DRAMA—SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
Bible reference: Mark 1:1-8
I’M SPEECHLESS!
CHARACTERS:
Narrator, Zechariah, Elizabeth, 3 younger priests, and an angel
PROPS: Three different length straws, long prayer list and a bag containing a candle in candle holder, wine bottle, flowers and bottle of cologne.
NARRATOR: (Enters) Reads Mark 1:2,3 (Elizabeth and Zechariah enter)
ELIZABETH: Have a nice day at the temple, dear.
ZECHARIAH: Thanks, Lizzy. See you tonight. Don’t spend too much at the market, will you?
ELIZABETH: Oh Zechariah! If you didn’t eat so much, I wouldn’t spend so much!
ZECHARIAH:
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A man’s gotta eat... Hey, get me some of those dried dates you got last time, they worked wonders.
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(Exchange goodbyes. Zechariah crosses to other side of stage where priests have entered)
ZECHARIAH: Shalom. How is everyone this fine day?
PRIEST 1: Shalom, Zechariah. I’m good, thank you.
ZECHARIAH:
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I wonder who’ll get to pray in the inner sanctuary of the Lord today. I feel lucky, lads. Bartholemew, your shawl is all crinkled. Fix it up. Josiah, where’s your prayer scroll. Honestly, Aaron, look at your sandals. They’re covered in more dust than the road to Jericho. What is the world coming to today? You young people just don’t have any respect! Fix yourselves up! (Exits to collect bag with straws to draw lots) Now back in my day...
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PRIEST 1: (To other priests) Cor! How does Elizabeth cope? She must be a saint.
PRIEST 2: No wonder they don’t have any children. He’s never stopped talking long enough!
PRIEST 3: The only pitter-patter in their house is that of Zechariah’s tongue!
ZECHARIAH:
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(Returns with straws) Have you fixed yourselves up yet? How can you hope to get into the inner sanctum of the Lord, looking like that. Well, let’s get on with it. The longest straw wins. (All draw straws, priests are disappointed. Zechariah draws long straw) Yes! (Does victory dance, then regains composure. Starts to dig around in robe) Where is that prayer list. (Pulls out very long piece of scroll)
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PRIEST 1: God’s going to get his ear chewed today!
ZECHARIAH: Don’t you worry about that! You just keep your vigil out here, and no wandering off!
(3 Priests move away slightly, turn back on Zechariah and kneel in prayer. Zechariah enters sanctuary, lights candle and bows head in prayer. Angel enters)
ZECHARIAH: Who’s that? Only one person’s allowed in here at a time!
ANGEL:
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(More commanding) Zechariah! (Zechariah looks about, spots angel and jumps up in fright)
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ZECHARIAH: Ahh! Who are you? And how did you get in here? It’s my turn!
ANGEL: Don’t be afraid.
ZECHARIAH: Of what?
ANGEL: God has answered all your prayers.
ZECHARIAH: But I haven’t finished saying them yet. Look, I’ve only just started. (Points to list)
ANGEL: Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.
ZECHARIAH: Yes!! (Does dance, then grabs back in agony and groans)
ANGEL: And you will name him John.
ZECHARIAH: I think Zech Jnr has a nice ring to it.
ANGEL: (Very commanding) You will name him John!
ZECHARIAH: Oh, OK. Hang on. How do I know this will happen? I’m an old man now and Elizabeth’s no spring chicken.
ANGEL:
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(Voice full of authority and power) I am Gabriel! And I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! (Zechariah is taken aback by Angel’s sudden assertiveness) And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.
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(Zechariah tries to answer but no sound comes out. Angel exits. Zechariah leaves sanctuary still trying to talk)
PRIEST 1: Zechariah, what’s up? (Zechariah tries to speak)
PRIEST 2: Speak up, we can’t hear you.
PRIEST 3: Hey, I don’t think he can talk.
PRIEST 1: Wow, prayers do get answered!
