Fitlyspoken Ministry
SAMPLE -- A Not So Silent Night
SCENE: An old barn, early evening. A variety of animals are in their places. All are asleep.
A cat enters. She prowls among the inhabitants and is dissatisfied that everyone is asleep so she knocks over a bridle that falls into a milk bucket and awakens everyone. All the animals mutter and complain, but the following voices stand out:
Barley -- Hear, hear, hear! What’s all this fuss? Can’t I get any sleep around here?
Mr. Turtledove -- What happened? What happened?
Mother Cow -- Shhh! My babies are trying to sleep!
Ram -- Stuck-up! What are you doing up this late?
Stuck-up -- Oh ... nothing much.
Shaggy -- You’re always up to something, Stuck-up.
Ram -- And it’s usually no good.
Mr. Turtledove -- Now that you have our attention, what do you want?
Stuck-up -- I just thought you’d like to hear the news.
Barley -- What news can’t wait until morning after we’ve had a good night’s, uninterrupted, peaceful sleep?
Lambs -- Baaaaattle! Baaaattle!
Ram -- Now the children are awake. Great!
Stuck-up -- I’m purrrfectly sorry!
Mother -- Out with it!
Stuck-up -- It’s going to be a bit crowded in here soon. The Master’s letting three more move in with us.
Mrs. Turtledove -- What? Three more? It’s too crowded now!
Barley -- Neigh!
Shaggy -- The Master’s too kind. He wouldn’t make us suffer.
Ram -- Maybe some of us will have to leave?
Mr. Turtledove -- Yeah! Three in, three out.
Mrs. Turtledove -- I wonder who it will be?
Each looks at the others - wondering
Mother -- Well, it just makes sense for my children and me to moooove. there are three of us and three are coming. That seems fair.
Everyone protests
Mr. Turtledove -- I won’t hear of it.
Ram -- You can’t take babies out there!
Shaggy -- Since I’m the oldest and I take up the most of the room I think I should leave.
Barley -- You old faker. You can’t fool me Shaggy. You’re just trying to make me leave. You know I’m older. Probably bigger, too.
Shaggy -- Now see here.
Barley -- You’ve always wanted my stall anyway. Take it, it’s yours.
Barley starts grumbling and gathers up his blanket and exits, muttering continuously. No one notices that he has left.
Ram -- Well,I’m not leaving and that’s that. I have young’ins.
Shaggy -- The very idea of crowding us in here.
Mrs. Turtledove -- We don’t have to leave do we?
Mr. Turtledove -- No, no dear. I’m sure we can find a place up high to roost.
Boy Calf -- I’m tired, mommy.
Girl Calf -- Me, too!
Mother -- There, there, go to sleep. (Quietly hums a lullaby)
Shaggy -- This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of!
Ram -- The Professor’s here!
The professor enters with a huge book covering his face.
END SAMPLE
SCENE: An old barn, early evening. A variety of animals are in their places. All are asleep.
A cat enters. She prowls among the inhabitants and is dissatisfied that everyone is asleep so she knocks over a bridle that falls into a milk bucket and awakens everyone. All the animals mutter and complain, but the following voices stand out:
Barley -- Hear, hear, hear! What’s all this fuss? Can’t I get any sleep around here?
Mr. Turtledove -- What happened? What happened?
Mother Cow -- Shhh! My babies are trying to sleep!
Ram -- Stuck-up! What are you doing up this late?
Stuck-up -- Oh ... nothing much.
Shaggy -- You’re always up to something, Stuck-up.
Ram -- And it’s usually no good.
Mr. Turtledove -- Now that you have our attention, what do you want?
Stuck-up -- I just thought you’d like to hear the news.
Barley -- What news can’t wait until morning after we’ve had a good night’s, uninterrupted, peaceful sleep?
Lambs -- Baaaaattle! Baaaattle!
Ram -- Now the children are awake. Great!
Stuck-up -- I’m purrrfectly sorry!
Mother -- Out with it!
Stuck-up -- It’s going to be a bit crowded in here soon. The Master’s letting three more move in with us.
Mrs. Turtledove -- What? Three more? It’s too crowded now!
Barley -- Neigh!
Shaggy -- The Master’s too kind. He wouldn’t make us suffer.
Ram -- Maybe some of us will have to leave?
Mr. Turtledove -- Yeah! Three in, three out.
Mrs. Turtledove -- I wonder who it will be?
Each looks at the others - wondering
Mother -- Well, it just makes sense for my children and me to moooove. there are three of us and three are coming. That seems fair.
Everyone protests
Mr. Turtledove -- I won’t hear of it.
Ram -- You can’t take babies out there!
Shaggy -- Since I’m the oldest and I take up the most of the room I think I should leave.
Barley -- You old faker. You can’t fool me Shaggy. You’re just trying to make me leave. You know I’m older. Probably bigger, too.
Shaggy -- Now see here.
Barley -- You’ve always wanted my stall anyway. Take it, it’s yours.
Barley starts grumbling and gathers up his blanket and exits, muttering continuously. No one notices that he has left.
Ram -- Well,I’m not leaving and that’s that. I have young’ins.
Shaggy -- The very idea of crowding us in here.
Mrs. Turtledove -- We don’t have to leave do we?
Mr. Turtledove -- No, no dear. I’m sure we can find a place up high to roost.
Boy Calf -- I’m tired, mommy.
Girl Calf -- Me, too!
Mother -- There, there, go to sleep. (Quietly hums a lullaby)
Shaggy -- This is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of!
Ram -- The Professor’s here!
The professor enters with a huge book covering his face.
END SAMPLE
A Not So Silent Night explores the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the animals in the stable. They are crowded and unhappy that so many have been pushed into their area. The Cat, “Stuck-Up” who is irritating to everyone, plays a joke on the group. Her joke, however, backfires and results in lovable old Barley to leave the safety and protection of the stable. The rest of the cast want find him and bring him back.
Chaos reigns until Barley returns - bearing the a very pregnant Mary!
The costuming, characters and simplicity of one set makes this a great play at Christmas time!
Staging -- Stable in Bethlehem
Playing Time -- 45 minutes
Cast -- 10-20 children.
Barley, An old mule
Stuck-up, A snotty old cat
Mr. Turtledove, A newlywed
Mrs. Turtledove, His bride
Ram, A proud father
Baby Lambs, cute
Professor, An old wise owl
Mother Cow, Very caring and protective
Boy Calf, Girl Calf
Shaggy, A horse, Barley’s sparring buddy.
Wolf, A goofy, over eager dog
Mary, Joseph
Chaos reigns until Barley returns - bearing the a very pregnant Mary!
The costuming, characters and simplicity of one set makes this a great play at Christmas time!
Staging -- Stable in Bethlehem
Playing Time -- 45 minutes
Cast -- 10-20 children.
Barley, An old mule
Stuck-up, A snotty old cat
Mr. Turtledove, A newlywed
Mrs. Turtledove, His bride
Ram, A proud father
Baby Lambs, cute
Professor, An old wise owl
Mother Cow, Very caring and protective
Boy Calf, Girl Calf
Shaggy, A horse, Barley’s sparring buddy.
Wolf, A goofy, over eager dog
Mary, Joseph
A Not So Silent Night -- $10.00
by Terry Vik
by Terry Vik
