The Story of Christmas

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS
By Phyllis Meshel Onest

CHARACTERS:
Papou/Grandfather
Maria
George
John
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Narrator 3
Narrator 4
Narrator 5
Narrator 6
Narrator 7
Narrator 8

Narrator 9
Narrator 10
Angel Gabriel
Angel 2
Host of Angels
Shepherds
King Herod
Wise Man 1
Wise Man 2
Wise Man 3
Choir

Use as many narrators as you need. Students can double up if necessary. The number of Shepherds and Host of Angels can vary to suit your needs.

COSTUMES & PROPS: Papou, children and narrators are in everyday clothes; others are dressed for their parts. Wise men have gifts to offer.

CHILDREN & PAPOU/GRANDFATHER ENTER & TAKE THEIR PLACES IN THE FRONT LEFT OF THE STAGE AS THE CHOIR SINGS "O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL."

PAPOU: I'm sure blessed to have my grandchildren with me during the holidays.

MARIA: Papou, tell us a Story!

PAPOU: Maria, George, John, all of you, come sit around me. (He picks up the Bible.) Let me tell you the story of Christmas.

ENTER THE NARRATORS, ANGEL GABRIEL, AND MARY. NARRATORS CAN BE BEHIND PAPOU & CHILDREN OR ON THE RIGHT. GABRIEL & MARY ARE CENTER STAGE. THEY ACT OUT WHAT THE NARRATOR IS SAYING.

NARRATOR 1:
In the Sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the Angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a girl promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. The girl's name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said: "Peace be with you! The Lord is with you, and has greatly blessed you!"

Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message and she wondered what his words meant.

The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, because God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord will make him a king, as was His ancestor David, and He will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end."
Mary said to the angel, "I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?'

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come to you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the "Son of God."

"I am the Lord's servant," said Mary, "May it happen to me as you have said."

And the angel left her.

EXIT ANGEL GABRIEL. ENTER JOSEPH WHO JOINS MARY. TOGETHER THEY MOVE ABOUT THE STAGE IN A CIRCLE TO SIGNIFY THEIR TRAVELLING TO BETHLEHEM AND SITTING IN THE CAVE.

NARRATOR 2:
And Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town in Judea named Bethlehem, where King David was born. Everyone had to go to the city of their family to register for the census. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. With him went Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn son.

MARY SHOWS THE BABY TO JOSEPH.

CHOIR SINGS "O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM."

SHEPHERDS ENTER FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND STOP IN FRONT OF THE STAGE.

NARRATOR 3:
There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.

GEORGE: Papou, what is a Shepherd?

PAPOU: A shepherd is a man who takes care of the sheep in the fields and hills. He may even sleep outside while he watches the sheep.

CHOIR SINGS "WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCH THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT."

ENTER ANGEL 2 TO CENTER FRONT OF STAGE. SHEPHERDS STAND WHEN
THEY SEE THE ANGEL AND ACT OUT WHAT THE NARRATOR IS SAYING.

NARRATOR 4:
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said, to them "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you that will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born - Christ the Lord! What will prove it to you is this: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

ENTER THE HOST OF ANGELS FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM. THEY WALK
TOWARDS THE SHEPHERDS AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS.

NARRATOR 5:
Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with this angel, singing praises to God, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom He is pleased!"

PAPOU: Listen carefully and you can hear them, too!

CHOIR SINGS "ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH."

WHILE A SPOTLIGHT IS ON THE SHEPHERDS, THE ANGELS EXIT THE STAGE AREA AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS.

NARRATOR 6:
When the angels went away from them, back into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened that the angel has told us."

SHEPHERDS MOVE TO CENTER THE STAGE, WHILE A SPOTLIGHT IS ON MARY & JOSEPH AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS.

NARRATOR 7:
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger because there was no room in the inn.

CHOIR SINGS "AWAY IN THE MANGER."

NARRATOR 8:
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, during the time when Herod was king. Soon afterwards some men who studied the stars came from the east to Jerusalem.

ENTER WISE MEN FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM. THEY WALK TO THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE STAGE AND STAND BEFORE HEROD WHO HAS ENTERED FROM STAGE RIGHT.

PAPOU: The wise men or magi were, in those days, scientists who studied the stars.

JOHN: Do you mean astronomers, Papou?

PAPOU: That's right!

NARRATOR 9:
The wise men asked, "Where is the baby born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him."

WISE MEN WALK AWAY FROM HEROD TOWARD MARY, JOSEPH AND THE BABY, WHILE KING HEROD EXITS STAGE RIGHT.
On their way, they saw the star ... the same star they had been in the east ... and it went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. How happy they, were! What joy was theirs when they saw the star!

CHOIR SINGS "WE THREE KINGS."

THE WISE MEN GIVE THE BABY JESUS THEIR GIFTS AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS.

NARRATOR 10:
And they went to see the child with his mother Mary. They knelt down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their bags and offered Him presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

CHOIR SINGS "SILENT NIGHT." WHILE THE ENTIRE CAST COMES ON STAGE.

ENTIRE CAST SINGS "JOY TO THE WORLD."

PAPOU: (As he closes the Bible.) And now you know the story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the Son of God.

