The Dramatization of Bible Stories Part 15

_Abraham and Sarah:_ Surely these were angels from the Lord!

END

As this play was very short, the suggestion was made that we might lengthen the program, as well as make it more interesting, by having some of the children tell the audience just how we worked up the dramatization. The two older girls undertook this and decided entirely by themselves just what they would say. One of them wrote with great care a description of the method of procedure. She read it to the club for approval, then she learned it by heart and gave it in an interesting manner to the audience on the day the play was given. The other girl wrote a poem about it, and recited it just before the play was given. The description and poem are as follows:

THE INTRODUCTION

BY MARGARET MILLER

The play which the children are now going to give--_Abraham and the Three Guests_--has been worked out and practiced at the dramatic club. This club meets every Sunday afternoon from three until four o'clock, and is composed of any of the children of the Sunday school who wish to belong.

The first Sunday Miss Miller told the story to the members, and then they, knowing it, acted it out, making up the parts as they went along. This they did several times until they knew the story perfectly.

The two oldest girls did not take part in the acting of the play, but became a.s.sistants and helped Miss Miller direct it. During the next week the a.s.sistants wrote out the speeches very much as the children had made them up. These were read before the club and discussed, and after a number of suggestions had been added by all the children present the scene was finally written as it now is.

The children each took home a part to learn, and the following Sunday they all tried the different speeches.

Before the final characters were chosen each child was able to represent any one of them. The final characters were decided upon by the group and were chosen according to their preferences and their ability to enact the different parts.

Unfortunately, most of the costumes which the club had on hand were much too small for the children this year. We therefore held a sewing-bee during the week, and lengthened the old ones or made new ones where we found it necessary.

We have worked on this play for five meetings, which represents altogether five hours, except for a little work that the a.s.sistants did outside.

We have had much fun with this play, and we are hoping that you will enjoy it too.

POEM

BY MELBA PYLE

Before you soon you shall see The story of _Abraham and the Strangers Three._ The partakers, they have worked; The a.s.sistants, they have shirked-- But not as much as you would think, For they have helped to join each link.

As day by day pa.s.sed quickly away We read the Bible and wrote the play.

Each child helped as best he could, And thus we worked in brotherhood.

Word with word we did neatly join, Then home we went, our parts to learn, Next to the box where the costumes lay, And straight to sewing and not to play.

And 'tis our happy aim, you see, To make you joyous as can be!

CHAPTER IX

THE DRAMATIZATION OF _DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN_

The story of _Daniel in the Lions' Den_ was dramatized by the members of the club according to the same methods as those which were used in connection with the story of _Abraham and the Three Guests._

This play is given here in order to show how a story which deals with a miraculous event may be treated. When Daniel was thrust into the den of lions, he was in reality put out of the door which opens at the side of the stage. The children readily came to the decision that it was unnecessary to show Daniel actually in the den of lions on the stage.

In telling the story no explanation was made or asked for concerning the miracle which happened. The children accepted it and enjoyed it as they would any other good story.

The final play which follows represents entirely the children's interpretation; the product is their own.

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN

SCENE I

PLACE: The court room of King Darius.

CHARACTERS: King Darius, Daniel, Four Conspirators, Soldiers, Servants.

[KING DARIUS _is seated on his throne. Soldiers and attendants stand nearby. The conspirators are talking together at one side._ DANIEL, _followed by two soldiers, comes in and kneels before the_ KING.]

_Daniel:_ King Darius, live forever!

_King Darius:_ Good Daniel, I have sent for thee that thou mayest know my will. It has pleased me to set over my kingdom one hundred and twenty princes, and over these princes have I set three rulers. Thou hast been so faithful and true that I wish to make thee the first of these three rulers. Thou shalt have great responsibility, and thou shalt report to me when thou thinkest it well to do so.

_Daniel:_ Thou art kind and gracious unto me, O King! May the Lord, Jehovah, help me to do this.

_King Darius:_ Come unto the feast, Daniel, and have the royal robe placed on thee.

[DANIEL _bows to the_ KING _and they both go out, followed by the soldiers and servants._]

[_The conspirators are left alone in the room. They show great anger and begin talking to each other._]

_First Conspirator:_ See how this Daniel has found favor in the King's sight! He is not of our country, he belongs to the Hebrew people; but the King has appointed him over us all! We must destroy this Daniel.

_Second Conspirator:_ Yea, thou art right. What can we do?

[_They all walk back and forth in deep thought._]

_Third Conspirator:_ I can think of nothing against him!

_Fourth Conspirator:_ Thou sayest the truth; he hath no fault. He is faithful and doth nothing wrong.

_First Conspirator:_ I can think of nothing, save that we find it against him concerning his G.o.d.

_Fourth Conspirator:_ Ah, that is true; Daniel worshipeth a different G.o.d; I have seen him praying thrice in one day.

_Second Conspirator:_ Let us influence the King to make a firm decree that whosoever shall worship any G.o.d or man, save the King, for thirty days, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

_Third Conspirator:_ That soundeth well! If Daniel be faithful to his G.o.d, he will surely disobey this decree; and if the King once signeth it, the law of the Medes and the Persians saith that it cannot be altered.

_First Conspirator:_ Ah, this will surely be Daniel's ruin now!

_Fourth Conspirator:_ Come, let us hasten to the King and have him establish and sign this decree. He will be pleased; he will not think of Daniel.

_Third Conspirator:_ Yea, we will hasten before the setting of the sun.