By Heather Adams
Noah's wife, Arla (name made up) meets up with some women in the marketplace as she makes final preparations for the ark.
Genesis 6-7
Arla, wife of Noah
Dinah, neighbor
Miriam, neighbor
Woven baskets, various kinds of produce
(Scene - a marketplace. Arla enters, carrying baskets filled with produce. She stops to adjust them. Dinah and Miriam enter while she talks to herself.)
Arla: - This is quite an armful. I hope I've gotten enough.
(The other two reach Arla.)
Dinah: - (amused) Good morning, Arla.
Arla: - (still looking over her baskets) Good morning, Dinah, Miriam.
Dinah: - You're out early this morning.
Arla: - I had a bit of shopping to do.
Miriam: - A bit? You have enough already to hold a wedding feast! (suspicious) Arla, is there something you're not telling us?
Arla: - Nothing my husband has not already said many times these past months.
Dinah: - (annoyed) Not that again?! When will Noah stop this foolishness?
Arla: - It is not foolishness.
Miriam: - First the Lord tells him to build a boat, and it ends up bigger than your house!
Dinah: - I thought he'd ever stop building that ugly thing! (notices and peers at Arla's goods)
Arla: - He has finished it.
Miriam: - Thank goodness!
Dinah: - (fingers through Arla's basket) Arla, this produce is not what you usually purchase.
Arla: - It's not for my family. It's for the animals.
Miriam: - Which animals?
Arla: - The ones that will come on the ark with us. You see, the Lord said that we are to bring two of all living creatures with us.
(Dinah and Miriam look at each other, convinced that Arla and Noah have gone a little crazy.)
Arla: - (confidently) God's judgement is coming.
Miriam: - So you say. But if the Lord hated things so much, surely He would have destroyed us already.
Arla: - He has had mercy on us until now. But instead of repentance, He has seen the earth filled with violence!
Miriam: - No more than usual.
Arla: - That is the point, isn't it? God has been grieved by man, and now He is going to destroy everything - all things under the heavens - He has said so!
Dinah: - (bored)"..with floodwaters", we know. Really, Arla, you sound just like your husband. Now back to these animals - did you say two of every kind? On one boat? They're going to make a terrible mess! Not to mention what they'll do to your fields…
(Dinah and Miriam start to talk together about all of this, making fun of it all. Arla listens, disappointed, then shows surprise. She holds out her hand and slowly looks up.)
Arla: - (interrupting them) I must go.
(Arla leaves, as the other two watch her, offended. Dinah feels a raindrop, and is confused.)
Dinah: - Did you feel that?
(Miriam shakes her head "no". Dinah shrugs, and they start walking to exit, talking and laughing.)
THE END
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Copyright Heather Adams, all rights reserved.
This script may be used without royalty payment, provided no charge is made
for admission to the performance. In return, the author would like to be told
of any performance. She may be contacted at hadams63@yahoo.com