Summary: A reporter who struggles to believe in God because of hurts in his life gets some help from a neighbour and a special visitor.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 20min(?)
Actors: 3M, 7M/F +V
Characters
Terre Topper (reporter)
Cameraman (non-speaking)
Man
Two teens
Mother and children
Sandy (neighbour)
Gabriel
Various
Script
Scene 1
(The scene opens in a mall with people going back & forth carrying shopping bags & packages. A reporter & camera man doing interviews on the street. There is Christmas music playing in the back ground – Rocking around the Christmas Tree. Other songs, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, etc. can be played as needed. Terre Topper is the reporter. There is a group of people around him.)
Terre: Good morning! This is Terre Topper reporting from New York. We're here today to find out what Christmas means to all of you. (the crowd says Hi Terre! We love you! You're great! & so forth. Terre turns to a man beside him). Hi! What's Christmas mean to you?
Man #1: Hi Terre! I'm Max - man, I love your show!! Christmas to me is a day off from work. I get to kick back & relax after the kids open all the presents that I worked overtime to pay for. Then the old lady makes a huge meal & I crash in the chair for the rest of the day!
Terre: Wow Max – that sounds like a kick back day, thanks! (turns to a couple of kids) How about you guys – what's your name & what's Christmas to you? (points mic at them)
Teen #1 : Hi Terre! (laughing) Hey – are we REALLY on TV?
Terre: (brings mic back to self) Yup – you sure are! (points mic back to them)
Teen #1: (elbows friend) Not me - you talk dude.
Teen #2: Hey Terre – I'm Chris & the dork is Joe. (Joe pushes Chris, they goof around) Knock it off jerk -we're on TV! ( Joe stops)
Terre: Hey guys – what's Christmas to you?
Teen #2: We get a couple of weeks off from school, we can do what we want. I pig out on junk food & play with my X-box. (teen #1 agrees).
Terre: Thanks, guys – ( turns to camera) sounds like things haven't changed since I was their age!
(Terre turns to the next in group, a mother & 2 small children. Points mic at child, mom says it's ok to speak. Terre puts mic up to children.)
Terre: Hi there – what's your name?
Children: (quietly) Cindy.... Jessie.
Terre: Hi Cindy – do you know what Christmas is?
Cindy: (nods head, quietly says) Uh huh.
Terre: Well Cindy, can you tell me what it is?
Cindy: (Mom nods her head, Cindy says louder) It's Jesus birthday!!
Terre: Jesus birthday?
Jessie: Yes & we sing Happy Birthday to him!
Terre: (laughs) Do you get presents?
Cindy: Yes, but the best thing is when we read the Christmas story & sing
Happy Birthday to Jesus!
Jessie: And eat cake!
(Everyone in the group laughs.)
Terre: The Christmas story? What’s that?
Cindy: (speaking bolder than before) That’s about the night that Jesus
was born & how the angels came to tell the shepherds & EVERYBODY
about Jesus birth!
Jessie: And there were wise men & camels. (Excitedly) And they gave Jesus gifts - gold, myrh & Frankie’s scents! (Everyone in the group laughs)
Terre: (Turns to the camera.) Well, folks there you have it! Christmas means different things to everybody! This is Terre Topper bringing you the TOP stories of
the day! Happy Holidays to you all!!
(The group waves goodbye & starts to walk away.)
Cindy & Wendy: (yelling & waving) MERRY CHRISTMAS!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
(Lights fade out & music stops.)
Scene 2 – Terre's apartment
(There's a couch, chair, table with a typewriter & chair. There's a large waste basket by the table. Things are a little spartan – just the necessities. Terre is seated at the table trying to write. There's a knock at the door, gets up to answer it.)
Terre: Who's there?
Sandy: It's your irksome neighbor!
Terre: (opens door) Hi Sandy, come on in.
Sandy: (comes in) Hi Terre. I saw your light on .....you’re working kind of late. (Looks at the typewriter & the papers in the basket) When are you going to upgrade & get a laptop? You’ve been using that thing forever.
Terre: Gram gave me that "thing" when I graduated from college. I don’t want a laptop....this works just fine.
Sandy: (softly) Yeah, I remember when she gave it to you..... Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night? Would you like to go with us to the candle light service at church?
Terre: I don't believe in that stuff anymore – you know that.
Sandy: Yeah, but I'm going to keep on trying!
Terre: And I'll keep saying no.
Sandy: Come on Terre, we've known each other forever. I know you believed it when we were kids.
Terre:( angrily) I'm not a kid anymore. When you see the things I've seen in my job it's pretty hard to believe in a God that would let people suffer like that! Look at what Gram went through. That cancer just ate her up until there was nothing left! Why would God let THAT happen? She went to church & "believed"!
Sandy: I don't know why she had to go through that. All I know is that God loved her & was with her to the end. She often told me that she could feel his presence & had me read her Bible when I watched her for you. She prayed for you all the time & for God to bring you safely home from your travels.
Terre: (looks down, says quietly) You were with her more than I could be. There were so many bills to pay – I had to work all the time.....I'm sorry for yelling at you – you’re a good friend.
