Christmas Play ~ Filling The Manger

Christmas Play

Filling The Manger

A Christmas play straight from scripture. 

All speaking parts are straight from scripture.

Chronologically choreographed.

Free to use. Just advise. 

(Setting: North is stage right. Audience faces west—toward “The Star”)

Nazareth, approximately 80-90 miles north of Judea, Jerusalem and Bethlehem

Old Prophet: Seated, stage left,

Candle lights…Prophet shuffling scrolls:

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ” (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:2,3)

Candle goes out

Narrator: (Luke 1)

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, His wife’s name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

During narration:

Elizabeth and Zacharias walk together, Zacharias, obviously talking a lot and agitated… They stop outside temple and hug (mostly Elizabeth hugs Zacharias) He shakes his head and turns…she watches him walk inside and then, bows her head, places hands over her belly and closes her eyes…

Lights dim on Elizabeth, come up on Zacharias in temple

Angel appears, Zacharias, stumbles back, obviously afraid.

Angel:

 “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name, John.  He will be great in the sight of the Lord, and will go before Him, to prepare the way of the Lord.”

Light dims on temple, comes up on Elizabeth.

Zacharias comes out of temple, and smiles, then, rushes to his wife and gives her a big hug (more him than her, this time). They walk away holding each other like newlyweds.

Stage goes dark. Candle lights on Old Prophet table.

Old Prophet:

                He shuffles scrolls until, he finds the one he’s looking for…

“The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and He shall be called Immanuel.”  Prophet pauses, leans back, thinking…utters thoughtfully. “Immanuel…God, with us” (Isaiah 7:14)

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary (Luke 1: 26 – 38)

Mary filling manger with hay to feed donkey…humming away in a manger

Angel appears:

“Rejoice, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

 Mary, backs up, afraid.

Angel:

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive

and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David…and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary:

“How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

Angel:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;

therefore, also, that Holy One whoi is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now, indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Mary stares at the angel, and then into heaven for several seconds, so long in fact that the angel looks up, too. Finally, Mary rests her hand on her stomach and smiles and nods.

Mary: 

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

Angel disappears and a light appears in her womb and star appears in the sky …heartbeat heard

Stage goes dark, except for star…and the heartbeat .. .. ..

Old Prophet candle lights…Old Prophet reads from a scroll…

“A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter

shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17)

Light shines on Wisemen in the east, (center and behind audience), they point at the star and then huddle together as if calculating documents to determine what the star means.

Mary Visits Elizabeth (80 – 100 miles, 4-5 day journey ) (Luke 1: 39-56)

Narrator:

Mary arose in those days and traveled, over 80 miles southward, into the hill country, to a city of Judah; to the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth.

While narrator is speaking Mary is packed and journeys slowly (from the north, right side of audience) around the audience and up to stage, light follows her…) She knocks on door.

Elizabeth answers, grabs her stomach and laughs and then they hug.

Elizabeth:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!...”

Elizabeth, stops, holds Mary by shoulders at arm’s length, looks her up and down and gently touches her own stomach and also Mary’s; then, nods and smiles. 

“But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?—” small laugh and places Mary’s hand on her stomach “—As soon as I heard your voice, he leaped for joy.” Place hand gently on Mary’s cheek. “Blessed are you, because you believed…everything He said, will be fulfilled.”

Mary:

Oh how I magnify the Lord, my God, my Savior

He’s regarded me…His lowly maidservant

From now on, everyone will call, me, blessed

Oh, how He loves

He has done such great things

Mary & Elizabeth hug, laugh, walk together…lights go down.

Joseph learns of Mary’s pregnancy (Matt. 1: 19-25)

Narrator:

“And Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months, and then, returned to her house.”

Mary walks from south (left side audience) she is starting to show (3 months pregnant)

Stage lights come up. Joseph is working in a shop

Mary is still walking, slowly, stopping momentarily now and then to rest, as she makes her way toward the stage, toward Joseph.