PRIESTS: Yes!! (Do victory dance, then regain composure)
PRIEST 1:
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But what really happened? (Zechariah tries to explain using hand gestures then throws hands up in despair. Has bright idea and begins charades, tugging at ear. Others get into game)
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PRIEST 2: Sounds like...(Zechariah points to wrists and jiggles arms)
PRIEST 1: Sounds like wrist?
PRIEST 3: Arms?
PRIEST 2: You’re nervous?
PRIEST 1: Bracelet?
PRIEST 2: Bangle? (Zechariah points to priest 2 and nods enthusiastically)
PRIEST 1:
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(Puzzled) Sounds like bangle? (Zechariah flaps his arms, then moves hand in talking motion, then pats his stomach and rocks baby in arms)
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PRIEST 3: You’re hungry?
PRIEST 2: You’ve eaten too many dates?
PRIEST 1: You’re getting fat and you want a cuddle? (Zechariah throws up arms in disgust)
PRIEST 2:
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I’ve got it! An angel of the Lord told you that you and Elizabeth are going to have a son and you are to name him John. You didn’t quite believe him, so now you can’t talk until the baby is christened! (Zechariah hugs priest 2)
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PRIEST 3: (Amazed) Wow. How did you work that out?
PRIEST 2: (Shrugs) Lots of birthday parties and youth nights.
PRIEST 1:
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So now what? How are you going to tell Elizabeth? (Zechariah scratches head, thinking. Then digs about in bag, pulls out candle in holder, bottle of wine and bunch of flowers)
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PRIEST 3: (To other priests) What is he doing?
PRIEST 1: Looks like he’s planning a date.
(Zechariah smells underarms, pulls out bottle labelled incense and splashes some about his body. Packs it away. Straightens his hair, grabs his the candle, bottle and flowers and exits. Does little skip on way out)
PRIEST 1: He may be old but he still remembers all the moves!
PRIEST 2: Well, time to knock off. See you tomorrow.
(Priests exchange farewells and exit)
NARRATOR: Reads Mark 1:4-8
(Priests enter talking to Elizabeth)
PRIEST 1: So he was out there preaching.
PRIEST 2: Baptising people!
PRIEST 3: Telling them the Messiah’s coming! (Zechariah enters)
ELIZABETH: (Sees Zechariah) Well, aren’t you going to do something, Zechariah?
ZECHARIAH: About what?
ELIZABETH: Your son, John. He’s out there all alone in the desert!
ZECHARIAH: Yeah, just him and all of Jerusalem.
ELIZABETH: It can’t be healthy for him living on locusts and honey, he’s a growing lad.
ZECHARIAH: Well, send him some dried dates.
ELIZABETH: You’re not taking this seriously!
ZECHARIAH: Yes I am, I just went out to hear him preach about the Messiah.
PRIEST 1: He could get himself in real trouble talking like that.
PRIEST 2: He could get himself killed!
PRIEST 3: You just can’t go around baptising people and raving about the Messiah without upsetting people.
PRIEST 2: You have to go and speak to him and tell him to stop.
ZECHARIAH: No!
PRIESTS: What?
ZECHARIAH: No, I won’t tell him to stop. Once I couldn’t speak because I didn’t believe. Now I won’t speak because I do believe.
PRIEST 1: You surely don’t think that the Messiah is coming? (Zechariah begins charades, miming one word, two syllables)
PRIEST 3: One word, two syllables. (Zechariah mimes second syllable)
PRIEST 2: Second syllable. (Zechariah mimes picking fruit)
PRIEST 1: What’s he doing? (Zechariah mimes eating fruit)
PRIEST 2: I think he’s picking fruit. (Zechariah draws pear shape in air)
PRIEST 3: It’s a woman!
PRIEST 2: It’s a pear! (Zechariah nods enthusiastically, then mimes first syllable)
PRIEST 1: First syllable. (Zechariah tugs ear and holds up three fingers)
PRIEST 2: Sounds like three.
PRIEST 3: Three pears?
PRIEST 1: Repair?
PRIEST 2: Prepare?
PRIESTS: (Look at each other excitedly) Prepare!
ZECHARIAH: You got it! (Exits with Elizabeth, priests follow after a pause)
© Bev Sorensen 1997
Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performances only.
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