Sandy: I still am. Think about the service will you?
Terre: I don't know – I've got a lot to do. I'm stuck on this Christmas piece I'm writing. They want one for the paper, too (points to the waste basket – full of papers). I got writer's block or something.
Sandy: I'll be praying for you. (goes out the door & closes it. Terre goes back to the typewriter & tries to write. Stops, pulls out the paper crumples it & throws into the basket.)
Sandy: (praying off stage, Terre can't hear.) Lord, please help my friend. Terre can't get past what's happened in his life. He misses Gram – she was all that he had. Please help him see how you've been there with him all along.
(Sandy's steps can be heard walking away).
(Terre leans back in the chair, tries to write again & can't. Gives up & goes to the couch, falls asleep. The lights flicker, if you have a power point of the Northern lights use that to signal the angel’s entrance. Gabby is dressed in jeans & a sweater.)
Gabby: Well Lord, here I am again...watching over him like his Gram asked that we would. (walks around Terre, continues talking) Poor guy, he misses her so much that he can’t see that you’ve always been there for him. I guess it’s about time that he did. (whispers) Terre....Terre. (no response, says louder) Terre.
(Still no response. Gabby picks up a wadded paper out of the basket & throws it at Terre - still no response. Gabby throws another, then another. Still no response, he picks up the basket & dumps it on Terre. Terre wakes up, rubs his eyes, looks up & sees Gabby - jumps off the couch & yells)
Terre: What the...? (sees Gabby, steps back. Looks for a weapon, grabs a pillow, raises it for protection) Who are you? How did you get in?
Gabby: My name is Gabby - short for Gabriel, but they call me that because I like to talk.
Terre: Angel? That’s a crock - you don’t look like one! Where’s your white robe & wings?
Gabby: (sits down on the edge of the couch & crosses legs) A robe isn’t very practical & the wings freak people out so I keep them hidden....Not everybody thinks we exist you know.
Terre: Yeah, well I’m one of them! I’m calling 911! The police are going to come & take you away to the loony bin, buddy!
Gabby: You can try but the phone won’t work. I don’t think they’ll believe that there’s an angel in your apartment. In FACT - they might take YOU away!
Terre: We’ll see about that! (grabs the phone but there is no dial tone, clicks the receiver button up & down) What’s wrong with this thing?
Gabby: I TOLD you - it doesn’t work. Why don’t you just sit down? And I’ll tell you why I’m here.
Terre: No - this can’t possibly be happening! I’ve been working too hard..... dinner didn’t set well....you’re a figment of my imagination! (Walks around) yeah, that’s it....I’m just imagining this!
Gabby: (picks a pillow off of the couch & throws it at Terre) - Did you imagine that? Now please sit down!
Terre: (sits down with a look of total disbelief) Ok, supposing you are real, why are you here?
Gabby: I’m here to make you see that God is real & loves you very much. He’s heard Gram’s prayers and kept you safe all of your life.
Terre: (angry) Yeah, well why didn’t he keep her safe? Why didn’t he heal her & let her stay here with me?
Gabby: He did keep her safe. It was just her time to go. He’s kept you safe many times.
Terre: Yeah, when?
Gabby: Come on, I’ll show you. Take my hand (holds it out)
(Terre takes the hand. Gabby grabs it & yanks him towards him. Lights go out & Terre can be heard to yell. When they land you can hear a thump.)
Scene 3 (Terre’s apartment)
(Change some of the accessories to make thing look different during the black out. Should be a clock on the table next to Gram & Sandy. Lights come up on stage. Gram is lying on the couch & Sandy is sitting next to her reading from the Bible.)
Gabby: Do you remember this?...Probably not. You were in Buffalo covering the story on the blizzard that hit there. It was late & you should have stayed at the hotel with your crew. Instead you drove home so you could be with Gram. It was late & the roads were still slick. It was still snowing here & there, a little hard at times.
Terre: I remember. I had just stopped to get coffee, it was around 10:00. I had been gone a couple of days & wanted to get back. Sandy had been watching her while I was gone.
(Terre & Gabby freeze - light goes on Gram & Sandy.)
Gram: Thank you Sandy for reading that to me, it’s one of my favorite passages. "And God will keep you safe under the shadow of His wings" - what a promise! (Sandy nods head & takes her hand.) He’s always kept us in His care. I’m worried about Terre - did he say he was staying in Buffalo?
Sandy: No Gram, he said he wanted to get back. He’d been gone too long. They said there could be some lake effect squalls & visability wouldn’t be good at times.
Gram: Sandy, we need to pray for him...right now. (They bow their heads & pray).
(Gram & Sand freeze. Lights come up on Terre & Gabby.)
Gabby: Gram was right - the snow was started coming down harder & you didn’t see the bend in the road until it was too late.
Terre: (interrupts) Yes, I tried to counter steer but it didn’t help. I went into a skid & hit the snow bank - good thing too - there was a gully on the other side of the road! A snow plow came by a little later & pulled me out. THAT was a coincidence! I was really lucky!
