Filled with dramatic scenes of confrontations between the couple, this play does wrap up nicely with both of them finding Christ and finding peace. The Christmas theme is not strong and can be easily removed for a non-seasonal script. Also, there is a long version with more characters located on this site.
3 actors (2 male and 1 female) Just under 30 minutes without any music.
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
MARK: A man who has made his life goal, politics, and in the
process is losing his wife and son.
CINDY: Mark’s wife, who has hung in there for the sake of their son, but now is ready to give up, and look for answers in Christianity.
PAUL: Their Christian friend for many years.
Excerpt:
CINDY
You know of course that you are going to break Daniel’s heart.
MARK
Nonsense. I will explain it to him and he will understand.
CINDY
I’m afraid you’re wrong this time. I happen to know that he really likes going to church with Jeff.
MARK
All the more reason to nip it in the bud now. I just hope it isn’t too late!
CINDY
Too late for what? What are you afraid of, Mark?
MARK
Following a religion can be a dangerous thing…you know that!
CINDY
You are so ridiculous! There is nothing dangerous about that family! I think you are the one who is becoming dangerous!
MARK
In some countries, they arrest Christians, put them in prison…and sometimes kill them. People are dying all the time because of their religious beliefs! Look at 9-11! Those killers were willing to die for their religion! They believed that by killing Americans, they were doing God’s work! They think we are all Christians over here! If Americans go over to that part of the world and they find out that they’re Christians, that’s like a death sentence!
CINDY
Perhaps that means that there is something to it.
MARK
Just as I suspected! You were starting to give in as well. What is it with you? Why are you suddenly taking the side of that family? They’re getting to you, aren’t they?
CINDY
You’re getting to me! I can’t believe you are acting like this. It is embarrassing! You act like you are afraid of the Peterson’s! They haven’t done a thing to you!
MARK
They are trying to steal my son away from me!
CINDY
They are not! If you lose Daniel, it will be your own doing! If you just acted like a father and spent some time with him, then you wouldn’t have anything to worry about!
MARK
That’s what I’m doing! I’m acting like a father! It is my job to protect my son!
CINDY
Would you rather that he was out drinking and doing drugs and getting in with the wrong crowd?
MARK
Don’t you dare pull out the ‘he’s a good kid’ card! And don’t start in on what a good kid Jeff is! You don’t have to be religious to turn out good in this world. Look at me! I was not brought up on religion!
CINDY
And you are using yourself as an example to win your case?? Give me a break! At least Paul is a good role model! What kind of role model do you think you have been?
MARK
What is that supposed to mean?
CINDY
What do you think it means?
MARK
That was a very hateful and hurtful remark! Who do you think you are? You can’t stand there and blame me for things that you think are wrong in this family! You are just as much at fault as I am! At this point…I am blaming you for this latest incident. You let Daniel go to church with Paul and Sharon and you did not say a word to me because you knew that I would be against it. That was deceitful and underhanded, and I hold you responsible! So…don’t be getting all high and mighty with me!
CINDY
I don’t understand you, Mark. Why are you so angry? What did Paul ever do to you? You’ve known him since you were kids…I thought you were friends!
MARK
That was before he turned into Billy Graham! You don’t have to listen to him! I was on the phone with him and he would hardly let me say what I needed to say. He kept putting in his 2 cents about how he loves me and how he’s concerned with my eternal something or other…and how much they would like us all to come with them…
CINDY
(Very sarcastic)
Oh my! What a horrid and hateful person! Telling you that he loves you and he’s concerned…
MARK
Oh just shut up! I can’t talk to you! You take everything I say and twist it all up! I’m going to go and fix me a drink!
He heads for the exit
CINDY
Why don’t you offer one to Daniel while your at it? Since you want him to follow your good example!
wesage –
I wanted to let you know first how much this means to my Dad. He got so emotional about this story that he must have cried four or five times. He called me right away when you e-mailed him with the script. Anyway, he couldn’t even tell me what you had written without getting all choked up. I’ve NEVER seen him respond in this way about any of the previous plays or cantatas that we have done for the last 14 years. He is deeply moved and affected by your creativity and writing and I agree with him that this drama is very realistic and should be very impacting on people’s hearts.
Later: The comments keep coming in here: overwhelming! People were SO MOVED by this drama you wrote. (moved to tears) I’m floored at the response. I underestimated the impact of your 4 star script. I’m not kidding: you could hear a pin drop the whole time. People really related to this story as something that is true to life TODAY. I was just interrupted by our secretary, who came in to relate how beautiful the drama was. And to think that you wrote this sequel in such a short amount of time is incredible and displays your superb knack for writing conversational drama and a compelling and very capturing story. And to me, you always have to work within restraints: such as timed schedules or people’s ideas or limited cast. But I guess that forces you to really center on dialogue and story which really carries good drama anyway. My Dad was moved to tears, also. It was very exciting to be a part of something so moving to the congregation.
Bill Rodebaugh, Pastor of Landmark Baptist Church, Greenville, NC