They try playing “follow the leader” and “rock, paper, scissors” but one girl suggests a game that really isn’t a game but an exercise in thinking about what is important in their lives. She first asks what they want to be when they grow up, then asks them to name three life changing events that they have experienced and finally, name three things that they can’t live without. Many of the answers are humorous, but some get serious and it leads to a discussion of where Jesus might fall on a list of what is important. This causes one child to admit that she has doubts about her own salvation.
16 actors (easily changed to more or less) 10 females and 6 males (gender can be changed easily) All children, ages may vary. About 30 mins. No set or scene changes.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CLAIRE: Speaks 950 words. A strong Christian and very bright.
BEATRICE: Speaks 717 words. Outspoken and a bit bossy.
ADRIANA: Speaks 715 words. Claire’s best friend, also a good Christian.
EVAN: 568 words. Always tries to be funny, and often is.
MADELINE: 535 words. Claims to be bored but is affected most by the discussion.
DUNCAN: 278 words. One of the older boys.
HARRISON: 173 words.
FREDERICKA: 136 words.
JEREMIAH: 133 words.
OSCAR: 112 words. One of the younger boys.
LIONEL: 83 words. Adriana’s younger brother.
KAT: 70 words. Beatrice’s younger sister.
GINGER: 65 words.
NOLA: 61 words.
IRIS: 43 words. One of the younger girls.
PENELOPE: 23 words.
Excerpts:
MADELINE
I’m tired of this one…ask us another question, Claire.
CLAIRE
Okay…name three things that you cannot live without.
EVAN
That’s not even a question.
CLAIRE
Okay…how about this? What are three things that you can’t live without?
BEATRICE
We get the point. It doesn’t have to be a question.
JEREMIAH
This game is still lame!
CLAIRE
It’s not a game.
JEREMIAH
Then why are we playing it?
CLAIRE
I didn’t know we were going to. Duncan just wanted to know what the questions were…so I started asking them.
DUNCAN
I know what my answer is to this one. I can’t live without peanut butter caramel fudge sundaes.
ADRIANA
You have to name three things.
DUNCAN
I’m still thinking about the other two.
BEATRICE
Seriously, Duncan…that is one of your top three things? An ice cream sundae?
DUNCAN
Have you ever had one?
EVAN
I like the Dr. Bananaface fudge smacker with a gum ball eye, better!
KAT
We know.
BEATRICE
That’s not the kind of answer you’re supposed to give.
EVAN
She said that there was no right or wrong answer.
CLAIRE
That’s right. You can say anything you want.
OSCAR
I can’t live without Spiderman.
BEATRICE
A cartoon character?!
OSCAR
And comic book.
IRIS
I can’t live without Dora the Explorer.
BEATRICE
Come on you guys! Think about what you are saying!
CLAIRE
Beatrice…maybe that is really what they thought of.
BEATRICE
They aren’t thinking!
CLAIRE
So what would be your answer?
BEATRICE
I think it takes a lot of thought. I know that my Mom and Dad would be on my list.
OSCAR
Oh yeah! My mom and my dad and Spiderman. That’s my three!
CLAIRE
Actually, you can just say parents…and that would be one thing.
OSCAR
Cool… that means I still have another one!
BEATRICE
And don’t say Batman!
OSCAR
I wouldn’t say Batman….maybe the Human Torch.
CLAIRE
He can say whatever he wants.
BEATRICE
I guess my answer would have to be my parents, and then food and water. I can’t live without those three things. Think about it, people…’can’t live’ means that you would die without it. You won’t die without Spiderman, and you won’t die without your ice cream sundae.
DUNCAN
How do you know?
ADRIANA
Actually, you won’t die without your parents either. I mean, if you think about it. If your parents died, then you would get adopted by new parents, or go live with relatives. You could probably survive without your mom and dad.
BEATRICE
So what would you say?
ADRIANA
Probably food, water and clothing. You have to eat and you have to drink and you have to stay warm.
KAT
That’s the right answer.
PENELOPE
There is no right answer!
