Skits Book

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Theme Skits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Biblical Skits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Permission is granted to copy for use with The Conquerors VBS 2016.

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skits bookWritten by

Laurie Clifton

Laurie Clifton is a wife and mother who has served the Lord alongside her husband since 1985. Beginning in 1996 they started serving the First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida. She has written and directed dramas for the children’s playhouse theater at First Baptist Jacksonville since 2000. She has written and directed Vacation Bible School dramas since 2003 to support the curriculum of VBS by bringing the Bible alive for children through the venue of drama. She has written seven passion plays and two Christmas musicals and has assisted in directing them as well at their church. She feels that her calling from the Lord is to see drama used to communicate God’s Word effectively with children and with others by using the talents of laypersons in the church. E-mail: stevelaurie@bellsouth.net or rolsrule16@bellsouth.net

Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, kyle.elkins@bogardstore.orgBusiness Manager: Wayne Sewell, wayne.sewell@bogardstore.org

© 2016, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482

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5Introduction

IntroductionLet’s Prepare!It is that time of year again! Are you excited? You, and your team, are preparing to use one of the best venues to reach children with the gospel…drama! Why drama? The children of today are bombarded with CDs, DVDs, videos, movies and computers. They have an attention span of 30 minutes or less, so we need to use methods of communication that will get their attention, and drama will be our tool!

How do i get started?You will need to enlist excited children’s workers for these dramas. Begin by praying for them, asking the Lord to lay on your heart laypersons in your church who could help you with this ministry. Enlist your pastor to make an announcement in church or have announcements made in your adult Sunday School classes. Our church gets very excited about VBS, and we end up having a multitude of volunteers.

who do i enlist?Get acquainted with your script and then look for people in your church that are about the right age for the character, can learn lines quickly, have a sweet spirit and are easy to work with. Remember these volunteers are NOT professional actors. They are nervous church members who are saying to themselves, “I just signed up to hand out cookies.” Just kidding! You know the best way to direct a cast is through encouragement and appreciation! Please do not forget to send out thank you notes at the end of the week because it is that important!

what do we wear?All of us are called to “sow” the seed but not to “sew” the costumes! Costumes can be as simple as sheets, bathrobes or material. You can even have your cast wear black T-shirts with character name signs worn around their necks. If you have talented seamstresses in your church who can sew, let them! With The Conquerors theme you will need Victorian period costumes, and these can be rented from costume stores or found in thrift stores. You can also find these period costumes in patterns that can be handmade. Should you decide to avoid the Victorian period, you can perform these plays in contemporary dress! It is simply up to you!

makeupIf you want to upgrade the look of your characters costume with makeup then I would recommend the following . . .• Beards: black or brown cream makeup (can be bought at costume store or online). • Stubble brush to apply (can also be bought at costume store or online). This is easier than trying to glue on beards and comes off with cold cream. • Women’s makeup can be bought at the dollar store. • You can also find cheap accessories there like jewelry, earrings, bracelets, anything to embellish the costume. • With your makeup, make sure that everything is sanitary. Try using gloves to apply the makeup and use throwaway applicators.

how do we set the stage?Backdrops add a realistic touch to your dramas. Backdrops can be made from canvas material or bed sheets that you can paint scenes on. Material can be attached to PVC frames or wooden frames. Be sure to call on the carpenters in your church. Backdrops can also be made from butcher paper or newsprint that can be purchased from your local newspaper office. See the Room Decorations Transparency Book for art to help with decorating.

props to props!For this drama, you will need furniture for the different rooms on the ship. You will also need some fake plants, rocks, trees for the biblical scenes, or you may use what you have!

