Sparks

Bradley becomes nervous and shy and says the wrong things which brings humor to the skit. All in all it is a very sweet and innocent conversation between a young man and a young woman. This skit is also found in the larger production of “The Love Festival.”

2 actors (one male, one female, teen or young adult) About 8 minutes.

Excerpt:

(Jenny is walking out of church carrying her bible and Bradley comes
up and joins her)

BRADLEY: Hey! Jenny, wait up!

JENNY: Hi, Bradley. How are you today?

BRADLEY: Great. I wanted to tell you that I thought your song you
sang in church today was really good. I mean, I thought you did a
really good job. It was a good song, too. I liked the words, but I
especially liked the way you sang it.

JENNY: Thank you. That is nice of you to say. But I don’t want to
take credit; I want it to go to the Lord. He helped me a lot!

BRADLEY: Of course. I agree. But I know I couldn’t get up there
and sing like that!

JENNY: Oh, I don’t know. I think you have a nice voice. (Pause)
You can really play the oboe well. You are an asset to the church
orchestra.

BRADLEY: Well, thanks for saying that… but just like you, I want to
give all the glory to God.

JENNY: (laughs) Well, I guess we have that deflecting of praise
thing down pretty good, don’t we?

BRADLEY: Well, you are better at that than I am. (Pause) So… how
did you happen to select that song to sing?

JENNY: The pastor picked it. He said it went well with his message,
and he asked me to sing it. It was a little high for me, but JoAnn
did a great job of changing keys and making it so I could sing it
comfortably. I was so appreciative of that.

BRADLEY: Yeah, JoAnn is really good at that. She’s a very
accomplished pianist. You and her make a good team, you are both
very accomplished.

JENNY: All these compliments are making me uncomfortable…

BRADLEY: Oh… I’m sorry…

JENNY: No…it’s okay. What I mean is … you are about the 3rd or 4th
person already who has talked about the song. I’m gonna end up with
a swelled head or something.

BRADLEY: (trying to be funny) And if you take all the glory yourself,
you might end up like Herod and get struck with worms!

JENNY: Ooooh.. (makes a face)

BRADLEY: Oh, I’m sorry. That was so uncool. Not a very edifying
thing to say. And you would never be like that anyway. I guess I
was trying to be funny.

JENNY: My little brother would find that funny.

BRADLEY: I am really embarrassed. I was being so foolish.

JENNY: Don’t worry about it. So how long have you been playing the
oboe?

BRADLEY: Let’s see. I guess it has been about 4 years.

JENNY: Why did you pick that particular instrument?

BRADLEY: Because we had one in our house. My mom used to play it
when she was young. I found it one day and started fooling around
with it. She showed me a couple of things and I tried it and she
thought I was a natural. She encouraged me to take lessons.
Eventually, I got a new one, and well, I have just always played it
since. I would like to learn a few other instruments as well.

JENNY: I guess I should learn to play something.

BRADLEY: Yeah, then you could join the orchestra! (Pause) So, you
never learned any instrument?

JENNY: I can play the piano, but there is only one piano in the
orchestra and no one plays it better than JoAnn.

BRADLEY: So, why don’t you learn to play the oboe? Then we could
have two oboists.

JENNY: But then, wouldn’t I have to sit next to you?

BRADLEY: (shocked by her answer) Yeah… I guess.

JENNY: (laughs) I’m teasing. That wouldn’t bother me. I was just
paying you back for the worms comment.

BRADLEY: Boy, I deserved that.

JENNY: Your mom was saying something at one of the women’s meetings
about your music. I guess you are writing some of your own
compositions?

BRADLEY: Well, I have been working on some arrangements for hymns
for the oboe. The pastor said he might want me to play during
offertory or the prelude sometime. So, it would probably be a duet
with the piano.

JENNY: Oh, I would love to see it when you finish it.

BRADLEY: Yeah, maybe you could play it.

JENNY: I would like to look at it, but I’m sure you will want to
use JoAnn.

BRADLEY: Well, if you could play it and wanted to, I think that
would be really neat.

JENNY: Really? Have you even heard me play?

BRADLEY: Actually, I have. I remember you playing at a recital
once. It was one of the best things that night, if I remember right.
JoAnn tends to get a bit showy for my taste. I think you have a
good style.

JENNY: That must have been a few years ago! I haven’t played at a
recital in a long time. I usually sing instead. Besides, there are
always too many piano solos.

BRADLEY: I know what you mean. And then JoAnn plays and everyone
else looks mediocre. I am actually afraid that she would not like
my arrangement. I don’t know if I can handle it if she took it and
tore it apart and redid it for me…even if it needed it.

JENNY: Oh, so that’s why you want me to look at it…?

BRADLEY: Oh, no. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not just out
looking for another pianist. I could ask any number of people… I
just thought if you would like to, and well, if you would want to
play with me, then I wouldn’t mind (getting nervous) … I mean, I
would be proud or whatever, to have you do it. Boy, that didn’t
come out right.