DRAMA —SERIES A — NEW YEAR
Bible reference- Ecclesiastes 3:1– 8
This reading is appointed for New Year’s Day, but this performance could be given on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING?
Readers Theatre
(Three readers enter and stand in position. Reader 1 and 2 read normally but react to reader 3 as appropriate; reader 3’s actions and expressions reflect and exaggerate what the other two are saying.)
1: There is a time for everything. (Sound effect of a loud clock ticking begins)
2: A time for everything under heaven.
3: (Looking at watch) What’s the time?
1: A time to be born.
2: A time to die.
3: (Looking up, shouts so it startles 1 and 2) Time’s up!
1: A time to plant.
2: A time to uproot
3: (Mimes having great difficulty pulling up a plant) Hang on a minute! (Mimes blowing it up, dusts off hands) Time for a change.
1: (Glaring at 3) A time to kill.
2: A time to heal.
3: (Sympathetically, comforting 2) It’ll take time...
1: A time to tear down.
2: A time to build up.
3: (Encouraging 2) Maybe next time.
1: A time to weep.
2: A time to laugh.
3:
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(Happily stands between 1 and 2 arms around their shoulders, 1 is not impressed) Time flies when you’re having fun.
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1: (Shrugging off 3’s arm) A time to mourn.
2: A time to dance.
3: (Dancing around 1 and 2) It’s party time! (Pulls out party tooter and blows it in 1’s ear)
1: (Waving 3, away) A time to scatter.
2: A time to gather.
3:
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(Getting out a diary, goes to write on it with tooter. Embarrassed, puts tooter away quickly) Look, let’s save time.
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1: A time to embrace.
2: A time to refrain from embracing.
3: (Hands out in front as if warding off 1 and 2) Not this time.
1: A time to search.
2: A time to give up.
3: (Searching madly through diary, defeated) I just haven’t got time.
1: A time to keep.
2: A time to throw away.
3: (Throws diary away, narrowly missing 1) What a waste of time.
1: (Glaring at 3) A time to tear.
2: A time to mend.
3: (Walks in front of other two doing time out sign) Okay, time out.
1: (Glaring at 3) A time to be silent.
2: A time to speak up.
3: (Wagging finger at 1) It’s high time I told you...
1: (Through gritted teeth, looking at 3 with loathing) A time to love.
2: (Nervously looking at 1 and 3 on either side) And a time to hate.
3: (Angrily to 1) This happens every time!
1: (Grabbing 3 by throat) A time for war!
2: (Separating 1 and 3 and stepping between them) A time for peace.
3: (Relieved, feeling neck) Just in the nick of time! (All pull themselves together)
1: Time and...
2: Time and...
3 Time again!
ALL: There is a time for everything.
1: Plenty of time.
2: Some time.
3: No time. (Ticking of clock stops, all look anxiously around)
ALL: (To audience) How do you use your time? (Exit)
© Verena Johnson 1998
Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performance purposes only.
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