Wise Gifts

Brief: a wise man handing out gifts to children at a Christian work Christmas party.
Written: Scott Wegener
Performance: Signs Publishing Company, 21 Dec, 2015

Andrew: Is the anyone here who arrived on a camel, registration 1 s p 1 t ?

Wise: That may be me (enters)

Andrew: You are parked in a loading zone

Wise: Yes, I have things to download and I have very sore glutens, so wanted to park close.

Heavenly Christmas: a different perspective

Brief: An innovative drama/sermon set on the story of Christmas from the perspective of being in Heaven at the time.
Drama by: Scott Wegener 
Sermon components by: Fraser Catton  

 

 

• The background window projection Video File
• Backing music:
  
  • Lingering at dusk - Lee Johnson 
  • When the roll is called up yonder - Eden Symphonic Orchestra
  • Sandfloor Cathedral - Lee Johnson
  • Agnus Dei - Michael W. Smith (RTB version)
  • Baby cry

Cast/Costumes:

• God: white robe with additional white shimmery transparent outer garment
• Jesus: white robe with a toga/sash of Gods same material.
• Angel: white robe, gold rope belt.
• Satan: white robe with black belt. An older more 'weathered ' actor compared to the rest.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------

A Father's Gifts

Brief: A short children's story skit on Matthew 7:7-12 - that has to feature a real snake.
Written: Scott Wegener
Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - November 28, 2015



Dad: Hi, how was school?

Child: Good. I’m hungry, may I have some bread please, dad.

Dad: Sure... [Goes out, comes back with a rock] Here you go. Chew on this.

Compassionisation [script]

A play on the topic of Compassion.

Can be played to include a ranging number of actors. Either:

• (3) Two actors and a narrator
• (14) One main core actor, and narrator, but different 'extras' in each scene
  
• (24) Same narrator only, entirely different set of actors each scene.
• (34) Different set of narrators and actors for each scene (but same set for each scene variation a. and b.)
  
• (66) Different narrator and actors for each scene variation (but very short roles each)
• NOTE: delete a scene or double up actors to get the right number)
  

Compassion = sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

Compassionisation =  the action of making a person compassionate

---------------- OPENING Scene: Narrator, Cameron ------------------------
~Narrator: Once upon a time there was a boy who, no matter what bad things happened to people around him, wouldn't show any compassion... to anyone. In fact, you could say he was the opposite of compassion!
In fact, if there was a story on the TV about thousands of people hurt and homeless from an earthquake, he wouldn't care, he would... change the channel.....

Cameron: (Changes the channel)

~Narrator: to watch a game of football ...

Cameron: Hey, football!

~Narrator: Between two teams he didn't even like.

Cameron: I hate these teams... Oh well.


---------------- Scene 1a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: Someone could fall over.

Jessie: [falls over]

~Narrator: He wouldn't help, he would ...laugh.

Cameron: (Laughs)


---------------- Scene 2a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: He could find out a friend’s pet had died

Jessie: My cat, Fluffy, got hit by a car yesterday.

~Narrator: He wouldn't speak kindly, he would... Make fun.

Cameron: Doesn't surprise me - Fluffy was the dumbest cat I know. Dumbest name for a cat with no hair too!

Jessie: She had a rear disease!

Cameron: What are you sooking about then, it was going to die anyway!


---------------- Scene 3a: Narrator, Cameron, +2/3 ------------------------

~Narrator: He might see someone being bullied

Jessie: [to bullies] HEY, give me my lunch back!

~Narrator: He wouldn't step in and help, he would... join in the bullying.

Cameron: Hahaha, got your lunch stolen, AGAIN!


---------------- Scene 4a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: If he saw a homeless person on the street, he wouldn't give them his change... He'd go to Mc Donald's and eat only half the food he ordered... Throwing out the rest.

Cameron: (Throws away bag)


---------------- Scene 5a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: If someone was afraid of flying,

Cameron: What's your problem?

