A "quick-change" version of the story of Joseph, designed for only five players.
Narrator
Joseph
Player 1- Jacob, slave trader, Potiphar's wife, cup bearer
Player 2- brother, Potiphar, baker
Player 3- brother, Pharaoh
Joe: Hi.
Narrator: Not yet.
Joe: Oh.
Narrator: Long ago, in a faraway land lived a man named Jacob. (Out comes player 1 in beard.)
Joe: I thought this was about me?
Narrator: It is - just wait! Jacob had 12 sons, one by the name of Joseph...
Joe: Me!
Narrator: ...who by the way, was his favorite.
Joe: I'm the favorite.
Narrator: Which didn't set well with the other brothers (Players 2 & 3 appear looking disgruntled) especially when Jacob gave Joseph a special coat- (Player 1 gives Joseph coat)
Joe: OOOOO… a coat of many colors
Player 2: Isn't that special.
Narrator: On top of all that, Joseph was a dreamer. He had two dreams which didn't go over well with his already jealous brothers.
Player 3: Like I'll ever bow to him!?
Narrator: One day Jacob sent Joseph out to check up on his brothers who were out watching the sheep.
Player 3: Why do we get stuck with the sheep?
Player 2: Because he's the favorite.
Player 3: Oh, yeah. I forgot.
Narrator: When they saw him, the brothers decided to kill Joseph , so they threw him in a well. (Player 2 & 3 grab Joseph and throw him behind curtain/wall.)
Joe: "AAAAAHHHHH!" (pleads - let me out, hey guys, let me out, etc…..)
Player 2: Wait - we could make some money out of this!
Player 3: How?
Player 2: We could sell him to the Ishmaelite traders as a slave.
Player 3: Good idea!
Narrator: And so they did. (Player 2 & 3 pull out Joseph, take off the coat, tie him up and hand him over to Player 1 who enters then exits.) They brought back the coat torn and covered with animal blood and gave it to their father (Player 1 returns in beard). Jacob believed his son to be dead, and mourned for him.
Player 1: My son!!! (Leaves weeping, players 2 & 3 follow.)
Narrator: Now Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer to Pharaoh
Player 2: (Comes out as Guard holding rope with Joseph attached.) Captain of the Body Guard, to be exact. A very important position.
Narrator: Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and whatever he did prospered, so he put him in charge of all of his household. (Take off rope and give Joseph clip board, then exit) Now Potiphar's wife took a fancy to Joseph and wanted him to sin against God. (Out comes Player 1 in a feather boa.)
Player 1: Hey big boy, come here often?
Joe: Excuse me? (Player one comes goes over to Joseph and whispers in his ear.) No! (Tries to run away, tangled in boa, ends up running off.)
Narrator: She, being rejected, falsely accused Joseph of wrong doing, so Potiphar had Joseph sent to Pharaoh's prison. (Player 2 & 3 bring out prison bars.)
Joe: But I'm innocent.
Player 3: That's what they all say!
Narrator: Joseph was in Pharaoh's dungeon, but the Lord was with Joseph and the chief jailer put him in charge, because whatever Joseph did was done well. While in prison, Joseph meet Pharaoh's cup-bearer and baker. (Player 1 & 2 both yell as they pretend to be "thrown" into prison.) They each had a dream, which Joseph told them what they meant.
Joe: I have some good news and some bad news…. (pretends to tell bad news to baker, who begins to cry and wander off, and then tells the cup bearer, who becomes very happy.) Remember me when you get out.
Player 1: I will. (exits)
Narrator: He didn't. But then several years later, Pharaoh (Player 3 comes out as Pharaoh with Player 1 following) had a dream, and the cup bearer remembered Joseph.
Player 1: DOH!
Narrator: So Joseph was brought out of prison to tell Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams.
Joe: I have some good news and some bad news…
Narrator: Joseph explained that Pharoah's dreams meant there would be 7 years of plenty.
Player 1 & 2: Yeah!
Joe: Followed by 7 years of famine.
Player 1 & 2: Boo!
Narrator: Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preparing for the famine, and when it did come, there was food in Egypt.
Player 1: (as Jacob) There's food in Egypt? (To players 2 & 3) So what are you waiting for? Go buy some!
Narrator: The brothers went to Egypt (run up), bought grain from Joseph -
Joe: But they didn't know it…
Narrator: … returned home (run back), ran out of food, and went back to Egypt (run up).
Player 3: This isn't going to be fun! He thinks we're spies!
Narrator: … and on the second time, Joseph made himself known.
Joe: I am Joseph!
Narrator: Which really shook them up.
Player 2 & 3: AAAHHHH! (fall down)
Narrator: The brothers figured they'd be punished for all that they had done, but Joseph told them…
Narrator/Joe: What you meant for evil, God meant for good!
Narrator: So Joseph sent for his father, (player 1 as Jacob reunited with Joseph) and all of his household, and brought them into the land of Egypt where he and his family lived out their days in peace. The end.
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Copyright Annette Wetherbee, all rights reserved. This play may be
performed free of charge, provided no charge is made for entrance. In return,
the author would appreciate being notified of any performance. She may
be contacted at annettebee2001@ yahoo.com.