Spic and span,
Spic and span,
I am the Innkeeper,
Yes, I am.Sweep up the hay,
Sweep up the hay,
Clean up the mess,
Every day.Fresh water and food,
Fresh water and food,
Feed the animals,
That is good.Safe in the stable,
Safe in the stable,
Light the lantern,
On the table.
Wife: Reuben, are you finished? We have some visitors who
have come to hear our special story.
Innkeeper: I'm coming...I'm just scattering some clean hay into the
stalls. Welcome friends. I am so pleased that you have come to hear
the story. It happened not so long ago. Sit back and
we'll tell you all about it.
Wife: Luckily, Reuben always keeps the stable spic and span.
As you know, the Romans rule our land. The great Augustus,
emperor of Rome wished to count all of the people in the land in
order to tax them. He sent out a message:-
Criers: All people must return to their home towns to be counted . Hear ye! Hear ye!
Innkeeper: This news was upsetting for many people, as they would have to travel over deserts and through wild places to reach their home towns. It was especially difficult for people with children and those who were ill or old.
Wife: What about....?
Innkeeper: Yes, I'm coming to that... (Reuben is a bit grumpy about the interruption) Some time before the announcement, in Nazareth, there lived a young girl. Mary was her name.
Wife: One day, Mary was sitting sewing at her home when a bright light shone onto her work. She looked up and she saw a glorious angel standing in front of her.
Innkeeper: She fell to the ground in fear.(LITERALLY!)
Gabriel: Do not be afraid Mary, for I bring you good news. You are to have a baby boy, who is the son of God. You will name Him, Jesus.
Mary: I will do this thing. I will tell Joseph when I see him tomorrow.
Innkeeper: That night Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream to tell
him about the coming of the baby.
(JOSEPH LIES DOWN ON THE STAGE TO SLEEP AND GABRIEL WALKS
OVER TO HIM AND STANDS FOR A FEW SECONDS. EXIT GABRIEL)
Mary: Joseph!...Joseph!...I have some amazing news ...
Joseph: Let me guess...You have finished your sewing!
Mary: No! I...
Joseph: One more guess...You have been chosen among all women to be the mother of the Lord Jesus.
Mary: But...How did you know!
Joseph: Mary, the angel told me in a dream. We are so lucky that this has happened.
(JOSEPH AND MARY HUG EACH OTHER.)
Innkeeper: Months passed.
Crier: Hear ye! All people must go to their home towns to be counted.
Wife: Now Joseph and Mary were very worried. They would have to travel far to go to Bethlehem, which was Joseph's home town. The baby was nearly due. Joseph had a good idea.
Joseph: What about taking the little donkey. When you are tired, he can carry you and I will lead him along.
Mary: What a good idea, Joseph. I will pack while you fetch the
donkey.
(MARY COLLECTS BUNDLE OF THINGS WHILE JOSEPH FETCHES THE DONKEY, WHO
DOES NOT CRAWL ON ALL FOURS!)
Innkeeper: So they set off with many other travellers and travelled day and night until they came to Bethlehem
SONG: [Little Donkey]
SONG: [RAT-A-TAT-TAT]
Wife: Reuben and I felt so sorry for the man and woman that we offered them the stable to rest for the night. All of our rooms were full. (With expression) Luckily, Reuben always keeps the stable spic and span.
(INNKEEPER MAY BRING IN THE COWS. HE ARRANGES THEM AROUND THE STABLE.)
Wife: That night, in the soft glow of the lantern, the little baby Jesus was born.
MUSIC: [Once in Royal David's City]
Innkeeper: Outside Bethlehem, some shepherds were watching their sheep.
(SHEEP EMERGE FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF THE ROOM BAAAAAAAING LOUDLY. SHEPHERDS COME IN LOOKING FOR THE SHEEP. THEY ROUND THEM UP AND TAKE THEM ONTO THE STAGE AND PUT THEM TO SLEEP.)
Innkeeper: Once the sheep were rounded up, the shepherds were sitting around their fire when the whole sky was lit up with beautiful angels, singing praises to God and of peace and goodwill to all men.
(ANGELS ENTER. THEY MAY HAVE A DANCE OR DO SOME ARM MOVEMENTS. SHEPHERDS ARE AGHAST AT FIRST...THEN FASCINATED.)
Gabriel: Go to the stable behind the inn in Bethlehem and see the new born King.
Shepherd: Let us go and see if it is true.
Wife: A short while before the baby was born, far away in the east, there were wise men who studied the stars.
(STAR DANCE OR MOVEMENT.)
Innkeeper: There was one star that was much brighter than the others. The wise men had been told that the bright star would show them where a new King had been born. They got onto their camels and followed the star.
(THE KINGS AND PAGES ENTER FROM THE REAR OF THE ROOM AND WALK AS IF THEY'RE RIDING CAMELS.)
Wife: The wise men went to the palace of King Herod to see if the new King was there, but He was not. Herod was upset and jealous when he heard about the new King. The wise men then followed the star to the stable where they found the baby.
SONG: [WE THREE KINGS]
Innkeeper: The first gave Him a gift of Gold. The second...frankincense, and the third...myrrh.
SONG: PERHAPS SILENT NIGHT.
Innkeeper: So you see...I am very pleased that I keep my stable spic and span.
Wife: Thank you for listening to our story. May you all have a blessed Christmas. We will all sing O come all ye faithful.
....................................................................................
© Margie Taylor, 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: rhinopr@iafrica.com