Stranger In The City

Theme:       The Syrophenician woman deals with having a demon possessed daughter
Bible Reference:     Mark 7:1-29

 

Cast:         9+
Miriam – Syrophenician woman
Priscilla – demon possessed daughter of Miriam
Daughter1 – daughter of Miriam
Daughter2 – daughter of Miriam
Ruth – Miriam’s sister – very critical; believes that her daughter is the way she is because of sin
Martha – Miriam’s sister
Phoebe – Neighbor
Johanna – Neighbor, she sings – “A Stranger in the City”  (Music not provided)
Person1
crowd as available

 

Set:         Scene 1 – Miriam’s Home – living room
Scene 2 – blank stage
Scene 3 – Miriam’s Home – living room

 

Lighting:    standard

 

Sound:      Song: “Stranger In The City”  Inez Andrews, available on YouTube

 

Costumes:   likely traditional

 

Time:       18

 

Sample of script:

 

Scene 1 – Miriam’s Home

 

Miriam, Daughter1 and Daughter2 come on stage, talking

 

Miriam:      I simply don’t understand . . . What can be the problem?
You two should be betrothed, if not already married.
You have looks, you can cook, what more can any man want?
Here I am, a widowed lady alone, with three daughters, what am I to do?

 

Daughter1:    Well Mom, it’s not as if I’m dragging my heels on marriage . . . Just send me any great looking, rich farmer with 10,000 sheep, 500 camels and the cattle on a thousand hills and I am good to go on marriage.

 

Daughter2:    I am not nearly as picky as my sister. Just give me a very old, very rich man with no livestock but with a severe and degenerative heart condition and I am in love.

 

Miriam:      You girls make jokes, but the fact is you need husbands and now. What am I to do?

 

Priscilla comes on stage, sits on floor, eyes closed, rocking back and forth, humming tuneless song

 

Daughter1:    Maybe if you start by moving her out of the house it would help.

 

Daughter2:    Our family is known as the one with the weird daughter.

 

Priscilla stands, screams at the others, pulls at her own hair and clothing

 

Daughter1:    That for sure is attractive! . . . What chance do we have of getting a husband when people think this whole family is mental?

 

Daughter2:    Mom, you don’t know what it is like to have everyone talk behind your back, point and whisper.

 

Miriam, angry: You say I don’t know? . . . You would dare say I don’t know?

 

Daughter1:    You don’t have to be around our friends when they make fun of us.

 

Miriam, angry: Don’t you ever go there! . . Never say such a thing! . . Don’t forget I am her mother! . I am the one known as “the mother of the imbecile”! . . I am the one who must face the stares and the glares every time I go to the market! . . Even worse, I am the one that is . . pitied! . .
(makes a face)
“Oh you poor dear!”
“Such a burden you must carry!”
“Giving life to the deranged one!”
Yes it is what I hear daily!
So don’t you ever infer that I have it easy!

 

Daughter2:    Sorry Mom, I just thought . . .

 

Miriam:      No you did not think! . . . Had you thought before you spoke you would never have made such a cruel statement!

 

Daughter1:    Mom, we . .

 

Miriam:      Get out of my sight! . . . Go!

 

Daughters quickly leave the stage

Miriam looks at Priscilla, shakes her head, cries

A knock, Ruth, Martha, Phoebe and Johanna come on stage

They look at Priscilla, try to ignore her

 

Miriam:      What brings all of you to my house?

 

Ruth:        Perhaps, Miriam, you have forgotten that Martha and I are your sisters?

 

Miriam:      No Ruth, I have not forgotten, but you are hardly a frequent visitor.

 

Martha:      And visiting with you is hardly the pleasant event that one looks forward to, what with . . (points to Priscilla) . . .with her . . . acting up as she does.

 

Ruth:        It is only because we love you and want the best for you that we make the substantial effort to be here.

 

Martha:      One would think you would be grateful that we come dear.

 

Miriam, phoney:
Of course Martha, I am grateful beyond words!

 

Phoebe, points to Johanna:
Johanna and I just came as concerned neighbors; we wonder if there is anything we can do to assist in some way.

 

Johanna:      We really do want to help if we can.