Gabby: Lucky?! No..... it was God protecting you. Man, you sure kept me busy that night! Look at the clock on the table - what time does it say?
Terre: (goes over & looks) 10:01......what a coincidence! That’s weird!
Gabby: No, that was God. Come on - we’ve got more to see!! (Grabs Terre’s hand, lights go out again. Terre can be heard to yell again. There is a thump when they land).
Scene 4
(Lights go up on Terre’s apartment. Gram is sitting knitting, listening to Christmas carols. She puts down her knitting & talks to herself.)
Gram: Well, that’s enough for now. I ought to have his scarf done soon. Terre needs another one - that boy is always losing his things! We must have a scarf eating tree around here! (She goes to the window & looks out.) I wonder where Terre & Sandy are? They should have been back from sleigh riding a while ago. They don’t normally stay out so long, it’s cold out there today! Lord, please keep them safe! (She leaves the window.) I think I’ll make some cocoa for them. They’ll be frozen to the bone!
(As she is leaving there is a loud knock on the door. Sandy comes rushing in yelling.)
Sandy: Gram, Gram! Come quick!! Terre went too fast down the hill & went too far on the ice on the pond! A policeman saw it & got him before he went under the water but he’s all wet!!
Gram: Oh no! Lord, please help him!
(Gram grabs a coat & runs out of the apartment. Lights go down & come up on Terre & Gabby.)
Terre: Boy, was that water cold!! I couldn’t move I was so cold! I got pneumonia & was out of school for a month!.... Never did figure out what stopped me.
Gabby: That would be me, I AM your guardian angel, you know. Do you really think THAT was a coincidence?
Terre: (scratches head) I don’t know............
Gabby: Come on, gotta go again! (Grabs Terre’s hand, lights go out.)
Terre: Wow, this is kind of cooooooooool!!
Scene 5
(Terre’s apartment - Gram looks younger. She is holding Terre as a baby.)
Gram: (walking around holding the baby) Oh Lord, thank you for saving this child - I don’t understand why you chose to take my daughter & son in law. I can’t believe that the baby survived that crash! It’s a miracle!! (She hugs the baby tighter & softly cries). Father, I put this child into your mighty hands. I ask you to please guide & bless him all of his life. I know you have a special purpose for him otherwise you would have taken him home with Amy & Joseph. Please keep your angels around him until you take him home. Lord, you know they died going to the hospital to see me. They were so happy when the doctor called & told them that my cancer was in remission. They didn’t see the other car come around the corner in their lane. (weeps) Father please help me!! I cannot raise this child without you!
Please keep my cancer away until he is old enough to be without me!!
(Lights go down on Gram & baby Terre, go up on Terre & Gabby.)
Terre: She had cancer then? She never told me! I knew my parents died in an accident but not why.
Gabby: She never told you because she didn’t want you to know she had cancer. She didn’t want you to worry that you would lose her, too. Do you see now how much God loves you & that He DOES answer your prayers?
Terre: (hangs his head) Gabby take me home....TAKE ME HOME!!!
(Lights go off - Terre is back on the couch, sleeping. It’s morning, he looks around,
trying to figure out if everything was real or a dream. He goes to the table & opens a drawer, picks up Gram’s Bible & sits down on the couch, opens it. He reads Psalm 17: 7 & 8)
Terre: Show Your marvellous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in you From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings...... (Pause)That was one of your favorites Gram. (Picks up a picture of Gram). He did answer your prayers - God kept us both under the shadow of His wings! Oh God - how blind I have been! Please forgive me! I believe that you are God! I DO believe that you came down to earth to be born of a virgin & that the angels did proclaim your birth!! Just like little Cindy & Jesse said! Happy Birthday Jesus - happy birthday!! (Gets up runs to the window) Is it Christmas morning? Am I too late? Please God don’t let me of missed it - I’ll have to wait a whole year to celebrate Christmas!
(There’s a knock on the door - Terre runs to it, Sandy is there. He grabs Sandy & hugs him.)
Terre: Sandy- what day is this? Is it Christmas?? Have I missed it? (he’s very excited)
Sandy: Hold on buddy - what’s going on? (Shocked)
Terre: (babbling) Sandy you won’t believe it!! There was an angel - named Gabby – we flew - man he’s faster than the Concord! I saw you & Gram praying for me, I fell in the ice ... I saw me as a baby!! What a night!!!
Sandy: What’s going on, what are you talking about? (He’s astounded, surprized at the change)
Terre: I met my guardian angel - his name is Gabby - I think he’s a he - are angels boys or girls? (Throws up hands) I don’t know!! He showed me how God has kept me & Gram safe all these years! He made me see that he is real! (Grabs Sandy by the arms). I’ve been SO wrong Sandy. I have so much to tell you! But wait........is Christmas over? Did I miss it? Can I still go to the candle light service?
Sandy: Today is Christmas - I came over to invite you to breakfast. Sara made some special things to eat. Come on - I want to hear what happened.
Terre: Merry Christmas Sandy - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
(They exit)
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© Copyright Susanne Ticknor October 24, 2010, 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 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: