Reporting from Bethlehem-Drama Skit

Reporting from Bethlehem-Drama Skit

Themes: Christmas; Jesus birth
Categories: Christmas 
Summary:

It's a big night in Bethlehem: it seems a new King has just been born and KJOY News Reporter, Carol Jensen, is trying to get the scoop. Trouble is, her Anchorman boss, Jim Banks, wants nothing to do with the story. As far as he's concerned, pursuing the story is a huge waste of time! But as Carol persists, she interviews the Innkeeper (a Bronx-like tough guy) and little Donkey who came all the way from Nazareth carrying a very special lady. A breaking news story begins to unfold and Carol begins to dig a little deeper, much to the dismay of her boss. Interviews with the Shepherd "Dudes", a gnarly sheep, a "diva" Northern Star, and some lost Wise Men further convince Carol this is a story worth airing. But when Carol sees the baby Jesus for herself, she realizes that while this is the biggest story to date, some things are meant to be held as sacred and holy. Deciding not to air the story, Carol instead simply breathes in the most holy night of all. The ending to this skit has the opportunity for the manger scene to be presented, and the director has the choice to end it there or sing any song or hymn of his/her choice.

 
Notes:

A unique way to present the Christmas story - perfect for your elementary ages or youth group.

 
Style: Comedy

$10.00
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Characters: 14 (8 Male, 4 Female, 2 Neutral)
Three characters have no lines: Joseph & Mary and Angel. If you have a bigger female pool, the shepherds, innkeeper, and even wise men could be played by girls if necessary.
Length: 10-12 minutes
 
Excerpt (Sample)

Setting: The   stage is split in half: on one side is what looks like a newsroom.  This can be as simple or as elaborate as   you like but must at least have a desk with a laptop on it, a chair and a   sign hanging behind the desk that reads: KJOY News.  On the other side of the stage, it should   look like the town of Bethlehem.    Again, this can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Carol, the   roving reporter, will be dressed nicely, with a microphone in her hand.  She is not on stage when the skit opens.

As   the scene opens, Jim, the Anchorman, sits behind the desk.  He is dressed in a suit and tie and looks   very professional. 

Jim:

(looks into the audience and speaks as a   news anchorman would speak - almost in a deep, fake, kind of voice ) Good   evening, I'm Jim Banks and you're watching KJOY News on Channel 1225 (twelve twenty-five).
 
  Our top story this evening concerns the small town of Bethlehem, where it   seems fighting has broken out amongst a group of men.  The men, who were in town to pay their   taxes, were last seen in a violent brawl.   
 
  We've got our roving reporter, Carol Jensen, on the scene.  Carol, are you there?  Can you tell us what started this ugly   fight?

Long   pause, as there is no one on the other side of the stage

Jim:

Carol, can you   hear me? (pause)  Carol, are you there?  (Jim   squints out into the audience, as if looking into a satellite camera)

Carol   rushes onto the stage

Carol:

(hunched over, out of breath, speaks to the audience) I'm..here... Jim.

Jim:

Ah, there she   is.  Carol, can you tell us what caused   the fight amongst the group of men there in Bethlehem?

Carol:

(trying   to catch her breath)   No, Jim... I'm afraid I can't. 

Jim:

(taken aback, turns his a little to the   side, as if talking into an ear piece) Ummm...you don't know what started   the fight?

Carol:

No. 

Jim:

(looks back up to the audience) I   apologize ladies and gentlemen.  It   looks like we're experiencing some...(searching   for the word)..."technical difficulties."  We're gonna take a short break and we'll be   back in a few minutes. 
 
  For now, enjoy this message from the Adam's   Rib Restaurant, where their slogan is: "Our ribs are your ribs."   

Jim   smiles broadly, as if into a camera.    After a moment, he breaks his smile and talks in a more normal voice.

Jim:

(to Carol, angry) What do you think   you're doing?  How dare you embarrass me like that in front of my fans! 

Carol:

Look, I was busy   chasing down a bigger story.  It seems   there's a new King in town.

Jim:

(immediately loses the anger) Did you   say, "King"?

Carol:

Yes but it's not   a typical kind of...

Jim:

(interrupts) Scrap the fight story and   get on this immediately! See if you   can get an interview with this King. 

Carol:

That's going to   be pretty difficult.

Jim:

Why?

Carol:

Because the King   is a newborn baby.

Jim:

What do you mean,   "baby"? 

Carol:

(excited) I got an anonymous tip from   someone that said a new King was born in Bethlehem and that he was going to   be the Savior of the world! Isn't that exciting?

Jim:

(gravely   disappointed) Anonymous tip? How many times have I   told you not to pay attention to those things.  Somebody's obviously just yankin' yer chain.

Carol:

I don't think   so.  I think he could be the real   thing. 

Jim:

Scrap the King   story and get me details on that fight!

Carol:

Just let me   interview a few people and see if there's any kind of story here.  I have a feeling about this one.

Jim   does not look convinced

Carol:

(begging) Please?

Jim:

(giving in) All right, just a few people.  But I have the last say as to whether or   not it airs.  Got it?  

Carol:

Got it! What are   you going to do until then?