Jessie: I’ve never flown before, not sure I can do this.

~Narrator: he wouldn't encourage them, he'd.... try and Scare them.

Cameron: Yep I think we will die, I saw one of the wings had a big crack in it... But what can we do, the seat belt sign's on, you'll make the plane crash if you take your seat belt off now anyway.... (Hehehe)


---------------- Scene 6a: Narrator, Cameron, +2 ------------------------

~Narrator: If he knew someone had their girlfriend break up with them,

Breakup 1: It’s over

Breakup 2: But... I love you!!

~Narrator: he wouldn't comfort them, he would ... Tease them.

Cameron: Haha, you're all alone... again!


---------------- Scene 7a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: If an elderly person got on a bus and there were no seats,

Jessie: [walks up to chairs]

~Narrator: he would never move over.

Cameron: (Spreads out)


---------------- Scene 8a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: If he knew someone who was embarrassed about their body, he wouldn't ignore it, but... make fun of it.

Cameron: Wow your chin is really, really, REALLY big!


---------------- Scene 9a: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: If someone performed a musical item and they made a mistake,

Jessie: [plays item makes mistake]

~Narrator: He wouldn't ignore the error, he would tell everyone around him about the mistake.

Cameron: Did you hear that mistake, yeah terrible player, what about you, did you hear the mistake...


---------------- CHANGE Scene: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ------------------------

~Narrator: It seemed, No matter what misfortune happened to others around him - he NEVER showed any compassion to anyone, UNTIL ...
One day the boy went to a doctor for an annual check-up.
The doctor was running very late, which annoyed the uncompassionate.

Cameron: What’s taking you so long!

~Narrator: Said the boy. And the doctor proceeded to tell him about the bad news he had to tell his previous patient.

Cameron: That’s no excuse!

~Narrator: Said the boy.

Cameron: I’m not dying and I’m in a hurry to go play my Xbox.

~Narrator: The Doctor was shocked at his lack of compassion. In fact He’d never seen such a bad case in the years he’d been practicing medicine – other than on Youtube.

So the Doctor got out a compassion vaccine and, while distracting the boy by pointing out someone else’s misfortune, he quickly injected the man without him even knowing.

The next morning, while watching the morning news the boy noticed something strange happening.
He was feeling sorry for the people who were homeless from the earthquake! He actually wanted to find a way to help them, and one of his eyes even started to cry a little!
It seemed this boy now had compassion!


------------------------ Scene 1b ----------------------------

~Narrator: From that day on, If he saw someone fall over,

Jessie: [falls over]

~Narrator: He wouldn't laugh he would ...help.

Cameron: (Helps)


------------------------ Scene 2b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If a friend's pet had died, he would speak...kindly,

Cameron: I'm sorry to hear about your pet!


------------------------ Scene 3b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If he saw someone being bullied He would... be a friend.

Cameron: Got your lunch stolen again? Want some of mine.


------------------------ Scene 4b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If he saw a homeless person on the street... he would give them his change.

Cameron: (Gives change)


------------------------ Scene 5b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If someone was afraid of flying, He would... encourage them.

Cameron: We'll be fine - I fly all the time!


------------------------ Scene 6b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If he knew someone had their girlfriend break up with them, he would ... comfort them

Cameron: Mate we should go play some basketball, help you take your mind off her.


------------------------ Scene 7b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If an elderly person got on a bus and there were no seats, he would ... stand and offer his seat

Cameron: (Stands )


------------------------ Scene 8b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If he knew someone who was embarrassed about their body, he would ignore it.

Cameron: (notices a BIG chin, but says) Umm, how about the weather!


------------------------ Scene 9b ----------------------------

~Narrator: If someone performed a musical item and they made a mistake, he would ... ignore the error and encourage them

Cameron: Nice item! Well done.


----------------- End Scene: Narrator, Cameron, +1 ---------------------

~Narrator: In fact, with his life filled with compassion, he was now one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

Fortunately, you CAN choose to be compassionate all by yourself, without the need of a mysterious injection.

