Summary: The blind man, Bartimaeus, is healed by Jesus.
Style: Drama. Duration: 8min
Scripture: Mark 10 vs 46 - 52
Actors: 4M, 2-3M/F.
Characters
JESUS – himself
BART – Bartimaeus. Blind, wearing dark glasses, a cloak/blanket, carrying a tin pot with coins inside and a stick.
ANDY – Andrew, Disciple of Jesus – kind, concerned, sympathetic.
COLIN – one of the crowd following Jesus. Harsh, impatient.
CROWD 2-3 who don’t have to learn words, but ad lib repeating and agreeing with whatever Colin says.
PLANT in audience with a large hand mirror.
Script
[SETTING: On the road out of Jericho. There are two chairs centre stage.]
[Enter BART: Stumbles over small stone etc on the stage. Gets up and feels his way around with his feet, stick and other arm out in front of him. Stands centre stage facing the audience] Is anybody there? [Reacts in shock to children] It sounds like there a lot of children here. Is that right? [points at one child he can hear – puts out his hand to shake theirs] What’s your name? [says hello to them] My name is Bartimaeus – Blind Bartimaeus if you hadn’t guessed. I’ve just come out of Jericho and I’m waiting to get some money! [He gets his tin out and rattles it] Now where can I sit? Can anyone see somewhere I can sit down? [Follows their instructions and sits down on box/seat etc and gets holds his tin out in front of him]
ANDY: [Enters and walks up quietly behind BART as a joke] Hello!
BART: [Starts with shock and drops his tin. The money goes everywhere] Now look what you made me do.
ANDY: Oh sorry, didn’t you see me creeping up on you?
BART: No, I didn’t. [He scrabbles around on the floor to find the money]
ANDY: Do you need a hand with that?
BART: You could help me pick up all the money you made me drop. Unless you did it so you could help yourself.
ANDY: I wouldn’t do that, I’m an honest man.
BART: I think you are honest. I can tell a lot by people’s voices.
ANDY: Oh. Oh! [realises Bart is blind and waves his hand in front of Barts eyes – he doesn’t flinch] Are you…?
BART: Blind – go on, you can say it.
ANDY: Oh I am sorry about earlier, if I had known you were…er…
BART: Blind… you wouldn’t have done it. I know.
ANDY: I feel terrible. How can I make it up to you? [Bart puts out his tin towards Andy] Sorry, I haven’t got any money.
BART: What’s your name?
ANDY: Andy.
BART: I’m Bart. Not Bart, the disciple of Jesus. – obviously! Bart the son of Timeus.
ANDY: Ye,s I can see you’re nothing like Bart the disciple – he’s tall and skinny.
BART: [Good naturedly] You saying I’m fat?
ANDY: Sorry – again.
BART: That’s OK. Do you know him then, Bart the disciple?
ANDY: Yes, I’m a disciple of Jesus, too.
BART: Really? Has he really been healing people? I heard that he can make the blind see again. Is it true?
ANDY Yes, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. [looks at Bart] Sorry – again. Look Bart, there must be something I can do for you?
BART: Well, if you sit here by me, you can tell me when people are getting near so I can rattle my tin.
ANDY: All right then. Budge up [he sits beside Bart]
BART: Do you want to borrow these? [Bart gives his glasses to Andy – Bart keeps his eyes closed] You can do a bit of begging yourself since you are as skint as I am.
ANDY: I’ve never seen anything like these before. What do they do? [He tries them on] Wow! Everything’s darker… but I can still see. I can even look at the sun. [He stands up with them on and wanders about the stage ending centre stage looking at the children. He lifts the glasses on and off his nose by tilting the ends of them behind his ears] Have any of you seen these before? What are they called? (glasses) Clever eh? Do you think I look good in them? Anyone got a mirror?
[PLANT in audience produces a hand mirror]
ANDY: Thanks [looks in mirror, then gives it back] Yes, very handsome don’t you think?. [Prances around proudly]
BART: Hey Andy! Where’ve you gone?
