by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: A father exerts significant influence on the spiritual development of his sons.
Characters: Several fathers and their sons. Some fathers and sons can be used in more than one scene.
Length: 4:30 minutes
Scene/Props:
Props should be real enough to convey the scene, but the actors will need to quickly move them in and out of position as the scenes alternate sides of stage.
Synopsis:
A total of 7 vignettes are acted out against the background of the song by Phillips, Craig & Dean, I Want to be just like You. Each vignette corresponds to various segments of the song by verses and chorus. Scenes alternate between left and right side of stage so actors can quickly alternate setting up their scene and getting into position. It makes use of 2 spot lights.
Disclaimer Note: You are responsible for all copyright terms and conditions related to use of the song: I Want to be just like you by Phillips, Craig & Dean.
Excerpt:
Scene 1:
First Verse (0:56 seconds) A father and his young son (age 4-5)—Left side
LEFT SPOT: Up as Music begins
The father sits in a rocking chair with his son on his lap. They read a bedtime story together. The father closes the book, carries his son to bed where he tucks him in and kisses him goodnight.
LEFT SPOT: Down ( I whisper a prayer that someday he’ll see, he’s got a father in God cause he’s seen Jesus in me)
Scene 2:
Chorus (0:34 seconds) Father and son (age 8-10)—Right side
RIGHT SPOT: UP (Lord I want to be just like you, cause he wants to be just like me)
The son pretends to be a football quarterback, taking a hike from the center as his father arrives home from work carrying a briefcase. The son asks his father to play with him, but the father shakes his head and points at the briefcase. The son acknowledges it with disappointment and continues to pretend playing football. The father watches him and then on second thought, puts down the briefcase, takes the football from his son, pretends to take a hike from center (imitating the same method his son used) and throws him a pass.
RIGHT SPOT: Down (I want to be just like you, cause he wants to be like me.)
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control your attitude
Length: 4-5 minutes
Characters: John & Jane
Scene/Props: Office break room with a vending machine and a table with chairs.
Synopsis: John is angry when the vending machine takes his money without delivering a candy bar although it works fine when Jane buys something. John calms down when he and Jane talk about attitude adjustment. Until John puts in more money.
Excerpt:
(JOHN enters and approaches the vending machine. He looks and makes his decision.)
John: Ah…snickers. Time for a chocolate fix.
(He drops in coins and waits, but nothing happens.)
John: (irritated) What’s up with this?
(He gives the machine a casual smack with his hand, but nothing.)
John: (more annoyed but smiles tolerantly) You just gotta love technology.
(He looks around, sees no one watching and hits it harder a few more times. Still nothing.)
John: (He smiles but it’s now very tight jawed) Yes sir, technology is wonderful. It’s the marvel of modern civilization. A tribute to man’s inventive genius, it’s…it’s…
(He pauses, searching for words and looking around with his very tight smile and then attacks the machine in a flurry of hits, kicks and then shakes it with both hands. He finally stops and bends over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.)
John: Man, I need to get in shape.
(JANE enters, makes a selection and starts to put coins in the machine.)
John: I wouldn’t, the machine is out of order.
(But he’s too late. She inserts the coins, makes a selection and a candy bar drops down. She unwraps and begins to eat it.)
John: Hey!
(He tries pushing several buttons, but nothing. Then he begins hitting it, growing increasingly more violent to the point of kicking and shaking it until Jane intervenes.)
Jane: John, take it easy will you?
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: Christians prepare for spiritual battle by wearing the armor of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17)
Characters: 2 actors, male or female
Length: 2.5 – 3 minutes
Scene/Props: Tin foil that is shaped into a helmet, a breastplate, sword and shield.
Synopsis:
In this funny man, straight man routine, Melvin wears armor that he has fashioned out of tin foil. The straight man helps him understand that the scripture passage in Ephesians 6:11-17 is talking about a spiritual battle, not a physical one.
Note: We used the Minister of Music as the straight man, but it could be anyone.
Excerpt:
Melvin ENTERS wearing tin foil that is an obvious, home-made job. He practices fighting an imaginary enemy. The straight man watches, patiently waiting for him to pause.
Minister: Melvin, I’m afraid to ask what the purpose is for that get-up, so let me guess. You’re preserving your rugged good looks.
Melvin: (poses proudly) Ageless beauty needs no assistance.
Minister: Uh, you’re filming your own science fiction B movie. (Melvin shakes his head with a sense of smug, self-assurance) C movie. C-. This is a passing grade, right?
