Through The Back Door
Drama
Graduation Is Not For Angels
Contemporary Christian Dramas
Object:
When Christians pray, the forces of evil tremble. This simple production brings forth this very powerful concept in a very unique manner.
* * *
Setting: Inside of a church
Characters:
DEVIL: Mature man; he should be forceful and devious, yet smooth in his presentation. He is educated, "one of the guys," someone totally trustworthy, who is able to switch from soft spoken words to anger in the same sentence
WOMAN: Mature woman (can also be a man if desired). Non-speaking part. A bright shawl is draped over her head to attract attention
Costumes:
Devil: Black shirt and tie, black pants and black shoes
Woman: Normal dress with a bright shawl around head
Props: Large, free-standing door that can be opened and shut, stool, six-pack of diet pop, Bible
Scene: The church is about to launch a membership drive. (Can also be a revival, special services, and so on) A large wooden door that can be opened and shut is on stage left. At center is a tipped-over stool and a six-pack of diet pop
* * *
(WOMAN enters from right, Bible in hand kneels down in a conspicuous spot in one of the front pews as if in earnest prayer. DEVIL enters from left. He slowly wanders from side entrance to stage, shaking hands with people in audience. He observes the door on stage with great interest, an amused smile is spread across his face. Slowly walks on stage. He tries the door's hinges, walks through it once or twice, shuts and opens it, then wanders over to the stool. Opening one of the cans of pop, he rights the stool, sits down and takes a satisfying drink)
DEVIL: (Looks around) Some set-up. The door ... everyone's favorite beverage. (Holds up can) "It's got to be diet because everyone's pretending to watch their weight, even though everyone knows the minute no one is looking, it's pull the ole chair up to the refrigerator time." Looks like everything's pretty well set.
(Sarcastically) So ... it's time to do the ole "let's get the church excited again" routine. Time to work on upping the ole membership, stir up the ole spiritual juices, get those statistics increased. After all, when you get a few new warm bodies, it means things are looking up. Whoopie! The church is alive and well on planet earth.
You know, congregations do this so often, I can already predict every move. Oh, sure, they work at coming up with some new techniques. And I'll admit, once in a while, they actually do surprise me. Would you believe one congregation gave out raffle tickets for a brand new red Mercedes? You got a ticket for every week you attended Sunday morning worship -- even the kids. Some rich guy with three limos in his garage got it. Attended church exactly once. Can I say, people were not too happy? Naw, I seldom see an idea that shakes me up a whole lot. The clowns, the coffees, the pies in the back door. (Sighs and pauses)
Oh, excuse me, I've been rattling on and didn't even bother to introduce myself. Most people call me The Big D, but all my friends call me D. So, D it is.
Everyone's singing revival; this church's doing the "evangelism" thing. But talk is cheap. They invite their neighbors to church in one breath and fight over the boundary line between their yards the next. They're not paying their bills. No big deal, you think? Ask the man who's not a church goer and has a note to pay off and can't, because some pious Christian thinks six months later is soon enough to pay up. You couldn't get that man's little toenail in through that door. And the gossiping, the back-biting, the bickering. It's what life is made of. Oh, I love it! (Gets up and swings the door open and shut several times as he talks) Oh, there might be an interested soul or two that will stick around when all this "get new members" hoopla is over, but I'm not looking for anything big.
