Summary: Older son returns from college and daughter struggles with his return and his guest. But it's an invitation to come to God's table or to welcome other's to His table.
Style: Dramatic/comedy Duration: 5-10 minutes. Scripture: Prodigal Son or the Parable of the Soil (Each character could represent one of the different soil types)
Actors: 2 females, 3 males, plus one voice off stage. But the children's genders could be changed if needed.
Mom - Supper is ready, come to the table. (No response, second time is louder) Supper is ready, come to the table.
Dad - Coming, I just want to finish this video.
Mom - Ellie, Jason
Voice off stage - I’m in a battle.
(Daughter walks in while on her phone, sits down without talking.)
Mom - No phones at the table. (Daughter puts phone down and sighs) How was your day?
Daughter - Fine
Mom - What was the best thing from your day?
Daughter - I don’t know. Chatting with my friends I guess.
Mom - That’s fun.
Daughter - What’s for supper?
Mom - Tacos.
Daughter - Again? Didn’t we just have them last week?
Mom - I’m sorry. They are Dad’s favorite, so I make them for him.
Daughter - Ugh, what about the rest of us? I just want something different for a change.
Mom - I’m open to suggestions. Is there something in particular you are hungry for?
Daughter - It’s been a while since we’ve had lasagna or chicken alfredo.
Mom - Those do sound good. Maybe I can do one of those next week.
(Dad comes to the table.)
Dad - Where are the others?
Mom - Roger is at practice and Jason is in the middle of a video game.
Dad - Do we have to wait or can we eat?
Mom - Roger will eat when he gets home and I guess we go ahead without Jason.
Dad - Ok, let’s pray. Thank you for this food, bless the hands that have prepared it. Be with those who are not with us and keep them safe. Amen
Daughter - Speaking of those not with us. Can we move spots? It’s dumb that I can’t sit there when Declan’s away at college.
Mom - I just want him to feel like he’s always welcome and that there is a spot for him.
Daughter - But he knows that. We don’t have to keep his spot sacred for that to happen.
Mom - I guess.
Dad - Yum, tacos my favorite.
Mom and Daughter - We know
Dad - You can’t go wrong with them. You can change what meat is in or what toppings go in it. But it’s always delicious.
Daughter - Couldn’t something different like pasta be your favorite?
Dad - Can I put it in a tortilla?
Daughter - Oh Dad
(Son and friend enters with garbage bag and suitcase)
Son - Hi Mom
Mom - Declan! You’re home? (Runs and hugs him)
Son - I thought I’d surprise you and come home for the weekend. I brought my roommate, Maverick.
Mom - Welcome. You’re just in time for supper.
Son - I told you! I said if we timed it right we’d probably make it in time to eat. (The two boys sit at the table) Tacos! Yes!
Friend - Thank you so much. You don’t know how excited I am to have real food.
Daughter - As opposed to fake food?
Friend - We’ve been eating ramen, hotdogs and cold cereal.
Mom - Well there is lots of food, eat up.
Son - Thanks, you don’t know how good it is to be home. Eat good food, sleep in my bed. Do my laundry in a machine that doesn’t require $5 in change. I’ve missed this.
Dad - We’ve missed you too.
Daughter - Speak for yourself, I’ve enjoyed the quiet.
Son - Thanks, I love you too. (Sarcastic)
Mom - You and your guests are welcome any time. There is always room at the table for more.
Son - Where are my brothers?
Mom - Jason is in a battle and Roger is at practice.
Son - Man they don’t know what they’re missing and how good they have it. Being out on your own is hard.
Friend - I agree. This is amazing!
Daughter - It’s just tacos, we have them like every week.
Friend - Yeah well not everyone’s mom can cook or would be ok with you just showing up and expecting to be fed, much less bring guests home.
Mom - My Case is Sues case.
Dad - I think you’re trying to say Me Casa es su casa, my house is your house.
Mom - Isn’t that what I said?
Daughter - Close, but no.
Mom - Oh well, whatever. Our house is your house. Declan, why don’t you show Jason where the washing machine is? (Son and Friend exit) Ellie can you get the spare bed set up for him?