Jim:

We'll keep   running commercials.  So, who's up   first?

Carol:

How about this   guy?  (points off stage) Excuse me, Sir? Can I speak to you a minute?

The   Innkeeper enters with Donkey, who is on all fours. The Innkeeper is leading   Donkey in by a rope loosely hanging from Donkey's neck. The Innkeeper speaks   like he is from the Bronx of New York and is a little gruff. Donkey seems   tired.

Innkeeper:

Yo, what can I do   you for?

Carol:

I was wondering   if you knew anything about a King being born in Bethlehem tonight.

As   Carol asks questions, she holds the microphone up to each person's mouth, and   then back to hers as she speaks

Innkeeper:

King?  No, I ain't heard'a no King.  But I do got a couple stayin' in my barn,   you know, cause all the rooms in town are full, and that broad looks like she   could pop any minute!

Carol:

Do you think that   could be the King?

Innkeeper:

Lady, I doubt it.   They came ridin' in on this little fella. No King I ever heard of traveled   that way before.

Donkey:

We came all the   way from Nazareth.  (yawns) Boy, am I tired!

Jim:

(to Carol) See, I told you that kid was   no King! 

Carol:

(to Jim) Just give me a chance. (looking down at Donkey) On your way to   Bethlehem, did you hear anything that might lead you to believe there was   something special about this couple?

Donkey:

Now that you   mention it, yeah.  Joseph was telling   Mary about the night the Angel visited him in his dream.

Carol:

And what did the   Angel say?

Donkey:

The Angel told   Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because the child that was   conceived in her was from the Holy Spirit.

Jim:

(angry and skeptical- he stands up quickly   and begins to pace around his desk) Oh come on! You expect people  to believe God is responsible for making a   baby with a human? This stuff  belongs   on the cover of the Bethlehem Inquirer   not on the national news!

Carol:

Jim, please be   quiet! 

Jim   throws his hands up in a "whatever" fashion, and then sits back   down

Carol:

I want to gather   more facts before we decide if this is newsworthy or not.  (to   Donkey)  Do you remember anything   else?

Donkey:

I think the Angel   told Joseph that Mary would have a son and they should name him Jesus because   he was going to save the people from their sins.

Carol:

That must be   where the idea of a Savior came from. 

Innkeeper:

Savior? Hear that   Donkey? We gots a celebrity stayin' in my barn!

Donkey:

(yawns, to Innkeeper) I'm really   sleepy.  Can I go to bed now?

Carol:

(pats Donkey on the head) Of course you   can.  I'm sorry for keeping you up so   long.  You've both been very helpful. (indicating Innkeeper and Donkey) Thank   you.

Innkeeper:

Come on little   fella. 

Innkeeper   and Donkey exit

Jim:

You're not really   buying all this stuff, are you, Carol?

Carol:

I'm not sure   yet.  But so far, it's got all the   makings of a great story.  Here come   some more people.  I'm going to see if   they know anything about the baby.

Two   Shepherds and a sheep enter.  The   Shepherds talk like "valley girl surfer dudes"

 

 

Carol:

Excuse me, can   you tell me if you know anything about a King being born tonight?  Or perhaps a Savior?

Shepherd 1:

(excited) Totally!  We're like, sooo stoked!  

Shepherd 2:

(excited) We just came from this really   rad stable.  And like, there was this tiny   baby, you know, and he was lying in this really gnarly manger.

When   the sheep speak, they make as many "aaaa" sounds as they can (like   "baaa")

Sheep:

He was wraaaapped   in a blaaanket. 

Carol:

How do you know   this baby is the Savior?

Shepherd 1:

'Cause a totally   radical Angel told us.

Jim:

Again with the   Angel?  These people are obviously   unstable and probably hallucinating!

Carol:

(ignoring Jim) What did the Angel tell   you?

Shepherd 2:

We were totally   minding our own business out in the fields when suddenly there was this epic   bright light!

Shepherd 1:

We were like   scared out of our minds but then this Angel appears and says, "Dudes, don't be afraid. I like totally   have good news for you."

Shepherd 2:

"In the city of Bethlehem there's like gonna   be this awesome baby who's gonna change the world."

Shepherd 1:

And then the   whole sky was filled with angels, and I was like, "Whoa, Duuude!"

Shepherd 2:

And I was like   "Sweeeet!"

Shepherd 1:

And I was like,   "Dude, we have totally got to see   this King of Awesomeness!

Sheep:

So we traaaaveled   all this way and saw the baby lying in the maaaanger.

Carol:

What did he look   like?

Shepherd 2:

He was like   totally cool!

Carol:

Did he look like   he could be a King?

Shepherd 1:

Nah.  He looked like a normal baby to me. 

Jim:

(to Carol) See?  Kings are not born in stables surrounded by filthy animals!

Sheep:

I want to go   baaaack!

Carol:

Of course.  Thank you for all your help. 

Shepherd 1   &2:

(in unison) Totally!

Shepherds   and sheep exit

Jim:

This story gets   crazier by the minute!  I can't believe   you're spending time on this.

Carol:

I can't explain   it but I feel there's something special about this baby everyone is talking   about.  I wish I could see him for   myself.