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fun special effectsTo make your dramas come alive, I would really encourage you to invest in some theatrical sound effect CDs that you can purchase online. Using these sound effects will make The Conquerors VBS come alive with engine sounds, ship’s horn sounding and the wind blowing, and the children will love it!

blocking for stagingBlocking is very important to how you will set up your scenes. Your stage can be as elaborate as a big stage in your auditorium or as a small scene in a classroom. In this drama, your stage is divided into stage right (SR), stage left (SL) and center stage (CS). This means that standing on stage and looking at the audience your right hand is SR and your left hand is SL and the middle of the stage is center stage (CS). These scripts are very detailed with stage directions and each day’s staging is listed as to how to set it up.

set Up for sunday’s openerthe s.s. conquerorThis scene can be set up to do in your church service before the service begins or after the service is over. You can use couches, chairs and end tables. Make it look like a parlor or dining room. Make it simple. You may want to use the VBS 2016 Lesson and Music DVD.

set Up for each day’s dramaWith this script, you will have three scene set ups. You will have an opening scene, a biblical scene and a closing scene. Your opening and biblical scenes will be on stage right and stage left. Your closing scene will be center stage and can be set up after the children leave for their classes. You can tear down opening and biblical scenes to set up the closing scene for the children at the end of the day.

set up for each lesson’s skit

lesson 1: abideStage: Opener to be set up like the deck of a ship. You will need ropes, bench and a ship’s wheel. Set up biblical scene like outside (a fake tree, some bushes). Set up closing like a dining room with table and chairs.

Backdrop: For opener, show the sky because this ship flies. Biblical scene can be sky also. Closing scene will use wooden walls with portholes like a ship.

Props: Old looking map, bench or stool, ship’s wheel, shepherd’s staff, two Bibles (one for Mr. Holloway and one for Mrs. Vanguard), cups and saucers, teapot, muffins, coffee or tea in cups, oil can, memory coin with old map icon on it.

Sound Effects: Ship’s horn, wind, crowd noises that stop when Moses speaks, mechanical noises for when Artemus shoots out coin.

lesson 2: trustStage: Opener needs to be set up like a kitchen, with wooden table, chairs, stool and shelves. Biblical scene is outdoors with fake trees and rocks. Closing is in parlor of a ship with a couch, chairs and coffee tables.

Backdrop: Wooden walls with portholes, could have pots and pans on painted shelves. Biblical scene is outdoors and could have a scene with mountain in background. Closing scene is wooden walls with portholes. You could have painted portraits on the wall.

Props: Flour, dough, bread loaf, pots, pans, cooling rack, spoons, metal cage (basket trap), fake rat, Bible, apron, butcher knife, Bible armor, sling, five stones, satchel that goes over shoulder, tray, slices of bread, cups and saucers, two memory coins with compass icon.

Sound Effects: Rat squeak noises, crowd noises that fade when Moses speaks.

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7Introduction

lesson 3: PrayStage: Set up your stage like a doctor’s office on a ship with a chair, bed, table and shelf. Set your biblical scene like the inside of a palace with a rug, pillars and a throne. Set your closing scene like a bedroom with a small bed, side table and chair.

Backdrop: Opener—use wooden walls with charts and pictures of the brain, body parts and eye chart painted on them. Biblical scene—use a solid color wall with tapestries hanging from them. Closing scene you can use wooden walls with pictures on them. Make it look like a little girl’s room.

Props: Bottles, cotton, bandages, medical instruments, medical bag, Bible, papers, maybe a standing skeleton, eye chart. Biblical scene—use a scroll that rolls out with writing on it, rug, throne, chair, pillars on each side of the rug. Closing scene needs to have dolls, clothes, brush, a tray with a glass of milk and food on a plate, pumps, memory coin with telescope icon on it.

lesson 4: standStage: Set up your opening scene like a pump room (tubes and pumps on wall), table with knapsack on it. The biblical scene is set up like a palace with a table with fruit on it. Closing scene is set in a parlor with a couch, chairs and table. Set this scene the same every day when scene takes place in parlor.

Backdrop: Opening scene can be a backdrop of mechanical gadgets and pumps. Biblical scene could be a solid wall color for inside a palace. Closing scene is the same for the earlier parlor scenes.

