The Cricket and the Coin

At a hectic city crosswalk, a “nobody” begs for change while everyone else tunes him out—until a tiny sound cuts through the noise. One person hears a cricket. No one else does… until a single coin hits the sidewalk and suddenly everyone notices. This sharp, visual parable lands on Jesus’ words about treasure and the heart, inviting us to check what we’re most tuned to hear.

Cast:    6+ (m or f)

• Street "Bum" looking for money
• Mark, the "mark" from whom the "bum" tries to beg money
• one in crowd, reacts to a mimed car coming too close
• newspaper boy/girl ("paper sir/ma'am")
• a person calling for "TAXI"
• any number of crowd people, vendors, newspaper boy/girl, tourists, police officer with whistle
• crowd actor's roles are very important as they must mime the unspoken emotions of the crowd

Bible Reference:    Ecclesiastes 5:10

Set:

• a busy street corner, traffic lights, walk / don't walk (would be nice to have can be done by holding up posters)
• street sign to show the corner of a busy street in a city in your area, such as "Portage" and "Main"

Lighting:        standard

  Sound: 

• wireless mics if available

Song:     none

SFX: 

• sounds of city with car horns, crowd noise, sirens, police whistle, loud sound of coin dropping on concrete

Costumes:

• Bum dressed in scruffy old clothing
• Mark in business clothes
• tourist dressed as tourist

Props:     camera, suitcase, a large coin, briefcase, cell phones

Special Instructions:

• Bum sizing up the crowd, very tentative looking for a "mark" to get money from, very cautiously approaching a couple of people who reject, then Bum spies Mark

  Time:     6

Sample of script:

Lights are all off. In the darkness the "Don't Walk" sign comes on. Start tape with street noises. Gradually the house lights come up. The crowd is waiting for the light to change. Allow street sounds to play for a minute before lines are spoken. Before lines are started bring down the volume of street sounds in order that lines can be clearly heard.

Bum approaches Mark 1: Hey mister (lady). Can ya spare some change?

Mark 1 scowls, shakes head, looks back at traffic light.

Pause another 30 seconds while the only action will be the bum looking around, trying to decide who to approach next.

Walk light comes on.

All actors move ahead in a kind of orderly confusion in a wide circle.

One (gesturing angrily at an imaginary car): Hey! Watch it buddy! Just cause you're driving a Beamer!

The Don't Walk light comes on. The actors will continue on, ending up back where they started at the same corner.

Actors stand waiting for a walk light. The bum will again survey the crowd for a receptive mark.

Bum approaches Mark 2: Excuse me sir (lady). I haven't eaten in two days. Could you please help me out with a couple a dollars?

Mark 2, annoyed: Look there's a Salvation Army just down the street. That's where you ought to go!

Walk light comes on. All actors except bum again move about, again ending up at corner as Don't Walk sign again comes on.

Actor 1 who is casually dressed comes to front of the group as they are waiting at the corner. He is looking around, suddenly stops, cups his hand to his ear as he listens.

Actor 1, (to no one in particular): Shhh! Did you hear that?

All actors glance at Actor 1, disinterested then look away, back to the street light.

Actor 1: Didn't you hear that? It was a cricket!

Bum: A cricket? How could you hear a cricket with all this noise?

Actor 1 walks a few steps, bends over and picks up an imaginary cricket.

Actor 1: Sure, here it is! I knew I heard a cricket!

Bum: Well you are the only one who heard the cricket!

Actor 1: You're kidding! You mean no one else heard the cricket? But the sound was so clear! How could you miss hearing it? That's amazing!

Bum: You want to see something amazing? I'll show you something amazing!

Bum reaches into pocket, pulls out a penny, holds it up for Actor 1 and audience to see.

Bum: Now just watch this. I'm going to drop this penny on the sidewalk.

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