This was developed for use as a children's program. It has also been performed by a senior citizen's group.
Setting:This should be an exciting invitation to worship. Encourage the children to help develop this part.
We started off with the angels dancing in to
Dennis Jernigan's Joy To The World He Is Jesus The King.
Here is a link to listen to or purchase that song via myspace:
Joy to the world, He is Jesus the King.
They used a skip step with occasional twirls. See our Hosanna Dance page
to see how to make finger ribbons. For this program we made them out of
bright Christmas ribbon.
The angels danced around the congregation twice and then ended the dance
spaced out across the platform with arms extended in worship.
The angels remained on stage and sang Creature Praise as the background for the rest of the procession. The first 6 children carried simple felt worship banners. We often use tamborines and rhythm sticks in processions. This time we wanted to be sure the angel's voices were louder than the procession so we skipped the noise makers and had the other children just march in behind the banners. This procession also circled the congregation twice and then joined the angels on platform to finish the song.
The procession should be fun for the children. We want to show that they are dancing with excitement and ready for fun.
As music ends, Mrs Thesbean and the Angel walk on stage (or move out from the rest of the children) together. Each of them is carrying a clipboard.
Mrs Thesbean: Welcome children. I'm so glad you are excited about our
program but we need you to settle down and take your places quickly. The
curtain is about to go up!
Angel: (Bossy) Right. No more fooling around. It's time to get serious
and get it right.
Mrs Thesbean: (Looks at the angel) Thank you, Angel. We all want
to do a good job so let us begin.
(Mary and Joseph go to the manger scene and take their places. The angel
and Mrs. Thesbean walk to the edge of the stage area. The other children
walk off stage. )
Mrs Thesbean (to the stage hand) : Time to bring that curtain up.
Angel: Right! It's lights, camera, action time!
Stage hand pretends to raise a curtain (pull up on an imaginary rope) and
then leaves the area.
Mary and Joseph watch the baby, touching him gently and smiling at each other.
Announcer reads: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a
census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to his
own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth, in
Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the
house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged
to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the
time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was
no room for them in the inn.
(As reading ends, clown enters from behind the audience and wanders down
the aisle toward the manger scene. He smiles and waves at the audience. He
pauses in front of the manger scene and expresses surprise and delight. He
points to the scene and encourages the audience to look.)
Angel: Psst! Hey you! (Clown looks around trying to see who the angel
might be talking to) You! You in the clown suit.
(Clown looks at his clothing, points to himself and expresses 'who me?' to
the angel)
Angel: You don't belong in this scene.
(Clown looks bewildered)
Angel: We're waiting for the shepherds. This is a Christmas scene.
(Clown gets excited about what he has stumbled into. He dances around,
claps and hurries to look at the baby. He slaps Joseph on the back and hugs
Mary, dancing her around. Mary and Joseph smile at him but the angel is not smiling!)
Angel: Get out of here! You are ruining our play. Go away.
Right now!
(Clown apologetically backs out of the manger scene to the far right. He
stays where he can be clearly seen by the audience, standing quietly and
watching very intently)
Announcer: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Shepherds start in from the left side (they will walk across in front of
the scene and end up on the right side). As soon as the first shepherd is
near the microphone, he stops, looking at the audience and seeming to be
confused.
Shepherd 1: Oh, hi there.
(Clown smiles big and waves at him, excited but unnoticed.)
Shepherd 1: (looking at Mrs Thesbean) We forgot our sheep. I'm sorry.
Angel: Quick, somebody, find the sheep. Where are the sheep?
(Shepherds lay down their staffs and begin looking for the sheep)
Shepherd 2: (points to the clown) Who's he?
(Clown smiles and waves, delighted to be noticed. As the scene continues,
clown blows up a white balloon and forms a sheep)
Angel: He's nobody - he just wandered in. Now where are the sheep. We've
got to have the sheep!
(Everyone begins looking around their area for the missing sheep. This
continues until clown completes the sheep and takes it to shepherd 1. Clown
taps shepherd and tries to give him the sheep.)
Shepherd 3: (Looks at the balloon sheep.) I know you mean well but I
can't take a balloon sheep to Baby Jesus. Where did you come from and what
are you doing in our manger scene?
(Clown stuffs sheep into his costume and looks dejected)
Angel: I told you, he just wandered in.
Shepherd 2: I hope he wanders out. He's going to spoil everything.
(Clown sadly walks back to his spot at the side of the scene. He scuffs
his feet and looks upset for a minute but when the action begins again he
perks up and watches in delight)
(Angels 2, 3, 4 & 5 come on stage arms loaded with stuffed sheep.
They distribute the sheep to the shepherds as they speak.)
Angel 2: We found them.
Angel 3: Here they are!
Angel 4: Can't have Christmas without sheep
Angel 5: That's right. Sheep, shepherds and ... (looks at other angels)
All angels together: most of all angels!
