CAST:
Walter: - Doubter, directionally challenged, likes to point at what he sees.
Alex: - Open minded, joker, LOVES cats.
Chris: - Lead character, an enthusiastic sharing Christian.
Libby: - Sweet, inquisitive, helpful. Has Wooden box of lettuce.
Eliza: - Strong skeptic from upbringing, but comes around. Has basket of big carrots
A Bird puppeteer: dressed in white (light colours) with black raven ‘puppet’
(cardboard cut-out with flappy wings, if not a puppet)
Act 1 Friday Evening: The Sower
- Tell others about Jesus who cares for you
[Chris walks in with a shovel, acknowledges audience]
Chris: Oh! Hello everyone.
[plants first seed on one side of the stage]
Chris: I’m just doing some planting
[Plants another seed and moves along to a third spot across the stage.
A raven puppet flies in behind Chris and lands on a perch near the first seed. Chris plants the third seed and the raven lands on the first seed and grabs it. Chris notices and shoos it away. ]
Chris: Did you see that? Naughty raven! I hope he doesn’t come back to steel my seeds.
[replants first seed and moves back across stage to where they were up to, plants another seed. Raven flies back, lands close to first seed again, ready to pounce. Hopefully someone in the audience starts calling out to warn about the raven – have some kids you know ready to start calling out “the raven’s back” in case no one starts to call out.]
Chris: What?..... Yes, I’m glad I chased off the raven.
[Raven now lands on first seed - audience gets more animated]
Chris: What?.... Oh! SHOO! SHOO!!!!
[raven flies off side of stage for now. Group enters]
Eliza: Hey Chris, what are you doing?
Chris: I‘m planting lettuce seeds, Eliza. [mutters] and feeding ravens.
Libby: Why are you planting seeds?
Chris: So we can grow vegetables give to families who don’t have very much money.
Alex: Hey Walter! Apple seeds grow apples, right?
Walter: Yeah?
Alex: And orange seeds grow oranges?
Walter: Yeah?
Alex: And watermelon seeds grow watermelons?
Walter: Yeah???
Alex: So… what do bird seeds grow?
Walter: What??
Alex: Bird seeds must grow birds! Get it? Bird-seeds…??
Walter: But, Alex, don’t birds hatch from eggs?
Alex: [sigh] Never mind
Libby: So you’re just going to give the vegetables away?
Eliza: Why would you do that? You could make them pay a lot of money, especially for lettuce.
Chris: Well, these people don’t have much money. That’ the point.
Libby: So why are you doing this?
Chris: It’s what Jesus would do. He’s very caring.
Libby: Jesus? Who’s Jesus?
Chris: We learn about him at Adventurers. He cares for everyone, including you and me.
Hey have you heard of Adventurers? You should come!
Walter: Adventures?
Chris: No Adventurers, It’s a club for kids at my church
Eliza: Church? You go to church?
Chris: Yeah?
Alex: Really? Why do you do that?
Chris: We’ll that’s where my parents go on Sabbaths,
Libby: Sabbaths? What’s that?
Chris: Um, it’s every Saturday, we go to church to worship God and
Alex: EVERY Saturday?? That’s crazy
Eliza: You go and worship God?? REALLY??
Chris: Yes?
Eliza: My parents tell me there is no God and they think you Christian people are all crazy.
Chris: Really?
Eliza: Yeah, no way I’m going to be friends with a Christian! I‘m out of here. [Leaves]
Alex: Ok?... What’s up with Eliza?
[raven flies in , lands for a moment, then Steals quickly, and Walter only notice, pointing his arm out at the raven]
Walter: Raven!!!
Chris: Oh man. [goes plants that seed again]
Libby: So what’s that adventurous club thing?
Chris: Adventurers?
Libby: Yeah, what do you do for that?
Chris: Well, we play games, learn about Bible stories and Jesus, do crafts, sometimes go camping.
Libby: Sounds interesting.
Chris: You can come along if you like, Libby. We’re allowed to have friends join who don’t go to our church
Libby: Cool, ‘I’ll ask my parents if I can join, thanks. What about you Walter? Coming along?
Walter: Nah, don’t think so, thanks.
Chris: Well, it’s getting dark, we’d better get home for dinner. Let’s come back tomorrow.
Alex: Won’t raven take all the seeds while we’re gone?
Chris: True, what about we wait quietly for a moment over here, and when he comes back, as soon as he lands on the seed, we let out a big roar together, and that should scare him off so much he won’t return.
Walter: Do you think we can yell loud enough to scare hiem away permanently? There’s not that many of us
Chris: Oh, I have some other friends here who can help. [to audience] Everyone, as soon as the raven lands on the seed let’s let out a big roar, like a tiger, to scare it of. Ok? When it lands on the seed. Shhh, Let’s sit quietly…. Shhh
[raven soon lands on a ‘perch’ near seed for a moment, then flies to a perch on the other side looking around for people, then swoops down and lands on seed.
RROOAAHHH!!!!!!
[ Raven flies out (runs) down audience isle, never to be seen again ]
Libby: We did it!
Chris: Good job everyone! [to friends] See you back here tomorrow guys.
Everyone: Bye, see ya!
Act 2 Sabbath Morning: The Lost sheep
- Tell others that they are important and are of value to Jesus the good shepherd.
Alex: Wow this is a long walk to the field, are we nearly there Chris?
Chris: Almost there, Alex.
Alex: Hey Libby, what’s the quietest animal on a farm?
Libby: I don’t know, a mouse?
Alex: No, a sheep.
Libby: What?
Alex: Get it? A SSSSSHHHHHHH-eep…?
Libby: Haha.
Chris: Very funny, Alex.
Alex: Oh, we’re here! What’s the plan?
Chris: Well… how about Libby and I work at that end sewing seeds, and you and Walter can work at this end - and we’ll meet in the middle.
Alex: Cool… But, ummm…. where’s Walter
Chris: He’s right… not here. Where did he go?
Libby: He was with us when we left.
Chris: We’d better go look for him. I hope nothing has happened to him.
[all cast calls out ‘WALTER?!” as they start walking out through crowd.
Cast asks audience, “Have you seen Walter?”
Soon Walter walks across front of stage alone]
The aim is to get the kids shouting and pointing.
“What? Where’s Walter? Over there?”
but they miss each other, in a pre-organised choreographed fashion a few times, with Walter ending up at the back of the audience and everyone else on stage again, and they swap once more, missing each other etc - causing childishly stupid frustration to the audience, until they end up slowly walking backwards into each other on stage.
Alex: Hey, there you are, what happened?
Walter: I stopped to tie up my shoelace, and then you were gone. I didn’t know which way to go, and… I got lost.
Libby: So glad we found you!!
Walter: I’m so glad you found me! I was starting to get worried! Thanks so much for coming looking for me - that’s so kind of you.
Chris: Well, that’s what Jesus would do.
Walter: Jesus?
Chris: Yeah, you should come to Adventurers and learn about him. Jesus values you even more than we do!
Walter: Maybe I will, thanks.
Chris: Well, it’s getting close to lunch now, we’d better get home. Let’s come back this afternoon to get these seeds finished planting.
Walter: Sorry guys, I used up all your planting time.
Chris: No problems at all, my friend. I’m so glad we found you.
Act 3 Sabbath Evening: Prodigal Son
- Tell others that God forgives us completely when we say sorry and repent. God celebrates when we come ‘home’ to Him.
Chris: Right, we all here this time?
Walter: Yes!
Alex: Well, except for Eliza
Chris: Yeah, I miss Eliza. I wish she’d come back.
Alex: It would make digging this field faster!
Chris: Yeah, but I miss her too
Libby: What about a joke to cheer us up while we plant these seeds
Alex: Really? I didn’t think you like my jokes?
Libby: Well, sometimes a smaller weevil is a good thing?
Alex: What?
Libby: Never mind, what’s your joke?
Alex: Ok here’s one. What would you get after crossing an angry sheep with an angry cow?
Libby: Oh I don’t know, what?
Alex: An animal with a very baaaaaaaa-d mooooooooo-d. Get it? Angry sheep and cow. Baaaaaaaa- d mooooooooo-d?
Walter: We get it, Alex.
[Eliza starts talking from audience isle.]
Eliza: Oh I wish I was back with the group. But they probably hate me now, after how I was rude them. I bet they don’t want to be my friend anymore. But I miss them. Maybe they’ll let me just sit and watch.
[Chris looks up and squints at Eliza walking towards them]
Chris: Hey look guys. Is that?.....
[Walter points joyously]
Walter: It’s Eliza!
[all run up to her and jump up and down in celebration and they make their way up on stage]
Chris: Hey welcome back!
Eliza: [shyly] Hi guys
Chris: So good to see you. We thought we’d never see you again.
Eliza: I know. I didn’t want to see you again, but I realised I was very mean, and… I’m sorry. Here, I brought some carrots that you can give to those families who need food.
Libby: Carrots?
