Tall timber!
By Michele Pitman
Summary
A mimed version of the story of Zaccheus.
Characters
A minimum of 6 very tall people.
A small person to play Zaccheus.
A young person, preferably male, to play Jesus.
Costuming
Tall people can wear normal Sunday clothes. Zaccheus to be dressed Charlie
Chaplin style. Jesus in normal clothes or traditional costuming if desired.
Props
Zaccheus carries a shoulder bag or sack filled with “Gold Coin” chocolates.An
A-frame style ladder.
Staging
The line of Very Tall people are almost military in their bearing.
Very stiff and regimented. Zaccheus can be ‘slap-stick’ in his movements
even hamming up the setting up of the ladder. ‘Jesus’ is natural and relaxed
in his movements but dignified.
Script
The very tall people all line up facing away from audience. Zaccheus,
who is dressed in Charlie Chaplin style clothes and carrying a shoulder
bag of ‘money’, comes along and jumps up and down on the audience of the
very tall people, trying to see over their shoulders. He is about
to give up when he hits upon an idea.
Zaccheus runs off and comes back with a ladder. He sets up the
ladder center left of the line of very tall people (audience side). He
picks up his shoulder bag and climbs the ladder. He pauses when he
can see over the top of everyone.
Meanwhile, Jesus has positioned himself in front of the very tall people
(hidden by them). When Zaccheus has climbed up the ladder and paused
for a moment, the line of very tall people splits in half to show Jesus
standing looking up at Zaccheus.
Jesus steps forward and gestures to Zaccheus to come down. The
lines of very tall people spin around to face the audience. They
are frowning and their arms are crossed, football style, in front.
Zaccheus gestures a query that Jesus actually wants him. Jesus
gestures “yes”. Zaccheus climbs down.
On his knees before Jesus, he presents his shoulder bag to him, gesturing
out to the audience. Jesus nods “yes”, and then he helps Zaccheus
up and gestures up the aisle. Zaccheus is so happy he leaps and cavorts
around Jesus. They head toward the center aisle.
As Zaccheus bounds up the aisle with Jesus, he reaches into his shoulder
bag and distributes “Gold Coin” chocolates to members of the audience.
When Zaccheus and Jesus reach the back of the Church the very tall
people troop off, snootily, down the side aisles or out the vestry doors.
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© Michelle Pitman 1998, all rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies
are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any
entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author
would appreciate being notified of when and for what
purpose the play is performed. She may be contacted at: michelle_pitman@hotmail.com