(He pauses.) Now you can understand why Christians around the world are so happy and have so many celebrations in their homes.

CURTAIN CLOSES.

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS By Phyllis Meshel Onest
CHARACTERS: Papou/Grandfather Maria George John Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Narrator 4 Narrator 5 Narrator 6 Narrator 7 Narrator 8	Narrator 9 Narrator 10 Angel Gabriel Angel 2 Host of Angels Shepherds King Herod Wise Man 1 Wise Man 2 Wise Man 3 Choir
Use as many narrators as you need. Students can double up if necessary. The number of Shepherds and Host of Angels can vary to suit your needs. COSTUMES & PROPS: Papou, children and narrators are in everyday clothes; others are dressed for their parts. Wise men have gifts to offer. CHILDREN & PAPOU/GRANDFATHER ENTER & TAKE THEIR PLACES IN THE FRONT LEFT OF THE STAGE AS THE CHOIR SINGS "O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL." PAPOU: I'm sure blessed to have my grandchildren with me during the holidays. MARIA: Papou, tell us a Story! PAPOU: Maria, George, John, all of you, come sit around me. (He picks up the Bible.) Let me tell you the story of Christmas. ENTER THE NARRATORS, ANGEL GABRIEL, AND MARY. NARRATORS CAN BE BEHIND PAPOU & CHILDREN OR ON THE RIGHT. GABRIEL & MARY ARE CENTER STAGE. THEY ACT OUT WHAT THE NARRATOR IS SAYING. NARRATOR 1: In the Sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the Angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a girl promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. The girl's name was Mary. The angel came to her and said: "Peace be with you! The Lord is with you, and has greatly blessed you!" Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, because God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord will make him a king, as was His ancestor David, and He will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end." Mary said to the angel, "I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?' The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come to you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the "Son of God." "I am the Lord's servant," said Mary, "May it happen to me as you have said." And the angel left her. EXIT ANGEL GABRIEL. ENTER JOSEPH WHO JOINS MARY. TOGETHER THEY MOVE ABOUT THE STAGE IN A CIRCLE TO SIGNIFY THEIR TRAVELLING TO BETHLEHEM AND SITTING IN THE CAVE. NARRATOR 2: And Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town in Judea named Bethlehem, where King David was born. Everyone had to go to the city of their family to register for the census. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. With him went Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn son. MARY SHOWS THE BABY TO JOSEPH. CHOIR SINGS "O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM." SHEPHERDS ENTER FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND STOP IN FRONT OF THE STAGE. NARRATOR 3: There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. GEORGE: Papou, what is a Shepherd? PAPOU: A shepherd is a man who takes care of the sheep in the fields and hills. He may even sleep outside while he watches the sheep. CHOIR SINGS "WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCH THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT." ENTER ANGEL 2 TO CENTER FRONT OF STAGE. SHEPHERDS STAND WHEN THEY SEE THE ANGEL AND ACT OUT WHAT THE NARRATOR IS SAYING. NARRATOR 4: An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said, to them "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you that will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born - Christ the Lord! What will prove it to you is this: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. ENTER THE HOST OF ANGELS FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM. THEY WALK TOWARDS THE SHEPHERDS AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS. NARRATOR 5: Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with this angel, singing praises to God, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom He is pleased!" PAPOU: Listen carefully and you can hear them, too! CHOIR SINGS "ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH." WHILE A SPOTLIGHT IS ON THE SHEPHERDS, THE ANGELS EXIT THE STAGE AREA AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS. NARRATOR 6: When the angels went away from them, back into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened that the angel has told us." SHEPHERDS MOVE TO CENTER THE STAGE, WHILE A SPOTLIGHT IS ON MARY & JOSEPH AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS. NARRATOR 7: So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger because there was no room in the inn. CHOIR SINGS "AWAY IN THE MANGER." NARRATOR 8: Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, during the time when Herod was king. Soon afterwards some men who studied the stars came from the east to Jerusalem. ENTER WISE MEN FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM. THEY WALK TO THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE STAGE AND STAND BEFORE HEROD WHO HAS ENTERED FROM STAGE RIGHT. PAPOU: The wise men or magi were, in those days, scientists who studied the stars. JOHN: Do you mean astronomers, Papou? PAPOU: That's right! NARRATOR 9: The wise men asked, "Where is the baby born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him." WISE MEN WALK AWAY FROM HEROD TOWARD MARY, JOSEPH AND THE BABY, WHILE KING HEROD EXITS STAGE RIGHT. On their way, they saw the star ... the same star they had been in the east ... and it went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. How happy they, were! What joy was theirs when they saw the star! CHOIR SINGS "WE THREE KINGS." THE WISE MEN GIVE THE BABY JESUS THEIR GIFTS AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS. NARRATOR 10: And they went to see the child with his mother Mary. They knelt down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their bags and offered Him presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh. CHOIR SINGS "SILENT NIGHT." WHILE THE ENTIRE CAST COMES ON STAGE. ENTIRE CAST SINGS "JOY TO THE WORLD." PAPOU: (As he closes the Bible.) And now you know the story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. (He pauses.) Now you can understand why Christians around the world are so happy and have so many celebrations in their homes. CURTAIN CLOSES.