Eliza: I was kind of hoping they would help you forgive me.
Chris: No way….
Eliza: Fair enough
Chris: No!... No way do you need to give gifts to be forgiven. We just forgive you!
Eliza: Really?? Just like that?
Chris: Sure! That’s what Jesus taught us to do. And it makes life so much more enjoyable if you forgive people.
Eliza: So I left you because of you talking about Jesus, but now you’re forgiving me because of Jesus? Who is the Jesus person you talk about all the time?
Libby: You should come and learn about Jesus at Adventurers. Then you can make up your mind about him.
Eliza: I guess I don’t know anything about Jesus, you’re right.
Walter: Guys, I think we’re done!
Alex: Yay, just in time for Dinner!
Libby: I can’t wait to see them grow.
Chris: Good job everyone. Let’s head home.
Alex: Hey Eliza, What would you get after crossing an angry sheep with an angry cow?
Eliza: I don’t know.
Alex: An animal with a very baaaaaaaa-d moooooo-d. Get it? Angry sheep and cow…..
Baaaaaaaa- d mooooooooo-d?
Eliza: I missed you guys.
Act 4 Sunday morning: Pearl of great price
- Tell others how much God means to you. You treasure your friendship with Jesus.
[Libby carries a basket [(like on the patch) as they enter]
Walter: Hey look everyone! The lettuce are ready to pick! [Walter points]
Libby/Eliza: Yay!/Awesome!
Chris: Great! Let’s collect them and put them in Libby’s basket.
[start collecting lettuce (eg bunched green tissue paper)]
Alex: Hey guys, did you see the cat for sale at the pet shop?
Walter: Yeah, I saw it. The white one, right?
Alex: Yes, it was sooooo cute! Oh, I’d love to take that cat home so much!
Eliza: Why don’t you buy it?
Walter: You should have seen how much it was? Wow wee.
Alex: Yeah, I don’t have enough money. But I’d give everything to take that cat home.
Libby: Well, why don’t you sell some of your stuff?
Alex: Hmmmm. I’d probably have to sell EVERYTHING I own to have enough money.
Walter: So, you can’t REALLY want it then. You said you’d give everything to own the cat?
Alex: You’re right. I’m AM going to sell everything I must get that cat.
Eliza: Really?
Alex: Yeah, who want’s to buy my iPad?
Eliza: Oh I could use it. Mine broke, here you go. [gives high five]
Alex: What about my mountain bike?
Walter: I love riding, and my bikes too small now, here you go. [gives high five]
Alex: And what about my Lego, anyone want that?
Chris: I love playing Lego, here you go. [gives high five]
Alex: Almost there, I just need 21 more high fives, And I’ll have enough.
Libby: I’ve only got one to give, where are you going to get 20 more? [gives high five]
Eliza: Yeah, where on earth could you find 20 more people to give you a high five around here??
[start looking out at the audience]
Chris: What about those guys? Anyone got a high five they can give Alex? He REALLY wants to take a cat home he loves so much. Go try down there, Alex.
[Alex goes down isle of audience counting down from 20 as he high fives kids], then returns when he reaches 0
Alex: That’s it! I have enough! I can take the cat home!
Walter/Eliza: Yay!/Awesome!
Alex: You guys don’t understand how much I’m going to treasure this cat.
Chris: Actually, I think I do. Sound’s like how much I treasure Jesus.
Alex: Seriously?
Chris: Yes indeed. And Jesus treasures us just as much as you love that cat – MORE even!
Alex: Impossible!
Libby: I heard nothing’s impossible for God, Alex.
Chris: That’s right. Jesus gave everything to be able to take us home. He loves us so much.
Libby: Hey, it looks like we got them all.
Chris: Good work everyone. Let’s go wash them back at the house, and then we can take them to the families who need food tomorrow.
[all stat walking off slowly. Libby carrying basket of lettuce]
Walter: Hey, Alex, Got a joke for you. Where did the farmer take his horses when they were sick?
Alex: Where?
Walter: To the horsepital?
Alex: Haha
Libby: Hey Alex, what do you call cow that lives in the snow?
Alex: What?
Libby: An eski-moo?
Alex: Haha
Eliza: Hey, Alex, did you hear about the cow that went into space?
Alex: No?
Eliza: He landed on the moooooon!
Alex: What?
EVERYONE: THE MOOOOOOOON!!!
Alex: Haha, very funny.
Chris: See you kids!
EVERYONE: BYE!
--
Presentation: NNSW Adventurer Camporee - October 7-9, 2022