Summary: A drama of the parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20 vs 1-16.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 8min
Actors: 8-9M/F
Characters
NARRATOR
and/or /
FOREMAN,
LANDOWNER,
TIMEKEEPER,
PERSONS 1,2,3,4 & 5.
(Simple enough to invite people up from the audience to take part on the day.)
Script
Scene: Set in a market place with a vineyard off to the side.
NARRATOR: The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
TIME KEEPER: It is 6 o’clock in the morning.
LANDOWNER: [to person 1] You there! Are you awake?
PERSON 1: Yes sir! Is there any to do today in your vineyard?
LANDOWNER: Yes, it is harvest time. I will pay you well - one denarius for the day - the normal day’s wages.
PERSON 1: That is great, thank you. Shall I start now?
LANDOWNER: Of course - off you go into my vineyard and start picking the grapes.
NARRATOR: So off he went and spent all day working.
TIMEKEEPER: It is now 9am exactly.
LANDOWNER: [to person 2] You there! Do you have nothing to do? Are you just going to stand here in the market-place?
PERSON 2: No sir, there are very few jobs around. Unless you have some work?
LANDOWNER: Of course. Come and pick grapes for me! I will pay you whatever is right
PERSON 2: Thank you.
NARRATOR: And off he went to join the other man working in the vineyard.
TIMEKEEPER: It’s 12 o’clock. 12 noon. Midday and the sun is scorching hot.
LANDOWNER: [to person 3] Hey you! Why are you just standing there doing nothing?
PERSON 3: Do you mean me?
LANDOWNER: Yes you - my grapes will be going mouldy on the vine. Can’t you help me get the harvest in? I will make it worth
your while. One denarius to work till sunset.
PERSON 3: Wow! Thanks - yes, I will help.
NARRATOR: So he went to help, too.
TIMEKEEPER: It is now 3pm - time for a siesta?
PERSON 4: [yawning] That was a nice sleep. Now what shall I do with the rest of my day?
LANDOWNER: [to person 4] Why were you sleeping? Has no-one hired you? Are you free to do some work in my vineyard? I
will pay you.
PERSON 4: Happily. It’s only 5 hours before it gets dark, but I could do with a bit of extra cash.
NARRATOR: So he, too, went to pick grapes.
TIMEKEEPER: Five o’clock. Nearly supper time!
LANDOWNER: Anyone else want work? There is only 1 hour of daylight left!
PERSON 5: I will help if you think it’s worth it. I don’t expect to be paid much though.
LANDOWNER: I will pay you whatever I decide.
NARRATOR: So he went and joined the other 4 and worked for just one hour.
TIMEKEEPER: It is now dark! 6pm. Work time is over.
LANDOWNER: Foreman - please bring the money and come here.
FOREMAN: Yes, sir. Here is the money for the workers.
LANDOWNER: You give it out. Call each worker and pay them their wages. Beginning with the last ones hired - that’s person 5,
then 4, 3, 2 and ending with the first person that I hired early this morning.
FOREMAN: Person 5! You worked one hour. Here is your pay - one denarius. [gives him a coin]
PERSON 5: Thanks very much.
FOREMAN: Person 4! Here are your wages for 3 hours - one denarius. [gives him a coin]
PERSON 4: Thanks very much.
FOREMAN: Person 3! Here are your wages for 6 hours- one denarius. [gives him a coin]
PERSON 3: Thanks very much.
FOREMAN: Person 2! Here are your wages for 9 hours - one denarius. [gives him a coin]
PERSON 2: Thanks very much.
FOREMAN: Person 1! Here are your wages. Thank you for working all day - one denarius. [gives him a coin]
PERSON 1: Thanks very much - umm. [to person 5] Surely the boss should have paid me most! I worked all day. Why did you get
the same money as me, yet I worked 11 hours longer than you? That’s not fair!
PERSON 5: I don’t know. I guess he has his reasons. I am very happy with the situation!
PERSON 2: [to person 3] I started work at 9 and you started at 12. So I should get more money than you got for 3 more hour’s
work. Why did that landowner pay you the same as me?
PERSON 3: I don’t know. [to person 4] You worked less time than me, yet you got the same pay. That’s not right. This landowner
is not being fair.
PERSON 4: [to the other people] We all the got same pay - exactly the same, yet some of us worked 3 hours and some of us
worked 11 hours.
PERSON 1,2,3,4,5 [together] That’s not fair!
LANDOWNER: I am not being unfair, my friends. Didn’t each of you agree to work for a denarius?
PERSON 1,2,3,4,5 [together] Yes, we did.
LANDOWNER: Well, take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as the first. Don’t I have the right
to do what I want with my own money?
PERSON 1,2,3,4,5 [together] Yes, you do. Or are you envious because I am generous?”
PERSON 1,2,3,4,5 [together] Er….. no.
LANDOWNER So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
NARRATOR: So that is the parable that Jesus told - the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Hope you enjoyed it. Give
yourselves a clap!
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© Copyright Pam Norman 2017, 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.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any
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