Props: Wrench, knapsack, Bible, large picture or painting of a golden image or using the given picture in this book make a copy on transparency sheet and project it on the wall, fiery furnace (see the Room Decorations Transparency Book), tray with cookies on it, cups and saucers, paper fan, two memory coins with ship’s wheel icon on it.

Sound Effects: Pump noises, water going through pumps or draining sound, sound of a loud horn or trumpet, noise for Artemus to shoot out coin.

lesson 5: obey

Stage: Opening scene is set up in the dining room. Set up scene as in earlier scene of dining room. Biblical scene is set up like outside in a forest area with rocks and trees. Closing scene is in parlor. Set scene as in earlier parlor scene.

Backdrop: Opening scene—as in earlier scene of dining room. Biblical scene—outside nighttime scene, paint the sky, moon and trees, sky on backdrop. Closing is the same as in the earlier scene of parlor.

Props: Teacups, saucers, teapot, creamer, sugar, two letters with envelopes, sword, lamp, pitcher, trumpet (shofar if you can find one), memory coin with anchor icon on it.

Sound Effects: The only special effects you will need are the nighttime sounds of bugs, frogs and crickets chirping.

What can we wear?Costumes: I wanted to give you several ideas on costumes because I do not want you to become overwhelmed with the Victorian theme. You may be blessed with a very large budget or you may not. This play can be done with either. I would like to address each character with costume suggestions.

Doctor Vanguard: He is in his early to middle forties. You can put him in a dark suit with a white tuxedo shirt, bow tie, ascot tie, top hat or aviator style. If you can find long period coats use them. If not, just an old suit will suffice. Remember, he is a happy fellow with a childlike disposition.

Mrs. Vanguard: She is the picture of elegance. She is in her late thirties. You can dress her in a long gown or a dress that can be made, rented or found in a thrift store. She would wear pearls or a choker, with dangling earrings. If your actress has long hair, have her style it in a “Gibson girl” style.

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Emma: She is twelve to fourteen years old. You can dress her in a dress with lace or just a longer dress. The Victorian lace up boots can be bought in stores today. You can put her hair in pigtails.

Max: He is ten to twelve years of age. You can put him in a short pair of pants. Pull the pants up to the knee and pin to create knickers. Put him in a white tuxedo or button down shirt. This can be worn with black or brown suspenders. White tights or long white socks need to be worn under the knickers. He wears black shoes. The golf cap looks great for this period.

Mr. Holloway: He is in his late thirties, but he could be older (forty to fifty). You can put him in a dark suit with a white shirt, ribbon tie, black shoes and captain’s hat.

Mrs. Plum: She is in her forties. You can dress her in a long black dress or a long black skirt and black blouse with a white apron and a white mop cap for her head.

Mr. Cole: He is in his late thirties, but he could be older. You can put him in a dark suit, white shirt and narrow black tie or ribbon tie. He can wear a black cap or a shipman’s hat. He wears black shoes.

Ms. Spencer: She is in her middle to late fifties. She is dressed in a long black skirt, but wears a white or cream high neck blouse with a cameo pin.

Dr. Morrison: He is in his early to middle forties. You can put him in a dark suit with a white physicians coat or lab coat. He wears black shoes. He would wear a stethoscope around his neck and a physician’s headlamp.

Artemus: He is a steam and oil run robot. You could be very creative in making his costume. You may use a bucket for his head, cut holes for eyes, glue on sprockets and bolts to make him look homemade. Let the actor playing him wear black pants or jeans and a T-shirt. Purchase some silver poster board and cup around his legs and arms and staple. Mount a small box around his chest and cut two armholes and a slit in the middle of the box. This is where the memory coins shoot out.

Biblical characters: Their costumes can be bought, rented or handmade. You can use bathrobes, pieces of material work great. Crowns can be made and sandals can be bought cheaply today. Scraps of material can be used as outer or inner robes, cloaks, headpieces and belts.