EVAN
Okay… I have it. And I’m going to combine food and water into one. My three things that I can’t live without are nourishment, clothing and sleep. You have to have sleep.
JEREMIAH
I think sleep is automatic. You can’t take sleep away from someone. You can always sleep.
GINGER
I think your answers will change over the years. My mom lost both of her parents. My grandma and grandpa both died. So she wouldn’t have parents on her list.
CLAIRE
But she would probably have you. You see, we all have different things for different reasons.
ADRIANA
Okay…I’m changing mine. My three things are nourishment, clothing and shelter. You have to have a place to live.
MADELINE
That’s boring.
ADRIANA
I’m just trying to be realistic.
BEATRICE
I’m changing mine again. Instead of parents, I’m going to say family. That will include my brothers and sisters and my grandparents…then I’ll say nourishment and warmth. Maybe warmth could include clothes and shelter.
MADELINE
Those answers are boooring!
JEREMIAH
This whole game is boring!
FREDERIKA
It’s not a game, remember?
CLAIRE
So…what would you say, Madeline…since those answers are all boring?
MADELINE
Well…I can’t live without Veggie Tales, and banana pudding and my Aunt Harriet.
BEATRICE
You gotta be kidding me!
CLAIRE
Those are good answers. That is what is important to her. She doesn’t look at the practical things.
HARRISON
Yeah… her Aunt Harriet could keep her warm and the pudding would keep her fed and the Veggie Tales would… um….they would…
DUNCAN
Keep her laughing.
HARRISON
Yeah…keep her laughing.
EVAN
So you’re saying that we don’t have to say stuff like food and clothes?
ADRIANA
There’s no wrong answers, remember?
EVAN
But you really would die without them.
ADRIANA
I think the idea is to think about what is really important to you.
CLAIRE
No right or wrong answers. So, if you don’t want to say food, then that’s fine. Maybe food isn’t that important to you.
EVAN
But you need it to live!
CLAIRE
Are you taking it too literally, Evan?
EVAN
But this is serious!
CLAIRE
If you want it to be.
EVAN
Okay…I’m changing my three things. I’m keeping food because I think that’s important. But only pizza. My food is pizza. The other two things are baseball and Disney World.
LIONEL
You’re not going to say “parents”?
EVAN
Okay…my parents… but they’ll take me to Disney World, so it’s still good.
LIONEL
I’m going to say my parents, chicken nuggets and the Chronicles of Narnia.
NOLA
The books or the movie.
LIONEL
Both. Anything about Narnia.
CLAIRE
Okay…good. Now you guys are really starting to think about it.
OSCAR
Okay…I got mine. My family, Spiderman…and my game boy.
BEATRICE
I can’t believe Spiderman is still on your list.
I’m tired of this one…ask us another question, Claire.
CLAIRE
Okay…name three things that you cannot live without.
EVAN
That’s not even a question.
CLAIRE
Okay…how about this? What are three things that you can’t live without?
BEATRICE
We get the point. It doesn’t have to be a question.
JEREMIAH
This game is still lame!
CLAIRE
It’s not a game.
JEREMIAH
Then why are we playing it?
CLAIRE
I didn’t know we were going to. Duncan just wanted to know what the questions were…so I started asking them.
DUNCAN
I know what my answer is to this one. I can’t live without peanut butter caramel fudge sundaes.
ADRIANA
You have to name three things.
DUNCAN
I’m still thinking about the other two.
BEATRICE
Seriously, Duncan…that is one of your top three things? An ice cream sundae?
DUNCAN
Have you ever had one?
EVAN
I like the Dr. Bananaface fudge smacker with a gum ball eye, better!
KAT
We know.
BEATRICE
That’s not the kind of answer you’re supposed to give.
EVAN
She said that there was no right or wrong answer.
CLAIRE
That’s right. You can say anything you want.
OSCAR
I can’t live without Spiderman.
BEATRICE
A cartoon character?!
OSCAR
And comic book.
IRIS
I can’t live without Dora the Explorer.
