The Red Bandana Gang

The Good Samaritan heads west in this hilarious, high-energy cowboy retelling!

Hold onto your hats and grab your stick horses—this 4-minute skit spins the classic parable of the Good Samaritan into a wild western showdown! With a gang of masked bandits, a reluctant sheriff, a well-meaning preacher, and some unexpected heroes in sombreros, the message of loving your neighbor has never been so entertaining.

Perfect for children’s church, family services, or VBS, this short skit packs humor, heart, and a Bible truth that hits home.

🪶 4–6 cast members (flexible genders)
🎩 Easy costumes: cowboy hats, red bandanas, stick horses
⏱️ Run Time: 4 minutes
📖 Based on Luke 10:25–37
🎯 Theme: Helping others, even when they're different from us

Because sometimes, the most unlikely folks ride in to save the day.

Sample of script:

[Pre-Show Activity]
Before the skit begins, while the audience is gathering, walk around holding a “WANTED” poster of the Red Bandana Gang. Engage the crowd by asking if they’ve seen these desperados.

NARRATOR / SHERIFF / INNKEEPER (N/S/I):
Well, sir, I’m gonna tell you a story you probably never heard before. It happened right around here, not too long ago.

(The Traveler enters from the back, innocently walking toward center stage.)

N/S/I:
A traveler was on his way down the trail when a terrible thing happened.

(The Red Bandana Gang enters on “horses,” whooping and hollering. They are masked with cowboy hats. They circle around the Traveler.)

N/S/I:
It was the Red Bandana Gang! They are some really bad hombres.

(The Gang beats up the Traveler, who cries out for help and eventually collapses. The Gang steals money and jeers.)

GANG LEADER:
It’s fun being a bad guy!

(The Gang rides off whooping and exits.)

NARRATOR:
What an awful thing. The Red Bandana Gang beat up the Traveler and left him for dead.

TRAVELER (weakly):
Help.

(Narrator puts on a cowboy hat, becoming the Sheriff.)

SHERIFF:
Now there was a sheriff in town, and he rode out to see what he could do.
(Walks toward the Traveler but stops short.)
Well now, this is very sad. I’d really like to help you, but see, that is the county line right there. You are out of my jurisdiction.

TRAVELER:
I’m hurt.

SHERIFF:
I don’t suppose you could kind of crawl over here? No? Well I’ll send a telegraph to Galilee County as soon as I get back to my office. You hang in there, pardner.

(Sheriff exits, removes hat, becomes Narrator again.)

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.