Get Back On The Bus

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

PASTOR GIBBONS: A strong, godly character, good leader, and loving husband. (Biggest part)

CHRISTOPHER DAVIS: The choir director of the visiting choir.

MRS. GIBBONS: The pastor’s wife and godly example and leader of women.

SADIE: “The Praying Lady.” She is known for her praying and her servant’s heart.

OLIVIA: A woman who has backslidden and lived a sinful lifestyle, but has come back to the Lord. (Long line when she shares her testimony)

RUFUS: A husband who became weak and gave up on God during his wife’s illness. (Two long lines of testimony)

SIMON: A husband who has an affair and then a supernatural encounter with God that totally changes him and sends him back to his wife. (Only in one scene, but a couple of long lines.)

BLANCHE, HARRIET, SHIRLEY, & DORIS: The gossiping ladies who are convicted and become the praying ladies.

GLADYS: Simon’s wife who is heart broken and angry about her husband’s wandering.

SONIA: Rufus’ sick wife, who believes God may want to heal her. She is obedient to the Word, and calls for the elders.

YOUTH DIRECTOR: The one who reads the “News of the Lord’s Work” from the pulpit. (He can use notes and read parts of his lines.)

PENNY: One of the singers in the guest choir.

JAMES: The soloist in the guest choir.

DEACON SMITH, DEACON THOMAS, DEACON JONES, & DEACON HILL: The deacons who are meeting with the Pastor to select a new Assistant Pastor.

COLE: One of the choir members.

EXTRAS: Members of the choir and possibly other deacons.

STAGE NOTES:

Almost every scene can take place on the stage in the sanctuary of the church. There is either a service or rehearsal going on, or folks are just standing there talking or passing through that way from one area of the church to another. One scene takes place in a woman’s bedroom. With lights going out, a bed can be brought in and lights come up on the woman in bed… it is an extra scene that the audience should be able to clearly understand. The Pastor simply walks in and out from one scene to the other.

Excerpt:

(Three ladies enter onto the stage talking)

BLANCHE: So everything is all ready for the celebration? Do we have
all of the details finalized?

HARRIET: I think so. Sister Shirley went to give everything to
Sister Charlotte. She should be back any moment.

BLANCHE: I was just thinking that our meeting is over then, if we
have nothing else to discuss.

HARRIET: Unless Sister Charlotte or Pastor Gibbons has some
revisions for us.

BLANCHE: Oh, I suppose that could happen.

DORIS: Ladies! Have you heard about poor Sister Sonia? I heard
that the deacons and the pastor went over there to see her today.
That sounds like things have turned worse.

HARRIET: Sister Sadie went with them, too. She is such a prayer
warrior. But I feel for poor Sonia.

BLANCHE: That husband of hers has been no help.

DORIS: What do you mean?

BLANCHE: What I hear is that he has given up, and has stopped
seeking the Lord.

HARRIET: Oh no! That is really too bad. She needs her husband to
be strong. Perhaps the pastor talked with him.

BLANCHE: Well, I certainly hope so. You know he hasn’t been in
church for ages. Well, I just assumed he was home caring for his
wife. But what I hear is that he just doesn’t want to come anymore.

DORIS: That is so sad. The Anthony Washington story is a sad one,
too.

HARRIET: Oh I know. HIV Positive. That is such a blow to his
family.

BLANCHE: So, do they know how he got it?

HARRIET: You know how they get it, Sister!

BLANCHE: There are other ways besides …you know… being immoral.
Sometimes it is because of a needle or something.

DORIS: I didn’t hear anything about how he got it.

BLANCHE: Well, they don’t talk about that. But if it was from
being immoral, I certainly hope they are talking to the other person
involved.

HARRIET: Yes indeed. It needs to stop.

BLANCHE: Speaking of needing to stop… somebody needs to go over to
Sister Gladys’ husband and tell him to stop it already!

DORIS: Why, what has he done?

BLANCHE: You didn’t hear? Oh girl, prepare yourself for this one!
He has been cheating on her!

DORIS: Oh no!

HARRIET: I heard she was in to see the pastor for counseling this
week. She only found out about it a short time ago, but I guess it
has been going on for a long time.