(Clown jumps up and down in delight and points to the sheep!)
Away In A Manger. During the song this action takes place:
(Shepherds all go back to the edge of the scene, pick up their staffs, etc,
and come on as the music begins. Singing, they each walk to the manger, peer
into it and then kneel before it. )
(Clown slowly wanders nearer the manger scene as the shepherds sing. He is
caught up in the moment and joins the shepherds in kneeling at the manger)
Shepherd 1: (Looking at the clown) Not again! Hey, buddy -- what
are you doing here? You don't belong here!
Shepherd 2 : Get lost! The wise men will be here any minute and you are
messing up our play.
(Clown sadly returns to his place at the side of the scene)
Shepherd 3 : I hope those wise men get here soon, my knee is really
getting tired.
Angel: (to Mrs Thesbean) The wise men are late. What's keeping them?
They've got to get here with the gifts for Baby Jesus.
Mrs Thesbean: Calm down. You stand here and smile and I'll see what is
keeping them. Perhaps a bit of music would help.
Angel: Stand here and smile! Oh, sure! I'm supposed to smile while there
are no wise men and no gifts for Baby Jesus! What a mess!
Piano plays We Three Kings here but the children do not sing this
time through.
(Clown is delighted to have a way to help! He blows up a bright, kingly
colored balloon, forms a turban for himself, pulls the sheep out of his
costume (for a gift) and walks in a kingly manner toward the manger where he
presents the gift to Baby Jesus)
Shepherd 1: Hey! What is with this nut? What is he doing now?
Angel: Hey you!
(Clown looks around)
Angel: You in the clown suit
Clown: (motions 'you mean me'?).
Angel: Yes, you! Get out of the scene. You don't look like a
shepherd and you sure don't look like a wise man! Get out now!
(Clown starts to pick up his 'gift' but Mary takes it and places it in the
manger with Jesus. Clown smiles at her, tips his turban, and then walks
sadly back to his place)
Angel: If those wise men don't get here soon -- Oh no!
Shepherd 2 : Oh, no, what?
Angel: Oh, no star! I forgot it!
Shepherd 3 : Forgot the star?
Shepherd 1 : (rises stiffly) Those guys may be wise, but they'll never
find their way without the star.
(Clown (unnoticed by the cast) motions that he has an idea. He shows his
excitement and then begins blowing up 3 bright yellow balloons. He twists the
balloons into a six pointed star and brings it toward the angel)
Shepherd 2_: Not again! Look fella, why don't you just go back where you
came from. No one needs a clown around here. The only thing we need is a star.
(Clown jumps up and down pointing to the star he has made and then pointing
to the area over the manger)
Angel: A star! It's a star! Here, give it to me.
(Clown refuses. Instead he walks to the area behind the manger and holds
the star over Baby Jesus)
Shepherd 3 : Hey, that's a nice star.
(Clown smiles)
Shepherd 1 : Yeah, but does he have to hold it. He looks weird.
Mary: I think he looks just fine. He has offered himself willingly -- and
I for one, am grateful.
Joseph (speaking to the clown) Me too!
(Clown smiles and holds the star very high. Then he pulls a flashlight
from his pocket, turns it on, points it toward the star and hands it to Joseph
to hold in position.)
(Children sing We Three Kings as the wise men come toward the area)
Wise man 1: Greetings!
(Cast smiles and nods toward the wise men. Clown waves excitedly. Motions
for the wise men to come look at the baby.)
Wise man 2: Sorry we are late, but we got lost. I thought that star
never would come out!
Wise man 3: It is a good star, though. Once we spotted it, the way was easy.
(Clown smiles and looks very proud)
Angel: (speaking to the clown) I never thought I'd say this to you, but
"thanks". Now everybody, get in place for the final song.
Mrs Thesbean: (walking on stage) I can't find that star anywhere (stops
and looks). Well, it looks like everything is under control here. What
happened? Where did you find a star?
Angel: Long story - let's just sing.
Do You Hear What I Hear
(After the song, the cast files out with music playing in the background.
Mrs Thesbean and the angel go first, the wise men follow, the shepherds are
next. After that, Mary and Joseph pick up the baby and start out. Clown is
left holding the star. He realizes the play is over and lays the star to the
side. He hugs himself and looks to heaven thankful that he had a part in the
play. Mary and Joseph stop remembering the clown. Mary turns toward him.
Clown waves.)
Mary: Would you like to carry the baby?
(Overjoyed, clown hurries to them and Mary hands him the baby. She and
Joseph each place an arm around the clown as they exit up the center aisle)
Announcer: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the
Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was Life, and
that Life was the Light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the
darkness has not understood it. .. He was in the world, and though the world
was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which
was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to
those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God --
children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's
will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the
Father, full of grace and truth.
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We found the idea for this play in an old book on clowning. This is how we
developed it for our children's program. We hope you have as much fun with it
as we did!