 

Priscilla screams at others, then moves to upstage location, sits on the floor and rocks back and forth

 

Miriam:      What do all of you suggest? . .  Tell me what I can do with . . . (points at Priscilla) . . with her.

 

Ruth:        First you must go to the temple and make a sin offering.

 

Miriam:      A sin offering? . . I am human, I sin, but for which particular sin am I confessing?

 

Martha:      Only you can know the sin which caused God’s wrath.

 

Ruth:        Only you and God that is.

 

Miriam:      God’s wrath?

 

Ruth:        My Eli says it is clear that you committed a grievous sin against God that God would so affect this . . . (points to Priscilla) . . this . . . person, . . . this . . . thing.

 

Miriam:      Oh your husband says that does he?

 

Ruth:        My Eli serves in the temple and he knows these things.

 

Miriam:      Your husband Eli is an idiot and the whole town laughs at him behind his back!

 

Martha:      If you will remember our Mother warned you not to marry Max.

 

Ruth:        We all knew there had been generations of mental illness in Max’s family.

 

Miriam:      The only reason you were all against Max is because his father died penniless.

 

Martha:      Take a sin offering, go to the temple and admit that you sinned! . .  Perhaps God may forgive you and might even remove the curse.

 

Miriam:      Get out of here, all of you!

 

Martha:      Fine you ungrateful fool. . .  But you know we are right!

 

Ruth and Martha start off stage

 

Phoebe:       If there is anything we can do to help . . .

 

Miriam, laugh: You heard my sisters. . . I am the demon possessed mother of a demon possessed daughter! . .  Now leave me alone!

 

Phoebe leaves

 

Johanna:      There is a stranger in the city.

 

Miriam:      A stranger? . . . Tyre is full of strangers.

 

Johanna:      This is a different kind of stranger.

 

Miriam:      Different? . .  How different, in what way?

 

Johanna:      He is a man of God.

 

Miriam:      Just what I need Johanna . . . another temple preacher. . .  to tell me what I have done wrong.

 

Johanna:      He is different Miriam. . . . He heals people.

 

Miriam:      I have tried all the doctors.

 

Johanna:      You should see Jesus.

 

Miriam:      Jesus?

 

Johanna:      He is Jesus of Nazareth. Some say he is the Messiah. . . He heals the blind, causes those who can’t walk to jump and run. . .  And just last week he raised someone from the dead.

 

Miriam:      If only I could believe . . .

 

Johanna sings “Stranger In The City” by Inez Andrews

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Syrophenician woman deals with having a demon possessed daughter.

Cast: 9+

• Miriam - Syrophenician woman
• Priscilla – demon possessed daughter of Miriam
• Daughter1 – daughter of Miriam
• Daughter2 – daughter of Miriam
• Ruth – Miriam’s sister - very critical; believes that her daughter is the way she is because of sin
• Martha – Miriam’s sister
• Phoebe – Neighbor
• Johanna – Neighbor, she sings – “A Stranger in the City”  (Music not provided)
• Person1
• crowd as available

Bible Reference: Mark 7:1-29

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song:

• “Stranger In The City”  Inez Andrews, available on YouTube

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: likely traditional

Special Instructions: none

Time: 18

Sample of script:

Scene 1 – Miriam’s Home

Miriam, Daughter1 and Daughter2 come on stage, talking

Miriam:      I simply don’t understand . . . What can be the problem?
You two should be betrothed, if not already married.
You have looks, you can cook, what more can any man want?
Here I am, a widowed lady alone, with three daughters, what am I to do?

Daughter1:    Well Mom, it’s not as if I’m dragging my heels on marriage . . . Just send me any great looking, rich farmer with 10,000 sheep, 500 camels and the cattle on a thousand hills and I am good to go on marriage.

Daughter2:    I am not nearly as picky as my sister. Just give me a very old, very rich man with no livestock but with a severe and degenerative heart condition and I am in love.

Miriam:      You girls make jokes, but the fact is you need husbands and now. What am I to do?

Priscilla comes on stage, sits on floor, eyes closed, rocking back and forth, humming tuneless song

Daughter1:    Maybe if you start by moving her out of the house it would help.

Daughter2:    Our family is known as the one with the weird daughter.

Priscilla stands, screams at the others, pulls at her own hair and clothing

Daughter1:    That for sure is attractive! . . . What chance do we have of getting a husband when people think this whole family is mental?