ANDY: Coming. [he takes glasses off and offers them to Bart] Here, have your…sunglasses.. [Bart does not take them] Why do you wear them if you can’t see anyway – do they help?
BART: No. It’s just I look so ugly without them [He pulls a really ugly face. Then feels for and takes sunglasses and puts them on]
ANDY: [Looks to offstage L] Hey, there’s people coming. A lot of people.
BART: Good. [he tidies himself, strokes his hair, sits up straight] Do I look all right Andy?
ANDY: Fine
BART: [Shouts really loud] Have mercy on a blind man! Give some money for the blind? [he rattles his tin]
ANDY: Not yet, Bart.
[They wait. JESUS, COLIN and CROWD enter and slowly walk across the front of the stage]
BART: Sounds like a lot of people. [shouts to the crowd] Hey What’s going on ?
COLIN: Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. [Jesus walks past Bart to R stage, but the crowd remain L stage]
BART: [Getting really excited] Great! I was praying he’d come this way one day. Andy, can you see him yet?
ANDY: Yes, he’s over to your left… [looks left] I mean right [looks right] or do I mean left [puts hands up in L shapes to tell his left from his right] I mean left.
BART: [turns his head to the left and shouts really loudly] Jesus Son of David! Have mercy on me!
[ Everyone except Jesus puts their hands over their ears and grimaces]
ANDY: Blimey Bart. That was loud.
BART: Did he hear me?
ANDY: Not sure he did, no.
BART: [Shouts very loud again] Jesus of Nazareth! Have mercy on me!
COLIN: [Marches up to Bart and wags his finger in his face] Now look here you. Stop shouting. [ CROWD Ad lib] You’re deafening everybody, can’t you see?
BART: No, I can’t see [He starts to wail loudly worried he might miss Jesus] Jesus help me!
COLIN: Will you be quiet! [CROWD Ad lib]
BART: No. I won’t be quiet. [continues to wail] Jesus……. Son of David…….. help me! [He starts to get upset at the thought that he may miss Jesus]
ANDY: [Walks over to audience] Do you think I should ask Jesus to help, Bart? (Yes!) [Andy goes to Jesus and whispers something in his ear. They both look over at Bart]
JESUS: [Calls out to COLIN] Call him
COLIN: [Surprised and eager to please Jesus, Colin rushes up to Bart] Cheer up. On your feet [CROWD Ad Lib]
BART: What’s happening Andy?
ANDY: He’s calling you. Come this way.
BART: Yippee ! [BART throws off his cloak and jumps high into the air with delight. CROWD and COLIN lead him to Jesus.]
ANDY: Bart, Jesus is right here in front of you. [BART Slowly puts his hands out to feel Jesus face. Jesus smiles, the others back off]
JESUS: What do you want me to do for you?
BART: [hardly able to contain himself shouts] I want to see! I want to see!
JESUS: [He puts his hands on Bart’s head. Bart kneels, Jesus whispers a prayer] Your faith has healed you. Receive your sight.
[Bart facing the audience, shrugging from the light at first, then as his eyes adapt, takes off the glasses – Andy takes them, but doesn’t put them on. Andy approaches Bart him watching fascinated and ecstatic. Absolute delight is written all over Bart’s face]
BART: I can see! Andy – [he feels Andy] are you Andy?
ANDY: Yes
BART: Andy, I can see! It’s amazing. I can see the…walls and the…road.. and look at… all these people! Wow! [To audience] What are you all looking at? (you) That’s a point, what do I look like. Has anyone got a mirror? [Mirror is given to him, he sees his reflection] I’m not so ugly after all. [He looks eagerly around.] I can see, I can see! Thank you Jesus! Yippee! Praise God!
[CROWD, COLIN all praise God for the miracle. Bart follows Jesus and the crowd as they all exit to R]
ANDY: That is truly amazing. It is so cool hanging out with Jesus. [He puts the sunglasses on and smiles at the audience then runs after the crowd and exits]
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© Copyright Pam Norman, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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