Easter Play – Miracle on Victor Street
Miracle on Victor Street
A play to be performed on Easter Evening,
after the Gospel is proclaimed,
or anytime during the Easter season
after the reading of the Road to Emmaus story, Luke 24:13-49
By Michael Kurtz
For the Sunday School Children and Confirmation Class
of First Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, 2010-11
Cast:
Chris
Players One, Two, and Three
Guys One and Two
Psychological Expert
Judge
Kid
Crowd
When we begin, a group of people – Players – who are dressed in “Easter Pageant” costumes, are leaving First Lutheran Church on Victor Street on Easter Sunday, having performed in the annual pageant. Chris is among them. His robe is white. They come out onto the street as they congratulate each other on good performances.
Player One: Ooooh, that was the best Easter Pageant we’ve ever done at First Lutheran Church.
Player Two: Yeah, it was awesome.
Player Three: Yeah: we made all those people laugh in the right spots: I guess we were pretty “bunny.”
Player Two: Chris, you were especially good as the risen Christ.
Chris: Thanks! I guess I’ll see you all later. Bye!
Players One, Two, and Three: Bye!
Chris walks a bit as the other players leave the stage. From the other side of the stage enter two guys walking towards Chris down the street.
Guy One: Hey, check out the dude with the funny costume!
Guy Two: Nice bathrobe!
Chris: Are you talking to me?
Guy Two: Yeah. How come you’re dressed like that?
Chris: Well, I’ve just been playing Jesus in an Easter play. It’s Easter Sunday.
Guy One: Oh, man! Don’t get me started. What a pack of lies. There’s no God! Haven’t you heard what’s been going on around here lately?
Chris: What do you mean?
Guy Two: Are you the only person on Victor Street who doesn’t know? Someone shot at some kids a while back. How could there possibly be a God when stuff like that happens?
Guy One: Right: and there’s so much poverty in this neighbourhood. And drugs. And you talk about Jesus? Are you crazy?
Chris: No, I’m not crazy. I am, in fact, the risen Christ.
Guy Two: Oh yeah, right: and I’m Stephen Harper!
Guy One: (Gives Guy Two a sorry, withering look, and after a pause says) Dude, that was an unfortunate thing to say.
Guy Two: Sorry.
Guy One: Anyway, we get that you just came from playing the risen Christ, but that’s not exactly the same as being the risen Christ.
Chris: No, really: I am the risen Christ.
Guy One and Guy Two look at each other and raise their eyebrows. They give each other the wordless “crazy” signal, twirling their index fingers beside their temples.
Guy One: Dude, you need to come with us.
Guy Two: Yeah. We have someone we’d like you to meet.
Guy One: He’s a psychological expert. He’ll straighten you out.
There’s a small change of scene as they proceed to the centre of the stage where a desk and chairs have been set up. The psychological expert sits behind the desk while the other three sit before him on the other side. The expert is a gruff, nasty person.
Expert: Well, what is it? I’m a very busy person.
Guy One: We found this guy over on Victor Street in this strange outfit.
Guy Two: Yeah, and get this: he claims to be the risen Christ!
Expert: What??!! He does? What’s your name?
Chris: Chris.
Expert: And who are you, exactly?
Chris: I’m the risen Christ.
Expert: Holy Moley!
Guy Two: See! But that’s impossible! There ain’t no God!
Guy One: There ain’t no risen Christ! It’s all a pack of lies!
Expert: Of course it is. This guy is clearly deluded. Now let me ask you some questions and I’ll prove to you that you can’t be the risen Christ. What year is it?
Chris: 2011.
Expert: And who is the Prime Minister of Canada?
Chris: Stephen Harper. At the mention of this, Guy One and Guy Two look at each other and exchange knowing glances.
Expert: Where were you born?
Chris: Winnipeg.
Expert: Aha! And where did you grow up?
Chris: Winnipeg.
Expert: Aha! And what is your name?
Chris: Chris.
Expert: And who are you?
Chris: The risen Christ.
Expert: Aaaarrrrrggggh! You are clearly deluded!
Guy One: See? The guy is nuts!
Guy Two: Yeah, he’s crazy! There’s no telling what he might do.
Guy One: He might be dangerous!
Guy Two: He might hurt someone!
Guy One: He might even start to think he’s the Prime Minister!
Expert: I agree: there’s no telling what harm this man might do. I’m locking him up!
Chris begins to look more and more depressed.
Guy Two: Don’t you need to go to court before you can lock Chris up?
