DRAMA—16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR A
Proper 19, 1999 Bible reference: Exodus 14
DELIVERANCE AND FREEDOM
CHARACTERS: Manny, Benny, Shem and Ruth, some Egyptians and their slaves. Two ‘extras’ are needed to move the glasses of water.
PROPS: Two glasses of water, skateboards.
(The four Israelites enter and proceed around the building, looking pleased and happy)
MANNY:
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I’m telling you, Benny, I still can’t get over the Pharoah letting us go.
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BENNY:
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Oi vay, Manny, I have trouble believing it too. When Moses said God had promised to get us out of slavery, I thought, ‘Oh no, old Moses has been out in the desert too long!’
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SHEM:
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Yes, but old Moses, he told that Pharoah, or at least he got old Aaron to tell that
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Pharoah to let us go, and here we are, free!
BENNY:
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Yes, we’re free, free at last. Free to be real people, free to build new lives...
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MANNY:
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(Interrupting)...and free to die in the desert. (All stop and look around)
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SHEM:
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(Unhappy) There’s not an awful lot to be said about our surroundings, is there?
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(Group continues on, silent and unhappy. Shortly, they start to look hot)
BENNY:
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(Wiping forehead) Boy, oh boy, it’s hot out here!
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RUTH:
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What I wouldn’t give for a nice cool drink of water from the Nile.
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MANNY:
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When you think about it, what was so bad about making bricks for the Pharoah?
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BENNY:
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Yeah, it wasn’t so bad, was it?
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MANNY:
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The slave drivers were tough, but at least we got three square meals...
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SHEM:
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(Interrupting)...a fortnight!
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RUTH:
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And water when we needed it...
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SHEM:
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(Can’t believe they’re saying it)...once a month!
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RUTH:
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But at least we got it!
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BENNY:
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Which is more than we are going to get out here. Why did we listen to that crazy
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Moses, anyway? Talking with God! Pah! More like talking with his sheep!
MANNY:
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(Wailing in a loud voice) We’re all going to die! Shrivelled up like prunes in this stinking desert!
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SHEM:
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Have a little faith, man! Do you think God would have led Moses and all of us into the desert to die?
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RUTH:
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(Pointing behind them) Look, the Egyptians are coming on their chariots to kill us all!! (Egyptians enter, wearing appropriate head-dresses, on skateboards being towed by slaves)
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SHEM:
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(Panicking) We’re all going to die!!
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RUTH:
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Quickly, let us flee!! (Group moved off at slightly quicker pace than before, but not
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running. Egyptians follow, but do not gain on them. Continue around building until they
approach two glasses of water on the floor)
MANNY:
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That’s it, we’re dead now. Caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptians. (Yells
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ahead to an imaginary Moses) Thank you, Moses, thank you, very, very much...you putz!!
RUTH:
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Look, Moses is parting the Red Sea! (The glasses on the floor are moved apart)
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BENNY:
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Look, it’s dry. We’re saved! (Group passes between glasses, cheering)
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MANNY:
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(Pointing back at the Egyptians) We might be through, but here comes the Egyptians! (Panicking) We are all going to die!
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RUTH:
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No, look! Moses is closing the Red Sea. The Egyptians are going to drown!
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(The glasses of water are thrown over the Egyptians as they pass between the glasses and they all drown — fall down dead)
GROUP:
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(Group look up to heaven with thanks) Thank you, God, that you honoured your promise to deliver us from slavery. (Group then exits, berating each other for doubting God’s word and protesting their innocence of the same accusations)
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© Andy Koop 1993
Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their
church or congregation, for rehearsal and performance purposes only.
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