Drama, Silly Skits and Thespianoushism

Drama and role-playing is fundamental learning tool for ages 9-12. Drama allows child to safely explore wide range of feelings that don't enter their life on a daily basis. Drama allows them to act out issues and concerns and deal with them safely.

Auntie Bea and Auntie Hope (Bea Ames and Hope Wells) were two ladies who had a huge influence on me. They were godparents to my brother and me. They had such "childlike" attitudes. We would pretend like we were animals and their house was the zoo.. We pitched a tent in living room and put paper windows on it. We would eat in the "house" and entertain. These ladies were missionaries with Children's Bible Mission and worked with kids all their lives. Auntie Bee is still living and is 94. She just recently moved onto the CBM campgrounds and lives by the craft house!

I. Writing? Producing? Directing?

There is some good stuff at Christian bookstores. Check out your denomination's curriculum. Be the narrator and assign parts and act out a Bible story.

Do I Samuel 3:1-10. Assign parts to groups of people: Everytime they hear the word, "Eli", they should cup their hands behind their ears and say, "Eh?" -- -- "Lord" = "Listen up!", "Samuel" = "Yo!", "Call" = "Yoo hoo!", "Lie down" or "Lying" or "Lay down" = snore.

Writing scripts: Sometimes Simple Ideas are best: Beginning...Middle(1st crescendo)...End (Final crescendo). Do the unexpected.

Role play typical childhood situations to practive godly behavior (great for younger kids). Use team games--praise godly behavior--as a supplement to your Bible lesson.

Red Skelton's philosophy: Get into trouble....Get out of trouble.

Brainstorm....order....do the unexpected....edit it....do it...edit it...do it.

II. Spontaneous Dramas

A. Take a Bible story, rewrite it and assign parts. Everyone acts out what you tell them to do. Put in some ridiculous things. Draw out an important principle from the story. The actors up front can just repeat the lines you give them. It's kind of a "pantomime-guided-dialogue" (See our catalog for Dan's books: "Creative Communication Stuff" and "Art Talks and Drama Thingys"

B. Perform an Opera. Have kids sing out lines they make up themselves or sing them a line to sing. (See "One Dude Returns" at the end)

Good motto: Write it...Edit it...Do it...Edit it!

III Act Story to Musical Background....

Human videos.... Pantomime.... Try the story of Creation in Genesis 1-3 or Noah and the ark.

IV. Costumes

I was minstering at a camp in MI. A lady was supposed to provide music between the morning Bible Studies. She was a little intimidated by my music ability and wanted to quit. We encouraged her to continue. She was a big hit with the use of costumes. They did "Pharoh, Pharoh" every day and the kids were anxious to do it so that everyone could wear a costume. I could hear them loud and clear, yelling: "I want to be Pharoh! I want to be Moses! I want to be a guard!"

David Ginn is a well-known children's entertainer in the Atlanta area. He uses simple costumes for his helpers on stage. Nothing fancy. Sometimes, just a hat or a vest. Kid's love it!

One Dude Returns (Luke 17:11-19)--When Dan points, the Chorus sings-sometimes after a main character has sang a line. - - - - - Characters: Jesus...Ten Lepers...One Foreigner...People (Chorus)

Narrator:(Tune: The Old Gray Mare) Well, Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, way to Jerusalem, way to Jerusalem ; Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem between Samaria, and ole Galilee, and ole Galilee And as he was going into a little town, ten men were standing there, covered with leprosy. Pathetic looking and they were cying out:

Narrator: (Tune: She'll be Coming Round the Mountain--Point to the lepers and they should start singing with you, even if they don't know the tune!!) "Master please have some mercy on us-Yee Haw! Master please have some mercy on us-Yee Haw! Master please have some mercy! Master, please have some mercy! Master, please have some mercy on us-Yee Haw!" (point at chorus and sing a second time)

Narrator: (points to Jesus and makes up a simple tune) And when he saw them...he replied: "Go buy some head and shoulders, please"

(Jesus sings line.)

Narrator: The men's jaws dropped, they scratched their heads and sang:

(Tune: Old McDonald) "That smelly stuff, it just don't work-E I E I O" (Lepers repeat)

Narrator: The people placed their fingers in their ears and loudly they proclaimed, (On one note) "He's gonna do something real big!" (People repeat line)

Narrator: And Jesus grabbed his nose and said, (One low note)"Go show yourselves to all the priests" (Jesus repeats)

Narrator sings:(Tune: Old MacDonald)and as they went, they were all cleansed. E, I, E ,I, Odd. But one of them, when he was healed, came back a-praising God! (You might need to point at the Foreigner so he will do what you say) -- With a big hop here and a big jump there, here a hop, there a jump, see him hopping and a jumpin'! Then he went and stuck his tongue out really, really far.........(same note)and sang:

Narrator: One note: "Praise God, Praise God, Praise Goooooooooooood!" (point to foreigner and chorus and they repeat)

Narrator: (use some of the tune of "Old Macdonald")And threw himself at Jesus' feet as all the people smiled. It was amazing 'cause he was a foreigner, how odd!

Narrator: And Jesus asked, (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell) "Where are the other nine? Where are the other nine? Hi Ho, the dairy Oh, Where are the other nine?" (Point to chorus and repeat)

Narrator: (Spoken or sung, using just a few notes)And everyone shook in their sandals, their knees were knocking about in fear, Was Jesus ticked, upset, angry? but Jesus said,

"Your faith has made you whole, Your faith has made you whole! Hi Ho the dairy Oh, Your faith has made you whole!" (Second time, point to Jesus character and sing again, Third time with chorus and hold the Ohhhhhhhhhh!)

Narrator: And everyone jumped up and shouted,

(Tune: I Feel Good-James Brown) "He feels good. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah! Glory to be to our God now! Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah! "He feels good. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah! Glory to be to our God now! Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah...nah! So Good! Bomp, Bomp! So Good! Bomp! I got news! Bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp!"