And I think we all agree, if everyone was compassionate, what a better world it would be to live in! (accidentally drop script on ground)

Cameron: Haha, you drop your script.

~Narrator: (gives a disappointed glare to Cameron.)

Doctor: (comes out, jabs Cameron again. )

Cameron: Well done. Well read. Give them a round of applause everyone.


[All walk off stage.]

 

 

[Alternate 'change scene' plot option which can replace the injection scene]

"One day the boy was at the supermarket. He was on his way to buy some breakfast cereal when he saw an old man struggling to reach the top shelf. As he was staring at the man, having a little laugh to himself, he missed the box of cornflakes he was reaching for and accidentally grabbed a box of ... Compassion Flakes.
The next morning, the boy was watching the morning news while eating the compassion flakes, and something strange happened."
He started feeling sorry for the people who were homeless from the earthquake! He actually wanted to find a way to help them and one of his eyes even started to cry a little!
It seemed this boy now had compassion for people."

 

Performance:
Edinburgh College Arts Evening - November 10, 2015 
Gilson College (Mernda) Chapel - May 18, 2015

Dr Whomework

Written: Scott Wegener and the Edinburgh College drama class
Performance: Edinburgh College Arts Evening - November 10, 2015 




Scene I: Staff Meeting

A large ‘box’ (Tardis) sits to the side of stage, covered by a large ‘sheet’.

3 teachers (plus extras) are sitting around a table with papers, cups of tea and biscuits.

MR OEMKE: Managed to give out any infringements this morning, Miss Judd?

MISS JUDD:  (excited) YES, Mr Oemke, two actually! One, to someone talking in class, that was a easy, but I had to be more creative for the second – I ended up picking one of the students who had handed in ALL their homework and accused them of cheating.

MR OEMKE: Hmm, it’s in your contract to give out 3 infringements a day, so make sure you find another one before home time, please.

MISS JUDD: No problem. I’ll just tell a joke and whoever doesn’t laugh with enthusiasm I’ll ping for showing descent. That’s what I usually do if I’m falling short of my quota.

MISS FOX: [reading paper] Hey everyone, looks like the government is thinking of reintroducing the cane for discipline! [teachers hi five!] That would be awesome! I NEVER thought I’d get the chance to use the cane. Sweet!

Dr Coulsen walks in, everyone goes silent instantly and sits up.

Everyone Welcome [Church Welcome Skit]

Brief: A short Welcome tying in with the theme "The kingdom of God has room for everyone"
Written: Scott Wegener (concept Geoff Rippingale)
Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - October 17, 2015

1: Welcome, everyone, to Lilydale church. We hope you have a wonderful...

2: Hey, how come you always get to do the welcome? Oh that's right - your dad is the worship host.

1: You can come up and have a turn if you like. I don't HAVE to do it all by myself.

2: Really? Cool....  [walks up to microphone] Welcome, everyone, to Lilydale church. We hope you have a wonderful...

3: Hey, can I have a turn?

2: Umm, sure! There's plenty of room up here. I don't see why you couldn't.

3: Awesome... [walks up to microphone] Welcome, everyone, to lilydale church. We hope you have a wonderful...

1: Hang on, hang on, there's more room up here. Is there anyone else who would like to be part of this welcome? Come up here.

[more kids join]

All together: Welcome, everyone, to Lilydale Church. We hope you have a wonderful
[each person says one of these words a all at once] "day, service, time, experience, morning"

Tough Job

Brief: a short skit of a modern day version of the story of Job
Written: Scott Wegener and the Edinburgh College drama class
Performance: Edinburgh College Chapel - Sep 14, 2015
Edinburgh College Arts Evening - November 10, 2015

A business executive sits at a desk, reading a newspaper.
An evil angel walks in the door, and muses to them self, rubbing their hands.
The evil angel clicks their fingers and Assistant 1 hurries in, with a clipboard or iPad and speaks to the executive:

Assistant 1: Sorry to interrupt, but all the shares in your company, well, they’ve all been sold, nobody wants them, the company is worthless. [leaves - Evil Angel clicks fingers again]

Assistant 2: Sorry to interrupt, we just got our bank statement, someone has transferred ALL of the money out. We can’t trace it. It’s all gone! [leaves - Evil Angel clicks fingers again]

Assistant 3: Sorry to interrupt, the lawyers are here, they say you owe 16 trillion in unpaid parking fines, I’ll go let them in. [leaves - Evil Angel clicks fingers again]

Good father - Great father

Signs of the Times, September 2015  

There's a big difference between a good father and a great father.

While having a good father by far out ranks either having an abusive father or none at all, you may be surprised to hear there's somewhat a big difference between a good dad and a great one.

Here are some examples:

A good father can cook an enjoyable dinner for his kids. A great father can cook an enjoyable dinner that has some sort of nutritional value for his kids.

A good father remembers when it's his turn to pick up his kids from school. A great father remembers before every other child has already been picked up.

Novel One-liners

Just for fun, here's a collection of opening sentences from novels Scott will never complete (phew).

Love Story

As our lips connected for the first time the beating of our hearts syncopated like an African bongo drumming lesson by tourists who had no real rhythm and stunk of sweat from the hours spent crammed on a non-airconditioned safari mini-bus that broke down near the warthog graveyard earlier that day.

Working class girl

As Mavis pushed and pulled the vacuum pipe back and forth an asthmatic cloud of dust particles filled the sun lit room making breathing an unpleasant chore but one which still had to be done or she'd die.

From Bable to Bible

CQ Q3 2015
Biblical Missionaries - August 19, 2015

How To
Matt. 12:15-18

At first glance, cross-cultural mission work may seem daunting and impractical.

The tower of Bable is a fine example of how different cultures, or at minimum, having language barriers, can create a less than ideal working environment.

Despite the perceived difficulties of attaining cultural fusion, our loving God desires to have people of every culture saved for eternity, and so we should be driven to connect to those outside our own culture. Here are some concepts that may help successfully build connections with an alternate culture.

The Forgiving Principal

Brief: A drama on the topic of Forgiveness for a school chapel.
Written: Scott Wegener and the Edinburgh College drama class

Performance: Edinburgh College Chapel - August 17, 2015

The main speaker gets up to begin a talk on forgiveness but, before they have a chance to indicate what the day’s topic is the principal enters the room boldly and walks up on stage and takes over.

Principal: [Directed at the computer operator: holds up a USB stick or memory card]
Can you come and put these pictures up on the screen.
Sorry to interrupt but there has been a serious incident, involving some students and my car this morning.

[Waits for pictures to appear on the screen.]

We think we know who did this however, as a gesture of good will, if these people are gutsy enough to own up and come up the front and apologies, I am willing to forgive them without consequence.

Otherwise, this will be your last day at our school.

[Slight awkward pause… then Laura gets up, slowly walks to the front and stops, without getting up on stage, and looks down at their own feet]

Forgiving Confrontation

Brief: A short drama on the topic of forgiveness.
Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - August 8, 2015 

[A person walks across stage, kind of looking behind them occasionally, as if to see if anyone is following them. One time, he returns his gaze forwards and there stands Jesus in front of them.]

Sinner: [jumps back] Whoa! I didn’t see you there. You scared me.

Jesus: [calmly] What are you up to?

Sinner: Oh.... nothing... Just going for a walk.

Jesus: Really? At 2am?

Sinner: Oh, is that the time, WOW, guess I’d better be heading home.

Jesus: Where have you been?

Sinner: Nowhere...just walking around. Looking for owls. Beautiful birds.

What do your guardian angels do when you're in church?

