Summary: The story of God's redeeming plan told in allegory. Deceived by Dark Man, the princess loses her position and freedom. The prince comes to save her, losing his life, but she chooses to remain in darkness. The audience joins their lights with the cast to reach her. Most of the lines are read by a narrator or 3 messengers.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: approx. 15min
Actors: 1F, 2M, 7M/F
Scripture reference: Genesis 1, John 1, 8, Matthew 5, Isaiah
Characters:
NARRATOR: (puppet) Optional; Have puppet holding a book made from black poster board folded in half to look like a book cover. Title the book “The Story of the Light of the World” in glow in the dark paint.
KING: crown and robe (puppet)
PRINCESS: (puppet) Beautiful princess dress and crown, rag costume with bandages
PRINCE (human)
DARK MAN: All black including a black hoodie or ski mask that hides the face, apple, chains (human)
3 MESSENGERS: (puppets) optional: scrolls
STAR CARRIER: (puppet) A glowing star with a candle inside
Setting: Bare stage or puppet stage
Script
(At rise: NARRATOR and KING siting on throne, dimly lit)
NARR: Once upon a time there was a king. And the king said...
KING: Let there be light. (Light brightens)
NARR: And there was light. The king saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. He called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” The king ruled over his kingdom of light and it was all good. Then the King adopted a daughter and made her a princess. (PRINCESS enters and is further illuminated) She had everything she needed.
NARR: One day darkness entered the kingdom.
(DARK MAN enters holding out an apple to PRINCESS. PRINCESS takes off her crown, trades it for apple and bites the apple. It is bitter and she drops it in disgust. KING looks horrified.)
NARR: The princess traded away her crown for a lie and in doing so, sold herself as a slave to the darkness. (DARK MAN wraps chains around her wrists binding them) She threw away her birthright and became a poor, blind, miserable commoner. (PRINCESS and DARK MAN exit into darkness) The darkness surrounded her and though she cried pitifully over what she had done, she could neither regain her royal status nor free herself from slavery.
VOICE of PRINCESS: (calling out, afraid) Where is the light? Where is my father the king? I am afraid. Help me!
NARR: The more the princess tried to save herself, the more she stumbled. Her beautiful clothes became rags and many wounds were all she got for her efforts. (PRINCE enters to KING) The king was sad. His son, the prince, too, grieved.
KING: She has traded away her birthright and now she suffers. She cannot find her own way from the darkness. She cannot buy her own freedom.
PRINCE: Then I will save her, though it cost all I am and have. (exits)
(PRINCESS re-enters, disheveled and dressed in rags with wounds and bloody bandages including one over her eyes. She collapses in a miserable heap under a dim red light held by DARK MAN.)
NARR: So the king sent messengers on ahead so the princess would be ready to be saved by the prince.
MESSENGER 1: The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds of the princess.
(PRINCESS examines her wounds and winces as she moves because they are so painful. When she speaks, it is with desperate pain, shame and remorse)
PRINCESS: I want to be healed.
MESSENGER 2: The prince will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths He will guide them; He will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things the prince will do; He will not forsake his princess.
PRINCESS: I want to see again.
MESSENGER 3: The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Prince will be your everlasting light, and your King will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Prince will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
PRINCESS: Yes, let my sorrow end.
NARR: And so the prince stepped down into darkness.
SONG: Light of the world you stepped down into darkness.
(STAR CARRIER appears holding a lighted star over the PRINCE. Slowly they make their way toward the PRINCESS during the song.)
NARR: A star served as a beacon of light, drawing those who were wise to the prince. Through this prince all things had been made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. His light shone in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it.
(DARK MAN forces PRINCESS to take his red light, he sabotages the reconciliation, whispering lies in the princess’ ears and pulling her back when she reaches for the PRINCE.)
NARR: Yet, though the world, including the princess, was made through the Prince, the princess did not recognize him. The darkness blinded her. If she would only receive him, he would give the right to become a child of the king once again.
PRINCE: (Reaching toward her and gently calling for her) You are a child of the light and a child of the day. You not belong to the night or to the darkness, but you are a princess, daughter of the king who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light. (DARK MAN puts the PRINCESSES hands over her ears)
NARR: But the princess closed her ears as well as her eyes.
PRINCE: (more urgently) I have come into the world as a light, so you do not have to stay in darkness. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in my light while you have the light, so that you once again may become a child of the king.
(As PRINCESS starts to reach for the PRINCE, DARK MAN gets between them and jerks her back to her misery)
NARR: But the princess did not leave the darkness. (DARK MAN moves slyly behind the prince, He pantomimes nailing his feet to a cross.)
PRINCE: (pleading most urgently, holding out his arms to her) I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (DARK MAN physically takes the PRINCE’s arms and pantomimes nailing them to a cross) While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk to me while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.
(Pause for 2 beats but the princess does NOT come. PRINCE bows head in death. KING, face filled with grief, turns away from the PRINCE.)
NARR: Yet the princess did not come to him, though he paid for her life with his own.
(PRINCESS is crying, loudly at first, and then muffled occasional sobs. PRINCE and DARKMAN exit.)
NARR: This is the message we have heard from the Prince and declare to you: the King is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we walk in the King’s light, as the Prince is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of the Prince, his Son, purifies us. (PRINCE appears next to NARR)
PRINCE: You (pointing to audience) are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. (STAR CARRIER takes candle from under the star and holds it up) Neither do people light a candle and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (STAR CARRIER drops star backstage or hooks it above the stage to continue to be seen)
PRINCE: In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. For the king, who said, (KING turns back around)...
KING: “Let light shine out of darkness,” ...
PRINCE: … made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of His glory displayed in the face of Christ.
PRINCE: Who will add their candle? Who will add their light? Who will reach my princess, all my princesses, who are in darkness? Sing with us. (Cast begins to sing This Little light of mine. Audience members should be encouraged to add their voices. As they do the PRINCESS. takes off eye bandages and finally comes to the prince and KING who welcome her with joy)
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© 2012 Kathy Applebee May be used freely to teach, preach and glorify God.
More royalty free Christian Drama skits can be found at my Fools for Christ website at www.foolsforchrist.net
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