Idle Lips

Idle hands are the devil's workshop and idle lips are his mouthpiece.
A group of youth spread lies about another person until finally everyone believes the lies. How gossip and lying can destroy someone's reputation

Cast: 6 m or f

• Bart
• Carlos
• John (friend of Bart)
• Mary (friend of Bart)
• Susan (friend of Bart)
• Narrator (offstage voice)

Bible Reference: Proverbs 16:27

Set: bare

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props:

• table and 4 chairs

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 15

Sample of script:

Bart & Carlos enter stage talking, loud, excited, move to centerstage to continue dialogue.

Bart: I know what you mean! I can’t wait to try that out!

Carlos: Okay, then. It’s planned. Next Thursday night we are going to go to Battleship Video, and we are going to show everyone else how to play Space Flyer!

Bart: Awesome!

Carlos: I suppose I should pick you up, right? (smiling.)

Bart: Yeah, I guess so. The body shop said my car won’t be out for another week! What am I gonna do without my ride?

Carlos: Tough break, man! But maybe next time you should ignore the car full of pretty girls beside you and watch for on-coming trees! (Laughing to himself.)

Bart, (sarcastic): Ha ha. I feel so lucky to get a ride in the infamous Carlos Carriage!

Carlos: Yep! Count yourself among the fortunate to be able to take a trip in the only surviving 1972 Pinto with, (emphasizing), wood panelling on the doors!

Bart, (smiling): Don’t forget the best part – it’s bright orange!

Carlos, (playfully hurt): You wound me man! You know that it’s tangerine! Tangerine!

Bart: There’s a difference?

Carlos: Well, I’ve had enough abuse for one day. I have to get going. My sister is going to be done at her piano lesson in a few minutes. I have to pick her up.

Bart: Ah, so she is privileged enough to get a ride in the hot-rod, is she?

Carlos: My Mom has to work a double shift today, so I said I would help out. Besides, (laughing), you just wait. Any day now there will be girls lined up for miles wanting a ride home.

Bart: Any day now. Right, buddy!

Carlos: See you later, man!

Carlos exits stage left. Bart waves good bye to Carlos and looks at his watch.

Bart, (to himself): I guess I should get going to the coffee shop to meet the gang.

Lights up extreme stage left, small table with chairs set up. John, Mary and Susan are already sitting. Bart moves to join them.

Bart: Hi guys! (Sits on an empty chair.) What are we talking about?

Susan, (joking): Oh, hi Bart. What took you so long? We were beginning to think you had dumped us!

Bart: Oh, right! No, I was just with a buddy of mine.

John: Anyone we know?

Mary: Tell me it wasn’t with that weird guy, what’s-his-name!

Bart: Who?

Mary: Oh, you know! That guy that drives a bright yellow car with wood on it!

Susan: Oh yeah! I know who you mean! I think that nerd’s name is Clark, or something.

Bart: Look, guys. You really don’t know him very well.

John: Thankfully! I saw him the other day coming out of the piano store! It figures a guy like that plays the piano all day because he doesn’t have any friends!

Bart: No, you’ve got him all wrong!

Mary: Don’t tell me you are friends with him, are you Bart?

Bart: Well, I uh . . .

Susan: Bart! Are you and Clark friends? You actually would be a friend to that outcast?

Bart: He’s not an outcast, and his name is Carlos, not Clark! I think you guys all need to rethink your opinion of him.

John: I don’t think we are the ones that have made a huge error in judgment, here.

Bart: What do you mean?

Mary: Do you really know him, Bart? I mean really know him?

Bart: Well I think I do. I mean I . . .

Susan: Seems to me like this Carlos person has been pulling the wool over your eyes.

Bart: No! He wouldn’t do that!

Mary, (leaning in to others): I heard that he gets nothing but straight A’s in school. I find that awfully fishy for someone who misses a whole lot of classes.

Bart: But he’s a really smart guy! He takes a lot of his classes through correspondence because he has to help out at home more.

Susan: That’s a whole other ball game! I heard from Debbie Walker that his Dad up a left the whole family one night and never came back.

Bart: But he told me that his Dad is driving truck for his uncle.

John: I guess you really never know someone, do you?

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