Fishers of Men

Pete, Jim, Jack and Simon (Peter, James, John and Simon) are trying without success to catch fish. 

Then Jesus comes along. 

Includes two songs.

Cast: 5+
Pete
Jim
Jack
Simon
Jesus
any number of non-speaking roles and singers

Set: waters edge with a boat in the water

Lighting: low light level until Jesus comes on stage at which time the light level is increased

Sound: Song: Fishers of Men
Song: Come and Fish With Me’. Jessie Manibusan,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h93YJSvkYpM
Costumes: may be traditional or contemporary
Props: nets

Sample of script:

Singers come on stage, or may be offstage

Song: ‘Come and Fish With Me’:

Jesus saw them fishing by the shore of Galilee,
casting out their nets into the sea.
Simon Peter, Andrew and the sons of Zebedee,
waiting in their boats so patiently.
And Jesus said,

Refrain

"Oh, come and follow me.
Oh, leave behind your nets. I call you.
Oh, come and fish with me,
and your life will never be the same again."

Repeat

"Oh, come and follow me.
Oh, leave behind your nets. I call you.
Oh, come and fish with me,
and your life will never be the same again."
Yes, your life will never be the same again.
Oh, your life will never be the same.

lights come up on lake
Pete, Jim, Jack, Simon and any number of others are working with their fishing nets

Pete: Stupid, worn-out old nets!

Jim: I’m with you Pete! . . . How are we s’posed to go and catch fish when we’ve got this old clunker equipment to work with?

Jack: Yeh Jim, see here, a hole clean through this thing! . . A whale could swim clean through this hunk of junk!

Simon: Jack, do whales blink when they get water in their eyes?

others look at Simon in disbelief

Pete: OK, now just where did that come from Simon?

Jack: Here we are, serious and all, trying to catch fish tonight under the moon, and all Simon can do is go on about some fool whale blinking!

Jim: Forget it Jack, likely we should know better, trying to fish at this time of the month, I mean everyone knows fish don’t bite at full moon time.

Jack: Really? . . Fish don’t bite when there is a full moon?

Pete: That’s just an old wives tale.

Jack: Old wives tale . . . What does that mean?

Pete: It’s a saying . . means it isn’t true.

Simon: How come only old wives know these things? . . . I mean what about old husbands tale? . . Old uncles? . .

Pete: Let it go Simon!

Simon: Maybe more likely old grandfathers tale, grandfathers being old and all.

Pete: I won’t warn you again Simon, let it go or for sure I am gonna hurt you.

Jack: Wonder if there is some way we can fix these nets?

Jim: Might try tossing the nets in the fire, . . . that could fix them.

Pete: Well, I was thinking Jack, maybe your dad could give us some suggestions about fixing the nets.

Jim: Good thought Pete, for a fact no better fisherman around these parts than Zebedee, for sure.

Jack: Yeh, I guess, it’s just that I hate to go ask my Dad every time I run into a little problem.

Pete: This here one doesn’t rate as a little problem Jack, this problem is gynormous!

Simon: Guys I have just come up with a plan that will for sure knock your socks off.

Jim: I know that for sure I will hate myself for saying this but . . . what is this sock knocking off type idea you got Simon?

Simon: Listen up and learn guys . . . What we are gonna do is do away with the nets.

Pete: We are gonna go and fish for fish but don’t use nets?

Jack: And just how do we catch the fish if we don’t use nets Simon?

Simon: Well what we are gonna do is use fishing poles.

Jim: And what exactly are fishing poles?

Simon: See you got this big old pole with a string running to the end and a spinner to reel in the fish.

Jack: You lost me Simon.

Simon: Let me demonstrate. . .

Simon mimes putting fishing pole over the shoulder, throwing the line out into the audience, then reeling it back in, taking the flapping fish off the hook