DRAMA—TUESDAY IN HOLY WEEK, YEAR B
Bible reference: John 12:20-36, esp v27
NOBODY MAN
CHARACTERS: Narrator, Jesus, two or three scoffers, two soldiers, Mary Magdalene, woman and enough people to create a crowd.
PROPS: Three tables covered with assorted market wares, white robe for Jesus, bright coloured costumes for the villagers.
(This musical drama opens with a freeze depicting villagers at a marketplace. Three tables are set up in a semicircle and are covered with wares. Movement begins as the words of the song begin.) PLEASE NOTE: Since the music for this song could not be included on the Lutheran Worship Resources disk, it is included in Music Package 5. It may also be ordered from the National Office. Send a stamped (45c), self-addressed envelope to Mrs J Wagner, LCA National Office, 197 Archer Street, NORTH ADELAIDE 5006.
(Sings/speaks the words of verse 1 as brightly coloured villagers mime buying and selling at the market. One figure, Jesus, stands amongst the crowd observing them. He is distinguished by wearing a white robe)
The street is busy,
People colour the way.
Nobody notices him
Hidden 'mongst the crowd
Where he came to be one of them.
(As chorus is sung the villagers move to seat and gather themselves around the foot of one of the tables on stage left. They sit, kneel, lean, crouch, stand etc to create different levels. Jesus sits on the table)
Feet on the ground,
Yet eyes to the sky,
The nobody man.
JESUS:
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(Following the words of the chorus, the introductory bars of the song are played three or four times. During this, Jesus speaks to the crowd in the words of the Beatitudes as they fit in. Two or three people (the Scoffers) stand off to one side critically observing)
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Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing good, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(As they speak/sing the words of verse 2 they move across the front of the stage area to stage right and break up the listening crowd taking them with them)
Hey you, nobody man!
Who are you to stand up
And speak of God's own word?
Go home to Nazareth
You nobody, no man.
CROWD:
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(Whole crowd joins in singing/saying verse three, and stand with the scoffers, apart from Jesus who stands alone stage left)
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’Cause we've got it all worked out.
We've planned our own way.
Forget those strange, strange tales.
What good will they be?
So forget them; forget, I say.
(The chorus is sung/said in a jeering tone)
Feet on the ground,
Yet eyes to the sky,
The nobody man.
NARRATOR:
(As the narrator sings/says verse 4 the crowd become a more tightly packed, angry group. Negative postures and taunting movements add to the atmosphere)
Oh you nobody man,
Oh you must be a fool.
The Son of our true God?
You're sick, deranged,
And to us you're a danger.
CROWD:
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(One person calls out) Kill him! (And another) Yes, crucify him! (This cry is gradually taken up by the whole mob) Crucify him!!
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NARRATOR:
(During verse 5 Jesus is beaten and dragged away by crowd who exit leaving Jesus lying on the floor in front of two soldiers who have entered during violence)
Hey, clear out of this place,
You just worry our lives.
Your words, they bring us pain.
Go away man,
Or you'll bring us still more shame.
(During the chorus Jesus is hammered to the cross by the soldiers who stand over him. He is dragged upright to stand in a rigid cross position, with soldiers at attention on either side)
Feet on the ground,
Yet eyes to the sky,
The nobody man.
SOLDIER:
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(Verse 6 is spoken/sung by one of the soldiers to Jesus)
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Hey you, nobody man!
Is that you strung up high?
Nailed firmly to a cross,
Left there to rot,
Left there to rot and to die?
NARRATOR:
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(Attention is now fully centred on Jesus as verse 7 is spoken/sung)
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Hey you, nobody man!
Why did you do this?
Why suffer this way?
Hey, nobody man,
Why did you, why had you to pay?
(During chorus Jesus looks up to heaven and on cue 'nobody man' his head drops to show he has died. He is dragged off by the soldiers. His white robe is left behind, falling from his shoulders)
Feet on the ground,
Yet eyes to the sky,
The nobody man.
MARY M:
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(Mary Magdalene and another woman enter, sad and worried. As Mary sings/speaks verse 8 she picks up the white robe and cradles it gently as if it was a baby. The other woman places hand on Mary's shoulder)
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No body here.
This garden here is bare.
The shroud alone is there;
Gone is the man...
I don’t... I don't understand.
NARRATOR:
(As narrator sings/speaks verse 9, Mary turns and faces the altar. She very gently places the cloth on the altar, other woman exits)
I hardly believe it.
There's nobody like him.
Nobody man
You've humbled yourself
And I'm nobody without you.
(During the chorus Mary stands alone and looks up)
Feet on the ground,
Yet eyes to the sky,
The nobody man.
(Narrator and Mary exit)
© 1984 Words and movement Karen Koch, Music Lin Holzheimer
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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