bow down and worship my beautiful statue? [Shadrach opens his mouth to correct the king about the word beautiful, but Meshach elbows him in the ribs] Meshach: I believe you did sir. King (shouting): Then what are you doing? Abednego: Standing. King (frustrated): I can see that. Why are you standing? Or, more importantly, why aren t you bowing down, like I decreed? Abednego: Because, sir, we believe in only one God. Meshach: And He decreed that His followers can only love and worship Him Shadrach: And nothing else, including your, uh, statue. King: And because you love only this God Meshach: We feel compelled to disobey your orders. Shadrach: Even if the penalty is death via blazing hot furnace. Abednego: Because we know that our God can save us from the furnace, if it s his will.

5 King: And if he doesn t? Meshach: We still will not bow down. King: I see. You know what I feel compelled to do right now? [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shake their heads] King (shouting): I feel compelled to throw you into the furnace! Guards! [Faces Stage Right] [Two guards cross to Stage Left, grab Abednego, and drag him across Center Stage and push him to Stage Right. They repeat this action with Meshach and Shadrach. The Guards then cross to Stage Left of the King] King [turns away from Stage Right]: That ll show them. [Turns and faces Stage Right] Hey! That s not right! There are four guys in that furnace; there should only be three! [King squints, looking hard at Stage Right] They re alive! You three, uh, uh Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego! Come out! [Abednego, Meshach, and Shadrach cross to Center Stage] Shadrach: So you do know our names! King: You re okay! Your God saved you! Abednego: You are absolutely right. King: Because you love only your God, you refused to worship my beautiful statue, and your God saved you from my furnace! Shadrach: Yes, that s right! King: But why would He save you? I mean, if God is so powerful, I m sure he has other, more important things to do. Abednego: Sir, we don t know exactly why God saved us. All we know is we love Him and He loves us even more and knows what is best for all of us. King: So what you re saying is that while you were compelled by your love for God to disobey my orders, He was compelled by His love for you to save your lives? Meshach: Well, yes, but God doesn t just love us. He loves everyone, you included. So maybe He saved us because He knows what is best for you, too. King: I think I get it now.

6 Abednego: Wonderful! Shadrach: So, what now? King [Snaps his fingers]: New decree! From now on, everyone in the kingdom will worship only your God! Meshach: Yes, that s a great idea! [Abednego nods in agreement, and Shadrach puts his arm around the King s shoulders] Shadrach: I agree. Now, sir, there is another issue I would like to discuss with you. You seem to think that the statue you designed is beautiful when in reality it is quite hide- [Abednego grabs Shadrach s arm and drags him to Stage Right] Abednego: Shadrach! I just remembered that we have an important meeting to attend! [Meshach and Abednego cross Stage Right, taking Shadrach with them. The king watches them leave and shakes his head] King: There are some things that I will never understand. [End Scene]