Daughter2:    Mom, you don’t know what it is like to have everyone talk behind your back, point and whisper.

Miriam, angry: You say I don’t know? . . . You would dare say I don’t know?

Daughter1:    You don’t have to be around our friends when they make fun of us.

Miriam, angry: Don’t you ever go there! . . Never say such a thing! . . Don’t forget I am her mother! . I am the one known as “the mother of the imbecile”! . . I am the one who must face the stares and the glares every time I go to the market! . . Even worse, I am the one that is . . pitied! . .
(makes a face)
“Oh you poor dear!”
“Such a burden you must carry!”
“Giving life to the deranged one!”
Yes it is what I hear daily!
So don’t you ever infer that I have it easy!

Daughter2:    Sorry Mom, I just thought . . .

Miriam:      No you did not think! . . . Had you thought before you spoke you would never have made such a cruel statement!

Daughter1:    Mom, we . .

Miriam:      Get out of my sight! . . . Go!

Daughters quickly leave the stage

Miriam looks at Priscilla, shakes her head, cries

A knock, Ruth, Martha, Phoebe and Johanna come on stage

They look at Priscilla, try to ignore her

Miriam:      What brings all of you to my house?

Ruth:        Perhaps, Miriam, you have forgotten that Martha and I are your sisters?

Miriam:      No Ruth, I have not forgotten, but you are hardly a frequent visitor.

Martha:      And visiting with you is hardly the pleasant event that one looks forward to, what with . . (points to Priscilla) . . .with her . . . acting up as she does.

Ruth:        It is only because we love you and want the best for you that we make the substantial effort to be here.

Martha:      One would think you would be grateful that we come dear.

Miriam, phoney:
Of course Martha, I am grateful beyond words!

Phoebe, points to Johanna:
Johanna and I just came as concerned neighbors; we wonder if there is anything we can do to assist in some way.

Johanna:      We really do want to help if we can.

Priscilla screams at others, then moves to upstage location, sits on the floor and rocks back and forth

Miriam:      What do all of you suggest? . .  Tell me what I can do with . . . (points at Priscilla) . . with her.

Ruth:        First you must go to the temple and make a sin offering.

Miriam:      A sin offering? . . I am human, I sin, but for which particular sin am I confessing?

Martha:      Only you can know the sin which caused God’s wrath.

Ruth:        Only you and God that is.

Miriam:      God’s wrath?

Ruth:        My Eli says it is clear that you committed a grievous sin against God that God would so affect this . . . (points to Priscilla) . . this . . . person, . . . this . . . thing.

Miriam:      Oh your husband says that does he?

Ruth:        My Eli serves in the temple and he knows these things.

Miriam:      Your husband Eli is an idiot and the whole town laughs at him behind his back!

Martha:      If you will remember our Mother warned you not to marry Max.

Ruth:        We all knew there had been generations of mental illness in Max’s family.

Miriam:      The only reason you were all against Max is because his father died penniless.

Martha:      Take a sin offering, go to the temple and admit that you sinned! . .  Perhaps God may forgive you and might even remove the curse.

Miriam:      Get out of here, all of you!

Martha:      Fine you ungrateful fool. . .  But you know we are right!

Ruth and Martha start off stage

Phoebe:       If there is anything we can do to help . . .

Miriam, laugh: You heard my sisters. . . I am the demon possessed mother of a demon possessed daughter! . .  Now leave me alone!

Phoebe leaves

Johanna:      There is a stranger in the city.

Miriam:      A stranger? . . . Tyre is full of strangers.

Johanna:      This is a different kind of stranger.

Miriam:      Different? . .  How different, in what way?

Johanna:      He is a man of God.

Miriam:      Just what I need Johanna . . . another temple preacher. . .  to tell me what I have done wrong.

Johanna:      He is different Miriam. . . . He heals people.

Miriam:      I have tried all the doctors.

Johanna:      You should see Jesus.

Miriam:      Jesus?

Johanna:      He is Jesus of Nazareth. Some say he is the Messiah. . . He heals the blind, causes those who can’t walk to jump and run. . .  And just last week he raised someone from the dead.

Miriam:      If only I could believe . . .

Johanna sings “Stranger In The City” by Inez Andrews