Written by Warren Sager
THE DENIAL
(As the scene opens, there are people crowding around the courtyard as soldiers bring Jesus in and take him to the opposite side of the stage. John and Peter follow but keep their distance and remain on the other side.)
PETER: How did you get us in here?
JOHN: I know the high priest. I just spoke to the doorkeeper and he let us in. Let’s go warm by the fire, perhaps we can see what is happening from there.
(Peter tries to find a place where he can watch Jesus but not be seen. The action on the stage needs to stay busy, but not too noisy as the lines spoken need to be heard. The soldiers can be roughing up Jesus and talking to each other as to what should be done next. Meanwhile, Peter and John try to watch while warming by a fire pit. A servant girl at the fire sees him)
SERVANT GIRL: (After staring at him intently) You too were with Jesus the Galilean.
PETER: Woman, I don’t understand you. I don’t know what you are talking about.
(John reacts as Peter moves away from her and crosses to a different area where he bumps into another servant girl)
SERVANT GIRL 2: (After looking at him) This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. He is one of them! Aren’t you one of His disciples?
PETER: I am not! I do not know the man!
(He moves away again to another place and tries to keep to himself. He is not even near John anymore. There is a pause as he tries to settle in and not be noticed.)
BYSTANDER: (To Peter, after the pause) Surely you too are one of them; for the way you talk gives you away. You are Galilean. In fact, did I not see you in the garden with Him?
PETER: Red li me’agav! (Hebrew swearing – means: Leave me alone. Optional words to use: Benzonah! – which means ‘son of a bitch’) I do not know the man you are talking about!
(A cock crows -a rooster crowing)
(Peter immediately looks at Jesus who has turned to look at him. Peter has a look of terror and he runs away from the crowd. There needs to be a place away from the people, perhaps a different area of the stage or off the stage where he can be alone and still seen by the audience. He is very distraught and falls to his knees and begins to cry bitterly. If there is no room… then slowly have the others walk away and leave him alone. Jesus could be led off the stage at this point and the crowd follows, leaving Peter alone in his misery.)
PETER: WHAT HAVE I DONE?? Oh God! Oh God, forgive me! What have I done??
(Lights down.)
JUDAS
(Some of the chief priests and elders gather and Judas joins them, very distraught)
PRIEST: What do YOU want?
JUDAS: I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!
PRIEST: What is that to us? See to that yourself!
ELDER: You were paid, were you not? Was it not sufficient? 30 pieces of silver, I believe, wasn’t it?
JUDAS: I don’t want it anymore!
PRIEST: It is not our problem.
JUDAS: NO! (He throws the money at them and it scatters as he runs off)
(The men at first are shocked at his actions but then begin to gather the coins from the floor)
ELDER: Shall this go into the treasury?
PRIEST: It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.
ELDER: Well, we must do what is right. What do you suggest?
PRIEST: We need to think about it. The money should be spent on something rather than used in the temple.
ELDER: Perhaps make a purchase of property. The Potter’s Field is for sale.
PRIEST: Very good. That is what we should do. We could purchase that and make it a burial place for strangers.
ELDER: A field of blood. (They exit)
(As an added effect, you could flash a silhouette on the wall of a man hanging with a rope from a tree. Not sure how to put that particular look together.)
Copyright 2009 Warren Sager
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.