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theme skitsThe Conquerors/S.S. Conqueror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Lesson 1: Abide Mr. Holloway and Joshua Face Their Fear . . . . 13 Closing: Max the Conqueror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lesson 2: Trust Mrs. Plum Conquers Goliath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Closing: I Will Trust in God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 3: Pray A Conquering Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Closing: Worry Not My Emma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Lesson 4: Stand Mr. Cole Stands Up to Peer Pressure . . . . . . . . 31 Closing: Tempted but Standing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Lesson 5: Obey Ms. Spencer vs Discouragement . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Closing: We Are Conquerors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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11The Conquerors/S.S. Conqueror

(Scene opens with the members of the Vanguard family having tea with their guests.)

Dr. Vanguard: (Addressing the audience.) Welcome aboard the S.S. Conqueror! My name is Dr. Albert Vanguard and this is my lovely wife Victoria and our two children, Emma and Max. Say hello children.

Emma and Max: (Stand. Emma curtsies and Max bows.) Hello!

Mrs. Vanguard: Dear, you are forgetting some very special guests who are traveling with us.

Dr. Vanguard: Quite right my dear. May I introduce our First Officer Edmond Holloway.

Mr. Holloway: (Bowing as he touches the brim of his hat.) How do you do?

Dr. Vanguard: Our ship’s engineer, Mr. Nathan Cole.

Mr. Cole: (Tips his hat) Nice to meet you.

Dr. Vanguard: Our ship’s physician, Doctor James Morrison.

Dr. Morrison: (Bows head) At your service.

Mrs. Vanguard: Dear, please do not forget our wonderful housekeeper or ship keeper, Ms. Lydia Spencer.

Ms. Spencer: (Curtsies) Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Emma: Mother, you forgot Mrs. Plum.

Mrs. Vanguard: Oh! Forgive me! This is our cook, Mrs. Adelaide Plum.

Mrs. Plum: (Curtsies low) Hello.

Emma: Mother, you should say our scrumptious cook because everything she bakes is scrumptious!

Max: (Holding up a cookie) Especially her cookies.

Mrs. Plum: (Embarrassed) Thank you, Miss Emma. I know you and Max enjoy… (She is interrupted by Artemus the robot rocking back and forth.)

Cast list:• Dr. Vanguard• Mrs. Vanguard• Emma• Max• Mr. Holloway

• Mr. Cole• Dr. Morrison• Ms. Lydia Spencer• Mrs. Plum• Artemus

THE CONQUERORSS.S. CONQUEROR

THEME

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Artemus: Forgot Artemus, forgot Artemus.

Dr. Vanguard: (Laughing) We certainly cannot forget our lovable, steam run, robot friend, Artemus.

Artemus: (Saluting) Welcome aboard! Welcome aboard!

Dr. Vanguard: You are in store for a wonderful adventure this week on the S.S. Conqueror. Isn’t that right, Mr. Holloway?

Mr. Holloway: The sky is the limit, Sir!

Dr. Vanguard: It certainly is because the S.S. Conqueror is a ship that flies on the clouds instead of sailing on the seas.

Dr. Morrison: Such a brilliant invention, Vanguard!

Artemus: Brilliant invention! Brilliant invention!

Max: Father, why is the ship called the S.S. Conqueror?

Dr. Vanguard: Because it is a ship that has conquered gravity in the fact it flies instead of sails.

Mrs. Vanguard: Max, we are also conquerors (reading her Bible). Romans 8:37 tells us, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Dr. Morrison: Him, meaning Jesus.

Emma: How are we conquerors?

Mr. Cole: Just as this ship conquers its enemy, gravity, every day, we conquer the attacks of our enemy, the devil, every day with God’s help.

Mr. Holloway: Conquering fear…when I am fearful, I will abide in God.

Mrs. Plum: Conquering threats…when I am threatened, I will trust God.

Dr. Morrison: Conquering worry…when I am worried, I will pray to God.

Mr. Cole: Conquering peer pressure…when I am tempted, I will stand for God.

Ms. Spencer: Conquering discouragement…when I am discouraged, I will obey God’s Word.

Dr. Vanguard: We are conquerors riding on the S.S. Conqueror! Quite exciting!