Narrator:

   Mary was engaged to Joseph, but, before they came together, she was found with child of the

Holy Ghost.

Joseph sees Mary, he drops what he’s doing and rushes to Mary. They embrace…but then, Joseph pulls away and looks at her stomach.

Narrator:

Joseph, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public disgrace, was minded to break off the engagement privately.

Joseph looks Mary in the eyes, shakes his head and steps back. Mary looks at Joseph and then down and holds her belly. When, she looks back up at Joseph, she reaches for him, but he steps back a few steps, slowly, shaking his head, and turns away.

Stage right and left split into two scenes. Joseph on left, back in his shop, pacing, angry, until he finally sinks down into a tearful sleep.

Mary stage right, paces slowly, praying, until she kneels in tearful prayer.

Stage goes dark, momentarily. Then an angel appears next to Joseph.

Angel:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Angel disappears, spotlight follows Joseph as he gets up and walks to Mary. She is still praying. He takes her by the hand, she stands, apprehensive, unsure of why he’s come... He smiles, she smiles…they embrace. Lights go down.

The journey to Bethlehem

Narrator: Luke 2:

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph went from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.”

During narration:

Lights up on right side of audience…Joseph and Mary are on their 80-90-mile journey south to Bethlehem. Mary is 8-9 months pregnant. They walk in and about the audience…

As they make their way to the stage…being turned away one by one by “inn-keepers” scattered around audience.” When they reach the stage, finally, one inn-keeper points…the stage lights up to the manger scene. Joseph shakes his head, appears to confront the “inn keeper” but Mary, takes Joseph’s hand and leads him toward the manger…

Mary fills the manger. (Just like before)

Light go down.

Old Prophet: candle lights…

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people...” (Matt. 2:6 & Micah 5:2)

Lights go down…star get brighter…heart beat is heard louder, faster…wisemen make their way closer to the stage, pointing in awe at the star.

Spot light shines off stage on Shepherds. 

Shepherds and angels (Luke 2: 8-20)

Shepherd’s huddled around a fire, sheep scattered about…

Narrator:

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, (fire goes out—angel appears) and the glory of the Lord shone around them, (spot light gets brighter) and they were greatly afraid. (shepherds cower).

Angel:

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Brightest lights on shepherds, more angels appear…

Narrator:

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

Angels:

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Shepherds:

 “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now!... To see what the Lord has made known to us.”

Shepherds run throughout the audience. Lights come up on stage with Joseph and Mary holding baby Jesus…Shepherds hurry to the scene. But, stop, remove head head-coverings. Mary places Baby Jesus in the manger, and she and Joseph nod toward the Shepherds. They inch their way to the manger, kneel and bow their heads. 

Old Prophet reads:

“The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:2, 6-7)

One by one, shepherds back out and scatter about, whispering to the audience “The King is born, you should meet Him…”

On stage, the inn keeper that pointed Mary & Joseph to the stable, appears and kneels, then, he extends a hand to Joseph and Mary, bows his head, in remorse. Then, he motions for them to follow

Stage light down

Meanwhile shepherds are still in audience spreading the Good news, when they all at once run into the wisemen, they point to the stage…the star gets brightest.

The wisemen hurry to the stage.

Lights come up.

Mary and Joseph and Jesus are in a house, rather than a stable.

One by one, Wisemen kneel and present their gifts. (https://youtu.be/na_zOIerTMo ) Shepherds enter and kneel. Inn keepers enter and kneel. Elizabeth and Zacharias and toddler (John the Baptist) enter and kneel, Old Prophet enters and kneels, angels enter and kneel…whosoever will enters and bows… Oh Holy Night plays…

All rise, turn and bow

The end, well, really, in many ways… just the beginning.

CAST

Jesus

Mary

Joseph

Zacharias

Elizabeth

Old Prophet

Angels

Inn Keepers

Narrator

SETS:

Temple

Nazareth stable

Zacharias & Elizabeth house

Joseph’s shop

Bethlehem stable