(This version is revised and expanded for production at First United Methodist Church in Wapakoneta, Ohio on June 3, 2007)

Cast
Paul – apostle and radio show host
Lydia – Paul’s sidekick
Luke
Phil – from Philippi
Gail – from Galatia
Earl – from Ephesus
Rhonda – from Rome
Carrie – from Colossus
Cory – from Corinth
Thelma – from Thessalonica
Timothy
Titus

Lydia – Good morning East Asia and all the ships at sea! It’s time for Paul Live. Heeeere’s Paul!

Paul – Good morning all! I’m your host, Paul the Apostle, and I’m here to answer your questions. I’m here with my good friend, Lydia of Thyatira. She and I met up one day by a river and I saved her from a life of wealth and influence. Isn’t that right, Lyd?

Lydia – Don’t even remind me! I can honestly say my life has never been the same. I gave up a job in the fashion industry to join your show. But I suppose I wouldn’t have it any other way… except for the coffee. Can’t we get better coffee?

Paul – (laughs) We’ll see what we can do about that. The phone banks are full, so let’s go to Luke on 1. What’s up Luke?

Lydia – Hi Luke!

Continue reading "Paul Live (revised and expanded)" »

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Cast
Paul – apostle and radio show host
Luke
Phil – from Philippi
Gail – from Galatia
Earl – from Ephesus
Rhonda – from Rome
Carrie – from Colossus
Cory – from Corinth
Thelma – from Thessalonica
Timothy
Titus

Paul – Good morning East Asia and all the ships at sea! It’s time for Paul Live. I’m your host, Paul the Apostle, and I’m here to answer your questions. The phone banks are full, so let’s go to Luke on 1. What’s up Luke?

Luke – Hi, Paul, I’m writing this history of the church and I was doing some research into your past. Weren’t you once called “Saul” and didn’t you use to persecute Christians? I have evidence that you were the coat check boy at the stoning of Stephen. Is this true?

Continue reading "Paul Live" »

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Cast
Mr. Q – moderator (or Ms. Q if female)
Matthew – scholarly and thoughtful
Mark – excited, talks quickly and to the point
Luke – nurturing and affirming
John – esoteric and mysterious, a little “out there”

Mr. Q – Good day. I’m Mr. Q and welcome to Cross Talk. Today on Cross Talk we have as our panelists four experts on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. I’d like to welcome Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Our time is limited, so let’s get right to it. Tell us about Jesus’ humble beginnings… Mark.

Mark – Jesus’ ministry starts immediately with his baptism by John the Baptist and then immediately he is driven out to the desert by the Holy Spirit and then immediately he goes…

Matthew – I think you are getting ahead of yourself there, Mark. I’ve studied Jesus’ beginnings quite carefully and it all began when an angel came to Joseph, of the lineage of King David, in a dream, and told him that his betrothed, Mary, would bear a son by the Holy Spirit.

Continue reading "Cross Talk - The Gospel Debate" »

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Resurrection Fugue for Voices

Matthew - After the sabbath,

Mark - When the sabbath was over, and very early

John - Early

Luke - on the first day

Mark - on the first day

John - on the first day

Matthew - as the first day

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John - of the week

Matthew - was dawning,

Continue reading ""Resurrection Fugue for Voices" | Play | Easter" »

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Katie & Martin

Dramatis Personae

Conrad - chorus and narrator
Martin - reformer, theologian, monk
Katie - an escaped nun
Koppe - a merchant
Wolf - Koppe's nephew
Jerome - a young scholar
Amsdorf - a professor
Voice
Monk
Nun
Various Nuns and Townspeople

Scene 1

Conrad - This is a tale of love and marriage, made more remarkable because the two people in question are a monk and a nun. The monk is none other than Martin Luther. (gestures toward Martin) At the beginning of our story it has been five years since he posted his famous 95 theses on the eve of All Saints' Day in 1517 and almost a full year since he appeared before the Diet at Worms. (pronounced "vorms" with an "o" as in "gore")

Continue reading ""Katie & Martin" | Play | Reformation Day" »

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Department of Works

CAST:
JIMMY – a worker
TONY – a worker and a hot head
FAITH – an administrator
READER

(Scene opens on JIMMY in hard hat and work clothes working vigorously. TONY enters, dressed in the same fashion but not as dirty.)

TONY (enters) So, what’s up?

JIMMY Oh, hey Tony... got a busted line. Had to shut the main off. It’s a real mess.

TONY Eh heh. Well we’ll get this working in a jiffy. (pulls out schematics) Where’s this thing go?

JIMMY Orphanage... over there.

Continue reading ""Department of Works" | Play | James 2:14-17" »

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Exodus Now - Presence

Narrator – Long ago in India a Raja and his son were riding around their kingdom on the back of an elephant. The Raja was showing his son all the wonders of the kingdom he would one day inherit, when his son, unexpectedly, spoke up…

Son – Father…

Raja – Yes, what is it, my son?

Son – I have a question…

Raja – Oh, it is only proper and right that you would. Go ahead son, and ask me anything you like!

Son – What is truth?

Continue reading ""Exodus Now - Presence" | Play | Exodus 33:12-23" »

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Exodus Now - Betrayal

Becky – Mom, I can’t find my permission slip.

Gail – Becky, you’re going to be late for the bus.

Jack – I’ll just have a cup of coffee this morning. I need to get to the office early. Gail, why is there a suitcase…

Becky – But I need it for the field trip!

Continue reading ""Exodus Now - Betrayal" | Play | Exodus 32:1-14" »

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Exodus Now - Order

Narrator – Our scene opens on a typical college dorm room. Laundry is on the floor… actually laundry occupies any available horizontal surface. The air is a pungent mixture of body odor, discarded pizza crusts, and cheap cologne. You can hear the bass beat of music being played somewhere too far away to actually listen to it and too close to ignore it. A young man is busy at a desktop computer as another enters the room.

Max – Toby, what do you think your doing?

Toby – Dude, I’m almost done downloading this really classic instructional freshman orientation video.

Max – Freshman orientation video? What’s it called?

Toby – “Animal House!”

Continue reading ""Exodus Now - Order" | Play | Exodus 20:1-20" »

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Exodus Now - Wanting

Ranger – As we approach the viewing platform, please mind the guard rail as the next step is about a mile straight down! The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s great natural wonders…

Boy – Are we there yet?

Girl – I gotta go to the bathroom!

Woman – Oh, I think I stained my shirt.

Man – I hope this tour is fast. The game starts in 30 minutes.

Continue reading ""Exodus Now - Wanting" | Play | Exodus 17:1-7" »

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Exodus Now - Freedom

Narrator – Our scene opens in a truck stop restaurant. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead and one flickers in the corner as if it’s about to go out. The glare of the light reflects off the long panes of dark glass. It’s night and there is no hint of dawn in the sky, just the occasional passing headlights.

The restaurant is mostly empty. A man sits at the counter wearing a denim jacket and jeans. His hair and beard are long and gray. A young woman sits in a booth nursing a cup of coffee. The scene begins…

Continue reading ""Exodus Now - Freedom" | Play | Exodus 14:19-31" »

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