BLANCHE: Can you believe that some people can come to church on
Sunday and put on an act and then they go off during the week and
live like the devil!

DORIS: Well, I guess that is just about enough bad news for one day.
Anybody hear anything that is good?

HARRIET: Brother Parker is going to retire soon.

BLANCHE: I heard that, too. I think he has been with that company
for 35 years.

DORIS: Well, that’s nice. I’m happy for him.

HARRIET: Not so sure Sister Parker is going to be all that happy
about it.

DORIS: Why not?

HARRIET: Think about it, Sister, would you want your husband to be
suddenly home all the time after 35 years? Talk about messing up
someone’s routine and lifestyle. I can’t imagine my husband on the
couch in the middle of the day watching TV.

BLANCHE: That’s because you wouldn’t be able to get him to watch
Oprah with you! (They laugh)

DORIS: Oh what a funny thought! I am trying to picture my husband
sitting at home watching the same shows that I do on television.

HARRIET: And going with you to the market, or sitting at the beauty
parlor while you get your hair done? (They laugh again.) Well, here
comes Sister Shirley now, so we might find out about the plans.
(Shirley enters)

SHIRLEY: Ladies! I just walked by the Pastor’s office and he was
meeting with the deacons about the hiring of the new assistant pastor.
I was looking for Mrs. Gibbons, and naturally I thought she might
be there. Well, it’s not like I was listening or anything like that,
but I do have really good hearing, and as I passed by the door I
could hear them discussing the list of names of applicants for the
job. Well, you will never guess who is applying for that position!

BLANCHE: Somebody we know?

SHIRLEY: Girl, one of the names was none other than Charlie McKinley.

HARRIET: Charlie McKinley?!! Why would he want to be an assistant
pastor?

SHIRLEY: Why indeed! He is a no good womanizer! He’s always got
to lay hands on somebody, and not in the Lord’s way!

BLANCHE: I can’t believe they would even consider him!

SHIRLEY: Wait, there’s more. Another name I heard was George
Humphries.

BLANCHE: Oh my Lord! That couldn’t possibly be the same George
Humphries that we know…

SHIRLEY: We can only hope that it isn’t. Why that George Humphries
is always slithering through somebody’s back door or window. Not
anyone I would want standing up here preaching from the pulpit!

HARRIET: What were some of the other names?

SHIRLEY: I didn’t hear all of them… and some of the names I was not
familiar with.

BLANCHE: Do these men even know what they are doing in trying to
select a new assistant pastor? If the truth be told, the job would
have been done already if it had been given to us women!

ALL: Hallelujah!

SHIRLEY: Well, they certainly need our input. We could tell them
some things.

HARRIET: Amen, Sister. That’s right. (Not noticing Mrs. Gibbons
and Gladys who have just entered.)

MRS. GIBBONS: Have you finished with the plans for the celebration
ladies?

SHIRLEY: (startled) Oh! Yes! Sister Charlotte, I have them right
here. I was looking for you earlier so I could give them to you.
(Hands her the notebook) Yes, we are all finished. Hello Sister
Gladys.

GLADYS: Hello. I’d best be going, thank you Sister Charlotte.

MRS. GIBBONS: God bless you, dear. (Gladys hurries out)

SHIRLEY: Yes… so we finished the meeting and we were…we were just
talking about… well, about stuff, you know

MRS. GIBBONS: Sure. Well, you should be praying for the deacons.
They are meeting to discuss the applicants for the new assistant
pastor position. It is very important that they have God’s leading.

SHIRLEY: Oh! Yes, that is very important. Sure, we will be sure
to pray for them.

DORIS: So, how do they go about deciding which man is right for the
job?

MRS. GIBBONS: Well, they have to weed through a lot of names… going
by what they know of the person and their reputation… and contacting
references, and so on. They really want a man of God.
Unfortunately, that rules out an awful lot of folks right away.

HARRIET: Why do you say unfortunately?

MRS. GIBBONS: That there are so few true men of God who really want
to do the Lord’s work and serve Him in that capacity. Far too many
of the applicants fall short. At least, that is what I have heard.
I wouldn’t want to say anything more or it could be considered
gossip.