BEATRICE
Come on you guys! Think about what you are saying!
CLAIRE
Beatrice…maybe that is really what they thought of.
BEATRICE
They aren’t thinking!
CLAIRE
So what would be your answer?
BEATRICE
I think it takes a lot of thought. I know that my Mom and Dad would be on my list.
OSCAR
Oh yeah! My mom and my dad and Spiderman. That’s my three!
CLAIRE
Actually, you can just say parents…and that would be one thing.
OSCAR
Cool… that means I still have another one!
BEATRICE
And don’t say Batman!
OSCAR
I wouldn’t say Batman….maybe the Human Torch.
CLAIRE
He can say whatever he wants.
BEATRICE
I guess my answer would have to be my parents, and then food and water. I can’t live without those three things. Think about it, people…’can’t live’ means that you would die without it. You won’t die without Spiderman, and you won’t die without your ice cream sundae.
DUNCAN
How do you know?
ADRIANA
Actually, you won’t die without your parents either. I mean, if you think about it. If your parents died, then you would get adopted by new parents, or go live with relatives. You could probably survive without your mom and dad.
BEATRICE
So what would you say?
ADRIANA
Probably food, water and clothing. You have to eat and you have to drink and you have to stay warm.
KAT
That’s the right answer.
PENELOPE
There is no right answer!
EVAN
Okay… I have it. And I’m going to combine food and water into one. My three things that I can’t live without are nourishment, clothing and sleep. You have to have sleep.
JEREMIAH
I think sleep is automatic. You can’t take sleep away from someone. You can always sleep.
GINGER
I think your answers will change over the years. My mom lost both of her parents. My grandma and grandpa both died. So she wouldn’t have parents on her list.
CLAIRE
But she would probably have you. You see, we all have different things for different reasons.
ADRIANA
Okay…I’m changing mine. My three things are nourishment, clothing and shelter. You have to have a place to live.
MADELINE
That’s boring.
ADRIANA
I’m just trying to be realistic.
BEATRICE
I’m changing mine again. Instead of parents, I’m going to say family. That will include my brothers and sisters and my grandparents…then I’ll say nourishment and warmth. Maybe warmth could include clothes and shelter.
MADELINE
Those answers are boooring!
JEREMIAH
This whole game is boring!
FREDERIKA
It’s not a game, remember?
CLAIRE
So…what would you say, Madeline…since those answers are all boring?
MADELINE
Well…I can’t live without Veggie Tales, and banana pudding and my Aunt Harriet.
BEATRICE
You gotta be kidding me!
CLAIRE
Those are good answers. That is what is important to her. She doesn’t look at the practical things.
HARRISON
Yeah… her Aunt Harriet could keep her warm and the pudding would keep her fed and the Veggie Tales would… um….they would…
DUNCAN
Keep her laughing.
HARRISON
Yeah…keep her laughing.
EVAN
So you’re saying that we don’t have to say stuff like food and clothes?
ADRIANA
There’s no wrong answers, remember?
EVAN
But you really would die without them.
ADRIANA
I think the idea is to think about what is really important to you.
CLAIRE
No right or wrong answers. So, if you don’t want to say food, then that’s fine. Maybe food isn’t that important to you.
EVAN
But you need it to live!
CLAIRE
Are you taking it too literally, Evan?
EVAN
But this is serious!
CLAIRE
If you want it to be.
EVAN
Okay…I’m changing my three things. I’m keeping food because I think that’s important. But only pizza. My food is pizza. The other two things are baseball and Disney World.
LIONEL
You’re not going to say “parents”?
EVAN
Okay…my parents… but they’ll take me to Disney World, so it’s still good.
LIONEL
I’m going to say my parents, chicken nuggets and the Chronicles of Narnia.
NOLA
The books or the movie.
LIONEL
Both. Anything about Narnia.
CLAIRE
Okay…good. Now you guys are really starting to think about it.
OSCAR
Okay…I got mine. My family, Spiderman…and my game boy.
BEATRICE
I can’t believe Spiderman is still on your list.
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