Mrs. Vanguard: Yes, Dear, but now it’s time to put the children to bed.

Dr. Vanguard: You are right, my dear. We hope you will join us this week. We will be setting off on our adventure tomorrow. Until then…

All: (Waving) Bon Voyage!

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biblical skitsLesson 1: Abide Joshua and Rebecca Face Their Fear . . . . . . . . . 43

Lesson 2: Trust The Bully and the Stone Thrower . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Lesson 3: Pray A Conquering Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Lesson 4: Stand Standing Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Lesson 5: Obey The First Inning of Discouragement . . . . . . . . . 53 Sam

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STANDING ALONE DANIEL 3:1-30

LESSON 4

(On SL set up your stage like a Sunday School class. Place the chairs in a circle. Mrs. Ritter is sitting in a chair reading her Bible. Jessica enters SR and crosses to SL.)

Jessica: Mrs. Ritter, am I interrupting you? I can come back later.

Mrs. Ritter: Jessica! Good morning! No, you are not interrupting me. I am just looking over our Sunday School lesson. Come in and sit down.

(She motions toward chair. Jessica sits in chair.)

Jessica: (Clasping and unclasping her hands in her lap.) I just need some advice, Mrs. Ritter, because I am so torn up about a decision I have to make.

Mrs. Ritter: Of course, I am here to help. Tell me about your problem.

Jessica: I have been invited to a sleepover party this Friday night. It’s going to be so much fun, but I just found out yesterday that the girls are planning to go see a movie that I do not want to see.

Mrs. Ritter: Is this movie bad?

Jessica: It’s rated PG13, but it has some bad language in it that, as a Christian, I do not need to hear and don’t want to hear, but I have been told by the girl having the party that if I don’t go and see the movie, I can’t come to the party at all. What should I do, Mrs. Ritter?

Mrs. Ritter: It seems to me that you are faced with some heavy peer pressure here. It so happens that our lesson next week is about that very topic.

Jessica: Really?

Mrs. Ritter: Yes, we are going to be studying the fiery trio.

Jessica: Fiery trio?

Mrs. Ritter: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. They were faced with the peer pressure to bow down along with everyone else to a golden idol.

Jessica: What did they do?

Cast list:• Jessica (14)• Mrs. Ritter (Jessica’s Sunday

School teacher)

• Shadrach• Meshach• Abed-nego

Standing Alone

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Mrs. Ritter: These boys were devout followers of Jehovah God, and they worshiped Him and Him alone. They knew bowing down to a golden idol would be worshiping something other than God.

(SL freezes and Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego enter SR.)

Shadrach: The herald just brought the command. If we don’t bow to the king’s image, we will be thrown into the fiery furnace.

Meshach: We cannot bow to an idol! It is against our God and His Law!

Abed-nego: We are agreed then to stand together in this and not bow no matter the consequences?

(The three join hands and nod. SR freezes and SL unfreezes.)

Mrs. Ritter: When the horn sounded everyone in the kingdom bowed down to the golden image except Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. They were immediately brought to the king and the king asked them why they did not bow.

Jessica: What did they say to the king?

(SL freezes and SR unfreezes. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego speak to audience as to addressing the king.)

Shadrach: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.”

Meshach: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace.”

Shadrach: “And he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”

Abed-nego: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

(SR freezes, SL unfreezes.)

Jessica: What happened to them?

Mrs. Ritter: They were thrown into the furnace that had been heated up seven more times, but not an inch of their flesh was burned because God protected them. All three men came out of the fiery furnace without smelling like smoke.

Jessica: Wow! God saved them because they honored God! Even under peer pressure!

Mrs. Ritter: God will honor you, Jessica, if you put Him before others.

Jessica: You are right, Mrs. Ritter, and I choose to honor what God would have me do. Besides, there will be other parties.

Mrs. Ritter: Why don’t you plan one yourself and invite these girls to it?

Jessica: Maybe I will do that another day, but today I choose to stand alone.

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