One Woman’s Faith: The Story of Esther

Esther, Mordecai, Haman and Ahasuerus are all good size parts. Can be done with 12-15 actors or more with extras. (6 male, 5 female with speaking parts) Close to equal parts for males and females. Costumes and sets can be fun to design as simple or as elaborate as you like. Approx. 45 mins.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Lead Roles:

Esther – the queen
Mordecai – Esther’s relative and guardian
Haman – the evil, second in command to the king
Ahasuerus – the king

Supporting Roles:

Queen Vashti – the former queen
Carkas – head servant to the king
Memucan – one of the princes
Hegai – servant in charge of harem
Hannah – Esther’s personal servant (fictitious)
Abigail – a little girl from the city (fictitious)
Zeresh – Haman’s wife

Extras:

Zethar – a servant
Palace Women
Palace Servants
Guards

Excerpt:

(The king is pacing and is deep in thought. He hears Haman
approaching)

AHASUERUS: Who is that in the court?

HAMAN: It is I your majesty. Haman.

CARKAS: It is Haman. He is standing in the court.

AHASUERUS: Haman! He is just the man I want to see. Let him come
in here, I need to ask him something.

CARKAS: You may enter.

HAMAN: (entering and bowing) Yes, your majesty. I was hoping to
get to speak to you this morning concerning…

AHASUERUS: Haman, what is to be done for the man whom the king
desires to honor? (Haman smiles because he is sure that the king
refers to him. He thinks for a moment.)

HAMAN: (then he speaks as though he has planned this for years)
For the man whom the king desires to honor, let them bring a royal
robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has
ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; and let the
robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble
princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor
and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim
before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires
to honor.’

AHASUERUS: Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said,
and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate;
do not fall short of what you have said. Don’t leave anything out!
It sounds great! You have great ideas! I knew I could count on you!

HAMAN: Mordecai the Jew?

AHASUERUS: That’s right. I’m sure you know him. He sits at the
gate every day. You must pass by him all the time. I never realized
what a great man he was.

HAMAN: Mordecai the Jew?

AHASUERUS: Yes, Haman. He truly deserves all the honor that we can
bestow.

HAMAN: Mordecai the Jew?

AHASUERUS: Oh…you don’t know, do you? Last night, during the night,
I was not able to sleep. So, I had the book of records and
chronicles brought in to be read to me. Awhile back, there was
that plot to kill me that Mordecai had warned me about. So I
asked what honor or award was given to Mordecai for saving my life,
and they said that there had been nothing done for him. That was
when I heard you come in…and I knew that you would have a good idea.
Now, hurry off and honor our friend, Mordecai the Jew!

HAMAN: (almost in tears) Mordecai the Jew. (as he exits)

SCENE TEN

(Esther and her servants are preparing the food as the king and Haman
approach)

AHASUERUS: Haman, come and join the banquet! I’m really looking
forward to this, aren’t you? What’s the matter man? You look ill.

HAMAN: I will be alright. Perhaps I just need to eat.

AHASUERUS: Well… I think there will be plenty to eat. My dear
Esther! What a magnificent banquet you have prepared!

ESTHER: Let’s start out with some wine. (She hands each of them a
cup of wine and they both take a drink) Shall we sit?

AHASUERUS: Let’s recline and your servants can bring the food to us.
(Each recline on a settee) You must have a special reason for these
two banquets my dear. What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall
be granted you. What is your request? Even to half of the kingdom
it shall be done.

ESTHER: If I have found favor in your sight, O King, and if it
pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my
people as my request; for we have been sold, I and my people, to be
destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. (Haman looks
puzzled and the king looks shocked) Now if we had only been sold as
slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent.

AHASUERUS: What are you talking about? Who is he and where is he
who would presume to do such a thing to you?

ESTHER: A foe and an enemy, is this wicked Haman! (Haman suddenly
becomes terrified) His hatred for Mordecai brought him to desire
the destruction of my people, the Jews. He got you to decree that
I and my people should all be murdered on the 13th of the 12th month.
Now I plead with you for your kindness to be bestowed and give back
our lives to us!

AHASUERUS: Are you saying that you are a Jew?