Daughter - I’ll show him where he can sleep. Right, back where he came from.
Dad - Ellie, that’s not how we treat our guests.
Daughter - I don’t understand why we are just letting some random guy come into our house, eat our food, do his laundry and SLEEP HERE. We’re not his family or a hotel.
Mom - He’s not random, he’s your brother’s roommate. We met him when we moved Declan into the dorm and Declan has told us all about him. He doesn’t have anywhere to go home to.
Daughter - So, why is that our problem?
Dad - We have plenty of room for him to stay here for the weekend and it’s not hurting anything.
Daughter - He ate Roger and Jason’s food. Now what are they going to eat?
Mom - I have more or I can make something else. It’s not that big of a deal.
Daughter - It’s just so annoying that the rest of us live here, do all the chores and they just come in and get treated like royalty.
Dad - I don’t think feeding someone tacos and letting them do laundry and sleep on the spare mattress is treating them like royalty.
Daughter - Why didn’t they get the different food? Why did you have to give away Roger and Jason’s food?
Mom - You didn’t even care about tacos. You were whining about having to eat them. It will be ok. The bigger question is why is this bothering you so much? We have plenty of food to share, extra beds to let people spend the night.
Daughter - He sat in Jason’s spot now, but what about tomorrow?
Mom - You know we can add boards and chairs. We have room at the table.
Daughter - I just don’t understand why you’re just ok letting random people come. It happens all the time. Jason is constantly having friends over and you just feed them.
Mom - Yup and what is wrong with that? It’s what we’re called to do.
Daughter - You’re called to feed people, really?
Dad - Jesus said, “if you love me, feed my sheep.”
Daughter - I don’t think he meant that literally.
Mom - We are called to love and care for the foreigner, the widow and the orphan.
Dad - I’ve noticed you’ve gotten kind of snotty about new people coming into our church too.
Daughter - Are you talking about Corissa, that new girl? She’s so rude and she just sits there like she expects us to cater to her.
Mom - I don’t think she’s rude, she just seems really shy and probably doesn’t know what to say to that big group of close friends. But when you take the time to talk to her, she’s really sweet.
Dad - You sound a little like the older brother in the prodigal son story, grumpy that you’ve stayed, done the chores and other people are getting attention. You know the Father’s table is open to everyone. And it doesn’t matter if you’re coming for the first time, coming back after time away or if you’ve stayed at the table.
Mom - That’s right. And just like this table there is plenty of room and everyone is welcome.
(Friend reenters)
Friend - I can’t thank you enough for letting me stay. I didn’t know how badly I needed this, until I got here.
Mom - Of course, I’m so glad you came.
Friend - Declan already crashed. He fell face first in his bed and mumbled something and immediately started snoring.
Daughter - That snoring is enough to wake the dead.
Friend - I don’t know that I’ve heard it before. He usually sleeps so lightly and wakes up every time I turn over in my bed. And his bed is all the way across the room from mine.
Daughter - Wow, apparently he really did miss home.
Dad - There’s no place like home.
Friend - Can I help you clean up?
Mom - Sit and relax, guests don’t have to clean up. Can I get you anything else to eat?
Friend - No, I’m full, but didn’t you say that it was my case now? Besides I was hoping that maybe if I cleaned up you’d make some of your glorified gingerbread for breakfast. Declan talks about it all the time.
Mom - I can do that.
Daughter - And what’s next for the prodigal, a ring and robe?
Friend - Now that you mention, I could use some slippers. (Daughter and Friend make faces at each other) But seriously, I’m sorry I didn’t realize that asking for glorified gingerbread was too much. You don’t have to make it. Please don’t do too much work.
Mom - Oh no, it’s not that hard, she’s just. (Daughter interrupts)
Daughter - Realizing how spoiled she sounds. And like my parents were saying there is plenty of room at the table. I am glad you came. How about I make the glorified gingerbread this time.
(Optional - play Come to the Table by Sidewalk Prophets)
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© Michelle Patterson, All rights reserved.
This script may be used free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged to a performance. In exchange, the author would appreciate being notified of any occasion the script is used in public performance. She may be contacted at: