Lay Your Burden Down-Drama Skit

Lay Your Burden Down-Drama Skit

Themes: Laying our burdens at the cross; carrying heavy loads; giving our burdens to Jesus; dealing with life's problems; the pressures of life; stress
Categories: Youth, Christian Living 
Summary:

Everyone has pressures and struggles in life, as teens Rose, Sarah, Rita and Mickey know very well.  Rose's boyfriend is trying to pressure her into having sex; Sarah is struggling with her grades in school which could mean the loss of a college scholarship; Rita has low self-esteem, and Mickey is a sports playing tomboy whose parents think she should get involved with ballet and scrap booking.  Instead of allowing Jesus to help them with these burdens, the girls choose instead to keep adding to their pack: every time they have a negative thought or a struggle, they add a "burden" (illustrated with heavy objects of your choice) to their already overflowing backpack. It isn't until they come across a girl named Micah who seems not only to be "backpack free" but "burden free" as well.  At the foot of the cross, Micah shows this well-meaning but misguided group of girls how to be truly free.

 
 
Style: Drama

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Characters: 5 (5 Female)
Characters written for teenage girls
Length: 5-8 minutes
 
Excerpt (Sample)

Setting: Off to the back and side of the stage stands a large cross with several “burdens” laying around the base of it.  The “burdens” can be illustrated in however way you wish, by using rocks, books, bricks etc.  Also lying on the ground at the front of the stage are more “burdens.”  These rocks, books, bricks etc. (whatever you choose to use) should be placed near where the characters will be standing.  As each girl enters she will speak her lines, then reach down and pick up a “burden” and place it in a backpack that she will be carrying.   

Rose enters, carrying a heavy backpack—she struggles a bit with the backpack.  She goes to the far end of the stage then stops and speaks directly to the audience

 Rose:              My name is Rose.  I’m 15 and I have a boyfriend named Michael. We’ve been going out about 4 months now and I really like him.  He’s so sweet and he treats me really well, but lately he’s been talking about having sex.  I don’t think that’s something I’m ready for but I don’t want to lose him. 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  While she is doing this, Sarah enters and stands a few feet away from Rose .  When Rose has finished putting the burden in her pack, she stands facing the audience. 

Sarah:             I’m Sarah.  I just started 9th grade this year.  I was pretty excited about finally being in high school but things are proving to be a little tougher than I thought it would be. My family doesn’t have much money so I need a high grade point average in order to get a scholarship for college. I’ve always made good grades in school before but lately my grades have been dropping. 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  While she is doing this, Rita enters and stands a few feet away from Sarah .  When Sarah has finished putting the burden in her pack, she stands facing the audience. 

Rita:                 Hi.  I’m Rita.  I don’t like the way I look.  My thighs are too big and my behind is big enough to park a car on.  At least that’s the way I see it.  My mom tells me I’m a pretty girl but she has to say that, ‘cause she’s my mom.  If I’m so pretty, then how come none of the boys are asking me out? 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  While she is doing this, Mickey enters and stands a few feet away from Rita .  When Rita has finished putting the burden in her pack, she stands facing the audience. 

Mickey:            I’m Mickey.  I’m 16 and I am a disappointment to my parents.  At least that’s how I see it.  They’re always nagging at me, telling me to slow down, listen more, do this, do that…I don’t think anything I do pleases them.  Sometimes I wish I was never born.  

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When Mickey has finished putting the burden in her pack, she stands facing the audience.  At this time, Micah enters, goes straight to the cross and places a burden under it, then exits. 

Rose:              “Everybody else is doing it,” Michael says.  And he’s probably right…or at least a lot of them are.  One of the girls in my grade is pregnant.  When her boyfriend found out, he broke up with her.  I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of responsibility but what if Michael won’t wait? 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience 

Sarah:             The classes I’m taking seem harder this year.  I’ve always been good at math but now we’re getting into formulas and theorems and I find myself getting lost.  I got an “F” on yesterday’s homework assignment and I just barely passed my last test with a D .  I’m afraid if I get too far behind I’ll never catch up, and then it will be bye-bye scholarship! 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience 

Rita:                 I hate my nose.  I wish I had a round button nose like Myra Wilks.  The boys are always saying how cute her nose is and how they want to squeeze it all the time. Or I wish I were a blond. Blonds are supposed to have more fun. I could use more fun in my life.  And I wish I were taller.  I hate my short, stumpy, runt-like legs! 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience 

Mickey:            My parents don’t get me.  I’m more of a tomboy I guess.  I like to play football with they guys or go hiking and fishing.  My parents think I’m nuts.  They tell me girls aren’t supposed to do that kind of stuff.  They want me to wear dresses and little outfits with bows on them, like my sister, Joy.  But that’s just not me, you know?  Why can’t they accept me for who I am? 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience. Again, Micah enters, goes straight to the cross and places a burden under it, then exits. 

Rose:              Michael says, “If you love me, you’ll do this for me.”  But if he loved me, wouldn’t he stop pressuring me into something I’m not ready for? Besides, that isn’t the way I’ve always pictured my “first time.” I know it may sound old-fashioned in today’s standards but I’ve always wanted to wait until I was married.  When I share something that important with someone, I want it to be special and I want it to be forever—not in the backseat of my boyfriend’s car knowing he could dump me at any time.  But I don’t want to lose him either?  I don’t know what to do. 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience. 

Sarah:             I took a part-time job in the evenings to help out my family.  It’s just washing dishes at a family friend’s restaurant a few hours a night, but it’s still hard work! It’s not much, but I know my family appreciates the extra money.  Still, between work and school I don’t have much time for studying.  I stay up late trying to get all my assignments done but sometimes I fall asleep at my desk while I’m studying.  I don’t want to quit my job and let my family down with financial help, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep up school and work.  Maybe I should just forget about college.  

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience. 

Rita:                 All my other friends have boyfriends or are at least dating.  They spend hours on the phone at night flirting and laughing.  I stay at home playing video games with my little brother.  I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.  I’ve tried wearing my hair up, putting on more make-up, buying new outfits…anything to try and get noticed.  But boys just don’t like me, I guess.  Maybe I’m not pretty enough or smart enough or funny enough.  I wish I could have a whole body make-over or maybe just be a whole different person.  Maybe then boys would like me and I could feel better about myself. 

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience. 

Mickey:            “Why can’t you be more like you sister?” my parents say.  She’s talented—she sings and plays the piano. She’s pretty.  She’s responsible.  I can’t do much of anything.  At least not anything that’s important to my parents.  I won an “All State Basketball Award” last year but my parents weren’t interested.  They never even came to any of my games.  “Sports are for boys,” they say. They put a lot of pressure on me to be things I’m not.  They wanted me to take ballet.  Me, dance?  I don’t think so!  I’m not the tutu type.  Then they tried to get me into scrap booking. I don’t even own a camera! They don’t understand me at all.  Why can’t they see me for who I am, instead of trying to get me to be something I’m not?  

She picks up a burden and puts it in her backpack.  When she is finished, she stands facing the audience. Again, Micah enters, goes straight to the cross and places a burden under it, then exits. 

At this point, Rose, Sarah, Rita and Mickey begin to walk in a circle on the stage, trying to carry their “load” as they go.  They should act as if their packs are very heavy and they are having a hard time walking with it. They walk with their heads down. As each girl passes by the front of the stage, they should “mumble” their line. 

Rose:              He’ll find someone else. 

Sarah:             Maybe I’m not college material. 

Rita:                 I’m ugly.

Mickey:            I’m not who they want me to be. 

Rose:              What if all boys are like Michael? 

Sarah:             What if I can’t get my grades up? 

Rita:                 What if I never have a date? 

Mickey:            What if my parents wish I wasn’t around? 

The girls walk around silently for a moment.  Micah enters and lays her burden at the cross.  She notices the others and watches them for a moment. 

Micah:              (speaking to the others) Hey girls, what are you doing?