Melvin: I’m preparing for battle.
Minister: Okay, that would be my very last guess. (inspects the tin foil) Well, you obviously spared no expense in preparation. Is this for a reality T.V. chef cooking show?
Melvin: It’s for the forces of evil.
Minister: That head chef can be a pretty evil character all right. Maybe that’s why the show isn’t called heaven’s kitchen. So, did you leave any tin foil for the left-overs?
Melvin: This doesn’t have anything to do with cooking. I learned in a Bible Study that when you encounter the forces of evil, you need to wear armor. So I’m armed, dangerous and ready to engage.
Minister: I’d say you’re wearing enough to foil most attacks. All you need now is some Tupperware.
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: God does not condemn us so we should not condemn one another. (Rom. 8:1-4)
Length: 6-7 minutes
Characters: Archie, Edith, Mike, Gloria
Scene/Props: The Bunker Home. Lunchbox, Overcoat, Hat, gloves, scarf, stove, game of scrabble, coat rack, Archie’s chair, kitchen table & chairs, dictionary, coffee mug, remote control, pile of laundry, T.V. set, slippers, set of keys.
Synopsis: In this take-off of the hit 70s TV show, Archie is his usual, hypocritical, racist self who rants against everyone and everything who doesn’t think his way. But in the ending of this version, Edith finally gets the last word.
Excerpt:
LIGHTS UP
To the Bunker home where there is a kitchen table, coat rack, and Archie’s chair and T.V. MIKE and GLORIA play scrabble at the kitchen table. Edith enters and begins setting the table and also putting on dinner.
GLORIA: Scuzzy. That’s…(figuring points)
MIKE: Scuzzy? Wait a minute, Gloria, that’s slang, it’s not a real word.
GLORIA: Mike, you said if it’s in the dictionary, it’s a word.
MIKE: We’ll see about that. (thumbs through dictionary)
EDITH: It’s almost dinner time and Archie ain’t home yet. I’m gettin worried.
GLORIA: Ma, the traffic report said everything was moving slow.
MIKE: That’s right, some people are getting home an hour later than usual. I wouldn’t expect him soon.
EDITH: An hour? Oh dear, dinner will be cold, and Archie hates a cold dinner. I better keep things in the oven. (starts putting things back)
(ARCHIE ENTERS. He’s wearing boots, an overcoat, hat, gloves, scarf, and carries a lunchbox. He stamps his feet, removes clothes and hangs them up on the rack.)
ARCHIE: Jeesh, a little snow and idiot drivers come out of the woodwork.
MIKE: Two feet accumulation is more than a little, Arch. They closed the university because of it.
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: God’s offer of grace is a standing offer. (Romans 6:12-14)
Length: 3-4 minutes
Characters: Mark & Janet Campbell
Scene/Props: A kitchen with table and chairs. You also need a portable phone, a laundry basket full of clothes, a notepad and pen, stapler, paper clips and whiteout.
Synopsis: Recently laid off of work, Mark calls his contacts in search of a new a new job. But the market is tough and the outlook grim. When all seems hopeless he finally returns to the standing offer made years ago by his father to join the family business.
Excerpt:
(LIGHTS UP on MARK who paces near the table, speaking on the phone. He is driven by a sense of frustration and urgency, but puts on an outward appearance of congeniality).
MARK: Greg, how’s it going? Mark Campbell. Heard the news, huh? Yeah, thanks. Not bad. I’m putting out feelers right now…shaking a few trees…you know. I’ve got some leads. No, I’m fine. Really. Say, what’s the hiring outlook for your company? Yeah. I see. No, I understand, it’s okay. If anything changes, give me a call. Sure, you too. Okay. Bye.
(He hangs up the phone, sits at the table with a worried frown and scribbles on a pad of paper. His wife, JANET, enters with a laundry basket of clothes. She drops the basket on the table and starts to fold.)
JANET: Any luck?
(Mark looks up, sighs, leans back in the chair and stretches.)
MARK: Absolutely. Anytime half your prospects aren’t in meetings you’re doing great. Sure seems different sitting on this end of the phone line.
(Janet pulls a large sweatshirt out of the basket and stretches it out by the arms.)
JANET: I bought this sweatshirt six months ago and Kevin, our teenage son with the incredible appetite, is already outgrowing it. I’m at grocery store so often they all know my first name.
MARK: See if they’ll hire you.
JANET: I spend even more time chauffeuring kids around so I was thinking of going for a taxi driver. They get tips.