Seeing is believing right? This fake 'live' video was shown during a church welcome in a way that tricked the audience into thinking it was live - at least until I showed them what their guardian angels do when they're in church? I filmed it three days before and wore the same clothes. I had a camera guy up the front with me trying to get the camera working as we stood on stage - the screen goes to blue then zaps in. Notice how it only shows feet as to avoid any obvious differences in the film from live reality and I quickly exit the door. Sermon topic of the day was about "Absolute Truth" - and yes everyone was drawn into and enjoyed the illusion :)

Long live the King

Signs of the Times, June 2015

I love our queen. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second - or 'Liz' as she prefers to be called. Well, to tell the truth, I’m only assuming she likes to be called ‘Liz’ as we've not actually met yet, but I'm sure that's how she'd roll. After all, she's so relaxed she has gifted us all a public holiday to celebrate her birthday each year.

Unfortunately, to date she's never been in my town on her birthday weekend, which is a shame because I’d freely invite Liz over for a barbecue and a game of table tennis.

Know Their Name

Brief: a positive short drama on the impact adults can make on the young people of the church.
Written: Deina Bailey and Scott Wegener
Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - May 30 (2nd) / July 25 (1st), 2015

• GIRL ACTOR + GIRL VOICE
• BOY ACTOR + BOY VOICE
• WOMAN ACTOR + WOMAN VOICE
• MAN ACTOR + MAN VOICE

[GIRL ACTOR is sitting down brushing hair, getting frustrated at her hair]

GIRL VOICE Oh honestly, I don’t know why I bother, it doesn’t matter what I do with my hair, everyone at church seems to have better styled hair than me.

AND they’re always happy too. I wish I was always happy like everyone else at church. I guess God blesses them with happiness or something because they read their Bibles every day. I wish I knew the Bible as well as everyone else, but seriously, how do they find the time!

I guess until I learn my Bible and get baptised I should just expect people to walk past without making eye contact. Where’s my Sabbath hairclip… (walks off)

[BOY ACTOR walks on, Flopping into chair]

BOY VOICE Oh man I am soooo tired, I should just go back to bed. It’s not like I’ll be able to stay awake through church anyway. (YAWN)

Christian Soldier

Brief: a short drama leading to a sermon on "The Christian response to war".
Written: Scott Wegener and the Edinburgh College drama class

Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - May 2, 2015

Venue is set up with 4.2 sound:
- left, right and woofer at rear
- left, right and woofer at front.

There are two featured cast: Chris Christian and GI Joe neighbour.

Also required are two sound operators.

Chris enters slowly reading the Bible, and sits at a table with Weet-bix, SoGood and a bowl of breakfast, and puts Bible down and says a silent grace.

Chris, does three rhythmic tapping scrapes of the bowl - of which the third is the cue to start/sync both sound players - then keeps eating waiting the the sound fx to start

Sound FX begins with plane flying over from rear of church to front and a slightly delayed bomb rumble at rear then a louder blast, a second later, at the front. FX continue throughout with gunfire war sounds etc 

Chris looks up at the sound of plane, looks alarmed at first explosion and at second loud blast they (secretly) wobble the table, knocking over the Weet-bix and they scramble under the table.

StatusTrix

Brief: a short drama on the theme of social media and it's focus on short term character, not long term character.
Performance: Lilydale Seventh-day Adventist Church - February 14, 2015,
Castle Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church - February 9, 2019.

( 75% based on The Matirx scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D7cPH7DHgA )

[Neo sits in an interrogation room (table two chairs). Smith and two other agents, all wearing dark glasses, suit and ties, walk in slowly staring at Neo, two agents stand behind Neo, Smith sits in chair]

Agent Smith: As you can see, we've had our eye on you for some time now, Mr. Anderson. 
It seems that you've been living two lives. In one life, you're Thomas A. Anderson, program writer for a respectable software company, 
you have a tax file number, you pay your taxes, and you
 help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived on Facebook, where you go by the profile name Neo and are guilty of virtually every status update crime known to man.