Guy One: Yeah, I mean, they do in the movies.
Guy Two: And a courtroom scene in this play would be pretty cool, you have to admit.
Expert: Well, that can be arranged. I do this all the time. How about this evening at 6:00 PM?
Guy Two: We’ll be there!
Guy One: See you then!
Expert: Until then, Chris, you had better stay with me so I can keep my eye on you.
Chris and the Expert leave, while Guy One and Guy Two wander back to where they came from.
Guy One: Do you feel bad at all about any of this?
Guy Two: Nah. The guy is clearly loony.
As they walk, they have to walk back past First Lutheran Church. They see some activity going on there. Lots of people are hanging around out front, including Players One, Two, and Three.
Player One: Hey, has anyone seen Chris?
Player Two: No.
Player One: (Addressing Player Three) How about you?
Player Three: Nope, me neither.
Player One: Hmmm. He was supposed to come back to First Lutheran to help us. Oh well, maybe he’ll show up later on. It’s getting late. We’d better get started.
Guy One: Hey, what’s going on?
Guy Two: Yeah, what are you all up to?
Player Two: If you want to come and see, come into the building with us.
Player Three: Okay everyone, let’s get started.
Players One, Two, and Three start to help organize everyone. The space becomes a beehive of activity. There are five different areas with five different things going on. In area one, a sewing machine and a quilt are set up on a table. In area two a table with food items –including a loaf of communion bread – in baskets is set up. In area three two or three people are knitting hats. In area four, a group of two or three people with cards and flowers are discussing a list on a piece of paper. In area five, one or two people are working with little kids, maybe playing a game or colouring or doing word searches or some such.
Guy One: Hey! What is all this about?
Player One: Would you like me to show you around?
Guy Two: Sure!
They proceed to area one.
Player One: These people are making quilts.
Guy One: What for?
Player One: They are sent to places like India to keep poor people warm at night.
Guy Two: Cool! Well, maybe I should say, “Warm!”
Guy One: And what’s going on over here?
They proceed to area two.
Player One: This is our food bank. It happens here every week. Anyone from our neighbourhood who’s hungry can come and get some free groceries.
Guy One: That’s amazing.
Guy Two: That is so cool!
Player One: (Takes a loaf of bread – in fact, the same loaf we will share at communion later – breaks it in half and offers it to them, saying) Here, take some. (Player One offers it to them and they each take a piece off and eat it)
They proceed to area three.
Player One: And here is a group of people who gets together to knit hats for the homeless people of Winnipeg so they can stay warm in the winter.
Guy Two: That is so cool – uhhh, I mean — warm!
They proceed to area four.
Player One: These people are getting ready to visit our members who can’t get out anymore. They’re taking them cards and flowers so they know how much we still care about them. We call these people “Caregivers.”
Guy Two: Wow: that is just plain nice. (Guy One nods in agreement)
They make their way to area five.
Player One: And here is where we have our neighbourhood kids’ drop-in. Kids from the neighbourhood can come here for a safe place to play with people who love and care for them. It’s one thing we can do to decrease the attraction of gangs for them. We call it Kids’ Klub.
Guy Two: (Addressing one of the kids) And what do you think about Kids’ Klub, ya little tyke?
Kid: (Shouts out with a big smile) Kids’ Klub is cool!
Guy Two: Not warm?
Kid: No, cool!
Player One and Guy One and Guy Two, having finished the tour, proceed to a neutral place. Guy One and Guy Two seem kind of amazed.
Guy One: (Addressing Guy Two) Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Guy Two: I think I’m thinking what you’re thinking. (A brief pause) What are you thinking?
Guy One: That we’ve just made a big mistake!
Guy Two: Me too!
Guy One: Oh no! Look at the time! It’s almost 6 o’clock! We gotta get to that courtroom!
Guy Two: Yeah! (Addressing everybody) Hey! We know where Chris is! You’ve all got to come with us! It’s super important!
Everybody grabs their stuff and puts it away, perhaps while the Sunday School children sing a song. One of the tables is left, and a judge in a black robe with a wig and a gavel comes out and sits behind it. Chris is led out and sits in a defendant’s chair. The Expert is the prosecutor. All the others, led by Guy One and Guy Two, come crowding into the “courtroom.” They all sit on the floor immediately behind Chris, except the Expert, Guy One and Guy Two.
Expert: (Addressing the judge in a self-important and sucking up kind of way) As I was saying, your honour, this person thinks he is the risen Christ and so, in my professional, expert opinion he is clearly deluded and perhaps dangerous. He should be committed and locked away immediately!
