Duration
You will need to know how long your sketch is going to last. The suggested summaries and prayers are not included in the duration time. The duration times also do not include curtain closes and set changes, as everybody will have a different type of stage and props. Please remember to bear this in mind when deciding on the length of your play.
Ideal age
The ideal age is from 8 years old upwards, but younger children can also be included because there are small non-speaking parts in some of the plays. However, I suggest that the sketches below should be performed by older children owing to the suggestive content:
1. Scene 5 of, “The Story of Joseph”, which portrays Joseph’s confrontation with Potiphar’s wife.
2. “What Do You Say?”, which is the account of the woman caught in the act of adultery.
Capitalisation
All the drama sketches (excluding the narration) are in rhyme to help make it easier for the actors to remember their lines and hopefully, to make it more fun. The poetry is written in the modern format of not capitalizing the first letter of every line, making it easier to flow when the actors are reading their lines.
Monologues
There are 7 long monologues in this book that I suggest should be performed by your more confident actors. Here are some tips for how to prepare the performance:
- Vary the tone of voice according to the current lines being spoken. i.e., the main emotion with most of them is sadness and regret, but there are times when the character is reflecting back to the good times and it will help if the actor portrays this by using positive facial expression, switching into anger or sadness as their mind suddenly flicks back to the present.
- Also, encourage the actor to practice altering vocal speed and gesticulation. This will help them learn the lines more easily and should be practised regularly until they can empathise with how the character is really feeling.
- Breaking the lines down into separate chunks will also help to make the monologue easier to memorise, together with stepping into a slightly different position when reciting each chunk.
- Alternatively, if you have the technical equipment to do so, you could project the words, large enough to be seen on stage, onto a plain wall behind the audience, so that the performer could surreptitiously glance far ahead and read the words.
The monologues are:
Where Is The Hand? (The Story of Joseph)
Broken Promise (The Story of Joseph)
Shall I Go? (The Story of Esther)
Christmas Regret
Just One Touch
Jo’s Complaint (Consequences)
I Have To Pay (Consequences)
Suggested summaries
At the end of each sketch, before the director’s notes, there is a summary and salvation prayer that can be used if you are unsure of how to conclude the performance. Naturally, church leaders may want to organise their own summary – but I’ve included one for each sketch, just in case it is needed.