(Suddenly notices WOMAN on her knees in prayer) Whoa, what have we here! (Sits back down on the stool and studies her for a moment. Suddenly he becomes agitated. He takes a drink, then sets down the can, picks it back up, takes another drink, sets it back down, and finally ends up getting off the stool and abruptly kicks it over)
Now why is she doing that! Why isn't she baking pies and inviting people to tea? Why isn't she doing all the "goodie two shoes" things people are supposed to do? Doesn't she know that's the way things are supposed to be done. (Begins pacing) You don't pray! Prayer gets results! Prayer gets heaven's forces moving! Prayer fills churches! You have any idea how tough it is to battle heaven's forces powered with prayer? Those guys are tough! They've got a weight training schedule that makes my men whimper and cry like babies. No! No! We can't have prayer! That door will swing open so wide, people for miles around will come stampeding through. (Shouting) Okay, who gave out the secret! (Pauses) Boy, I hate people who pray! (Stalks through the door, slams it shut, and then vanishes off stage)
(WOMAN finishes praying, then quietly exits same door she entered)
* * *
Setting: Inside of a church
Characters:
DEVIL: Mature man; he should be forceful and devious, yet smooth in his presentation. He is educated, "one of the guys," someone totally trustworthy, who is able to switch from soft spoken words to anger in the same sentence
WOMAN: Mature woman (can also be a man if desired). Non-speaking part. A bright shawl is draped over her head to attract attention
Costumes:
Devil: Black shirt and tie, black pants and black shoes
Woman: Normal dress with a bright shawl around head
Props: Large, free-standing door that can be opened and shut, stool, six-pack of diet pop, Bible
Scene: The church is about to launch a membership drive. (Can also be a revival, special services, and so on) A large wooden door that can be opened and shut is on stage left. At center is a tipped-over stool and a six-pack of diet pop
* * *
(WOMAN enters from right, Bible in hand kneels down in a conspicuous spot in one of the front pews as if in earnest prayer. DEVIL enters from left. He slowly wanders from side entrance to stage, shaking hands with people in audience. He observes the door on stage with great interest, an amused smile is spread across his face. Slowly walks on stage. He tries the door's hinges, walks through it once or twice, shuts and opens it, then wanders over to the stool. Opening one of the cans of pop, he rights the stool, sits down and takes a satisfying drink)
DEVIL: (Looks around) Some set-up. The door ... everyone's favorite beverage. (Holds up can) "It's got to be diet because everyone's pretending to watch their weight, even though everyone knows the minute no one is looking, it's pull the ole chair up to the refrigerator time." Looks like everything's pretty well set.
(Sarcastically) So ... it's time to do the ole "let's get the church excited again" routine. Time to work on upping the ole membership, stir up the ole spiritual juices, get those statistics increased. After all, when you get a few new warm bodies, it means things are looking up. Whoopie! The church is alive and well on planet earth.
You know, congregations do this so often, I can already predict every move. Oh, sure, they work at coming up with some new techniques. And I'll admit, once in a while, they actually do surprise me. Would you believe one congregation gave out raffle tickets for a brand new red Mercedes? You got a ticket for every week you attended Sunday morning worship -- even the kids. Some rich guy with three limos in his garage got it. Attended church exactly once. Can I say, people were not too happy? Naw, I seldom see an idea that shakes me up a whole lot. The clowns, the coffees, the pies in the back door. (Sighs and pauses)
Oh, excuse me, I've been rattling on and didn't even bother to introduce myself. Most people call me The Big D, but all my friends call me D. So, D it is.
Everyone's singing revival; this church's doing the "evangelism" thing. But talk is cheap. They invite their neighbors to church in one breath and fight over the boundary line between their yards the next. They're not paying their bills. No big deal, you think? Ask the man who's not a church goer and has a note to pay off and can't, because some pious Christian thinks six months later is soon enough to pay up. You couldn't get that man's little toenail in through that door. And the gossiping, the back-biting, the bickering. It's what life is made of. Oh, I love it! (Gets up and swings the door open and shut several times as he talks) Oh, there might be an interested soul or two that will stick around when all this "get new members" hoopla is over, but I'm not looking for anything big.
(Suddenly notices WOMAN on her knees in prayer) Whoa, what have we here! (Sits back down on the stool and studies her for a moment. Suddenly he becomes agitated. He takes a drink, then sets down the can, picks it back up, takes another drink, sets it back down, and finally ends up getting off the stool and abruptly kicks it over)
Now why is she doing that! Why isn't she baking pies and inviting people to tea? Why isn't she doing all the "goodie two shoes" things people are supposed to do? Doesn't she know that's the way things are supposed to be done. (Begins pacing) You don't pray! Prayer gets results! Prayer gets heaven's forces moving! Prayer fills churches! You have any idea how tough it is to battle heaven's forces powered with prayer? Those guys are tough! They've got a weight training schedule that makes my men whimper and cry like babies. No! No! We can't have prayer! That door will swing open so wide, people for miles around will come stampeding through. (Shouting) Okay, who gave out the secret! (Pauses) Boy, I hate people who pray! (Stalks through the door, slams it shut, and then vanishes off stage)
(WOMAN finishes praying, then quietly exits same door she entered)