Judge: (Impatiently) I’ll be the judge of that!
Expert: (Sucking up even more) Oh, excellent joke, your honour.
Judge: (Looking at all the people crowding into the courtroom) What’s all this, then?
Guy One: Your honour, may I be permitted to speak?
Judge: You may, but keep it brief.
Guy One: Yes, your honour. Well, me and my friend here, well, we’re the ones who got Chris here into all this trouble. You see, we met him outside this church building this morning. . .
Guy Two: (cutting in) . . . and you know how it’s Easter Sunday and everything . . .
Guy One: (cutting in) . . . and we met this guy (pointing at Chris) who was playing Christ in a play during worship . . .
Guy Two: (cutting in) . . . and we said how God and the resurrected Christ was all just a bunch of lies and how there was no such person . . .
Guy One: (cutting in) . . . because, c’mon, I said, look at how much poverty and violence and hunger and loneliness there is all around us, in this neighbourhood and throughout the world.
Guy Two: But something’s happened!
Guy One: Yeah! It’s like our eyes have been opened!
Guy Two: We went back to the church building and we saw something amazing and . . .
Judge: (Growing more and more impatient from having to look back and forth between Guy One and Guy Two and from trying to follow what they’re saying, slams down his gavel and shouts) What on earth are you talking about? I’ve heard enough! This is a clear-cut case and I’m inclined to agree with the expert. I have a few simple questions that should be enough to settle this case once and for all. (Addressing Chris) You there: state your name.
Chris: Chris.
Judge: State your age.
Chris: 14.
Judge: Where were you born?
Chris: Winnipeg.
Judge: And where did you grow up?
Chris: Winnipeg.
Judge: And what is your occupation?
Chris: I am the risen Christ.
Expert: See? See? Just as I said! Totally deluded!
There is general disorder in the “courtroom” as people talk with one another about what is happening. The judge gets more and more exasperated and finally bangs his gavel down several times and shouts:
Judge: Order! Order! Order in the court.
Silence.
Judge: I’ve made up my mind and have decided on sentencing.
Everybody looks at the judge.
Judge: In order to proclaim the sentence, I require the defendant to be standing. Will the risen Christ please stand.
At this, Chris stands. But almost immediately, Player One slowly stands. After this, Player Two stands. Then Player Three, followed by everyone else sitting on the floor, including the Kid. Lastly, Guy One and Guy Two take a good look at each other, nod to one another, and then they stand up too.
The judge is once again greatly agitated.
Judge: Order! What is the meaning of this? Which one of you claims to be the risen Christ?
Chris: I am the risen Christ.
Judge: That’s better. Now . . .
But the judge is cut off before he can say anything, because immediately Player One says:
Player One: I am the risen Christ.
Player Two: And I am the risen Christ.
Player Three: And I am the risen Christ.
Guy One: I am the risen Christ.
Guy Two: I am Stephen Harper. . . . (Waits for laughter to die down) Just kidding. . . . I am the risen Christ!
Everyone else in the cast quickly states “I am the risen Christ” until all are finished. There can be some people planted in the congregation who also do this. If all goes well, everyone will be standing at the end. During this time, the Expert has sunk into a chair, holding his head in his hands. The judge is perplexed and agitated. Then he says:
Judge: What am I to make of this?
There is a pause before Players One, Two and Three state their lines deliberately and clearly.
Player One: And he was made known to them in the breaking and sharing of bread.
Player Two: Jesus said, “One who believes in me will do even greater things than me.”
Player Three: It is no longer I who live, but the risen Christ who lives in me.
Everyone: Together, we are the body of Christ.
Guy One: (Addressing congregation) The truly amazing thing in our world, the truly miraculous thing, is not that there’s greed and cruelty and hunger and loneliness and poverty and war. The true miracle is right here, right here on Victor Street. The true miracle is that there’s kindness and generosity and hope right in the middle of all the bad stuff.
Guy Two: (Addressing the congregation) The true miracle on Victor Street is that those shootings aren’t the last word. The true miracle on Victor Street is that there’s the breaking and sharing of bread. The breaking and sharing of ourselves for one another. The true miracle on Victor Street is that the risen Christ is alive and well and living . . . in us!
Guy One: (Addressing Guy Two with admiration) Nice speech!
Guy Two: (Addressing Guy One) Likewise!
Guy One: (Addressing the Judge) So, what do you say, judgey?
Judge: Case dismissed!
The cast all go and join the Sunday School children for the last song.
END
